The Cubs are wrapped up in a playoff race, which means the immediate conversation in Chicago is all about the bullpen and the stretch run. But out in Anaheim, a very different kind of urgency is starting to take shape.
The Los Angeles Angels are in the middle of a major ownership change after Arte Moreno’s sudden sale of the franchise to Stan Kroenke, and that alone has changed the mood around the club. For fans who have been waiting for something to feel hopeful about since Shohei Ohtani left, the arrival of Kroenke - better known for owning the NFL’s LA Rams and the NBA’s Denver Nuggets - looks like a real shift. He comes with a reputation as a solid owner, and that could mean a more aggressive approach to free agency than the Angels have shown in recent years.
If that new direction holds, Chicago’s winter market could get interesting. Three Cubs free agents stand out as possible fits for Anaheim.
Carson Kelly looks like the cleanest match.
Since signing with the Cubs before the 2025 season, Kelly has given Jed Hoyer exactly what the team needed and then some. Over two seasons in Chicago, he’s posted a 112 wRC+ and 4.4 fWAR, locking down a position that had been a real issue after Willson Contreras left.
Even with that production, a return feels unlikely. Owen Ayers has emerged as a top 100 prospect behind the plate and is expected to arrive at Wrigley next year, while Miguel Amaya is also in the picture.
That gives the Cubs enough reason to hesitate before handing Kelly the raise he should command on the open market.
The Angels, though, could be ready to pay for exactly that kind of stability. They’ve needed a veteran catcher for a while, and their decision to send Logan O’Hoppe to a division rival underscored just how serious that need is.
Kelly would bring experience, calm, and a useful presence for a young pitching staff. He could also fit into a broader developmental plan, especially with Moises Ballesteros now in the organization after the Cubs traded him to the Angels last month.
Ballesteros has been catching once a week since the move, and Kelly could give him a familiar veteran voice while helping him at the plate and behind it.
Kevin Gausman would send a different message entirely.
If Kroenke wants to show the Angels are operating under a new standard, a pitcher like Gausman would do it. The 35-year-old still offers durability, postseason experience, and the kind of big-game profile the Angels have rarely been able to add. He’s not the Cy Young-level arm he once was, but he would still bring credibility to a staff that has spent years trying to patch things together.
There’s also a practical angle. Gausman could help the Angels compete early and still have enough value to become a trade piece next summer if the season goes sideways.
He won’t be short on interest, either. The Cubs could be in that market as well, given their need for rotation help in 2027.
Tyrone Taylor may be the simplest move of the bunch.
Clay Holmes should be the Cubs’ top winter priority, but Taylor is a different case. He has been excellent since joining Chicago and is putting together a strong overall season as a part-time outfielder. Even so, Matt Shaw looks better suited for that type of role long term.
That makes Taylor a very plausible target for the Angels, who have plenty of room in the outfield around Mike Trout. They could offer him a starting job, which is something more obvious contenders might not be willing to do. His ability to handle center field would also give them a useful safety net if Trout runs into injury trouble again.
It’s a familiar type of insurance play. The Twins used a similar setup with Michael A.
Taylor in 2023, when he was brought in for a corner role but ended up starting in center because Byron Buxton was limited to DH duty. The Angels would obviously prefer Trout to stay healthy and hold down center field, but if they want a backup plan that can actually hold up, Taylor fits that bill.
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Cubs May Have A New Shortstop Prospect Fans Need To Watch
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Chicago still has other shortstop options in the pipeline, so nothing is settled and no one is handing out a future job based on one strong stretch. Even so, Cepedas development is exactly the kind of thing that can change a farm systems outlook over time, especially for a club that has already shown a willingness to move a prominent prospect when the major-league return makes sense. For Cubs fans, it is another reminder to keep an eye on the lower levels, where the next shortstop conversation may already be taking shape. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Face A Catching Question They Can't Ignore For 2027
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Miguel Amayas recent offensive struggles have only sharpened the discussion around what the Cubs want, and need, behind the plate by 2027. Catching is one of the hardest jobs to solve in a stable way, and for a team trying to project forward while keeping one eye on the present, the way Amaya finishes out the next stretch could matter well beyond the spring games that may or may not arrive on schedule. [Read more 🡒]
Edward Cabrera Is Making The Cubs Bullpen Question Even Tougher
The Cubs have been keeping a close eye on the rehab paths of Justin Steele, Shelby Miller and Edward Cabrera as they try to bolster a bullpen that figures to matter a lot over the seasons final stretch. Steeles first game appearance in nearly 18 months came in a rehab start, while Miller is nearing the point where he should be able to handle pitching on consecutive days, giving Chicago some hope that reinforcements could arrive in time to help.
Cabrera, though, has complicated the picture. His latest rehab outing did not go well, and for a team already sorting through a late-season relief mix, that makes his path back to meaningful major league work far less straightforward. The Cubs are still monitoring the situation, but the uncertainty around Cabrera only adds another layer to a bullpen decision that was already difficult enough. [Read more 🡒]