The Angels are being linked to the kind of offseason shopping that doesn’t make headlines in November but can still matter by spring. If the new ownership is going to spend, great. But even with bigger names potentially in play, this roster still needs depth, and that means the Halos are going to have to dig into the bargain pile like everybody else.
That’s where non-tender candidates come in. Those are the players another team decides not to keep around, often because of cost, roster crunch, or both. For the Angels, that market could offer a few useful pieces who might not cost much but could still fill real needs.
Kutter Crawford is one name that fits the profile. The Red Sox right-hander has missed the last two seasons because of two separate injuries, with right patellar tendinopathy wiping out all of 2025 and right wrist surgery costing him all of 2026.
Before that, though, he was a steady starter for Boston. In 2023, he made 31 appearances, 23 of them starts, and posted a 4.04 ERA over 129 innings with a 25.6 K% and 6.8 BB%.
The year after, he took the ball 33 times, logged 183 innings, and finished with a 4.36 ERA, 23.1 K% and 6.7 BB%. He wasn’t overpowering, but he did eat innings.
He’ll be 31 next season, and if Boston decides it’s done waiting, the Angels could take a shot on a starter who might help at the back end of the rotation.
Huascar Brazoban is another arm worth watching. The 37-year-old reliever could slip through if the White Sox decide they don’t want to keep him, even though his season line doesn’t scream trouble at first glance.
He finished the year with an ERA just under three in 67 innings, but most of that damage came with the Mets. Before the trade to Chicago, he had a 2.56 ERA and 3.35 FIP.
After the deal, those numbers jumped to a 4.40 ERA and 5.19 FIP. Chicago didn’t trust him in October either, leaving him off the ALDS roster.
Still, over the last three seasons, he’s put together a 3.42 ERA in 151 games, and that kind of middle-inning stability would make sense for the Angels.
Matt Vierling is a different kind of target, but maybe just as useful. The Tigers utility man was close to a three-WAR player two years ago when he appeared in 144 games.
Since then, he’s played only 123 games over the last two seasons and has posted negative WAR in both. Detroit may not have room for him anymore.
Even with a .617 OPS and a .590 OPS over the last two years, he still ranked in the top percentiles in whiff rate and strikeout rate, and his expected batting average sat at .256. He can handle all three outfield spots and third base, which gives the Angels options they could use.
Mark Vientos is the biggest swing of the group, even if it’s a long shot. The Mets could decide to move on from him after a rough stretch following his 2024 breakout.
The soon-to-be 27-year-old has been worth -1.5 bWAR over the last two seasons and owns a .225/.277/.405/.682 slashline with a 91 OPS+. This season, he also struggled badly at first base after being pushed there by the signing of Bo Bichette, who declined his opt-out.
If the Mets do let him go, the Angels should be ready. He could play third base, his natural position, and also rotate in at DH.
And if they can get the 30-homer power he flashed, that would be a real lift for their lineup next season.
In Other News...
Braves Bring Back A Familiar Front Office Voice For 2027
The Braves are rebuilding some familiar front-office connections for 2027, adding former Astros general manager Dana Brown as a senior advisor to their amateur scouting department while also bringing back Perry Minasian. Minasian, who previously worked alongside Alex Anthopoulos in Atlanta, is returning to the organization after his run as Angels general manager, giving the Braves another experienced voice in the room as they continue shaping their scouting and personnel operation.
For Angels fans, the move is another reminder of how quickly front-office circles can turn over and reconnect. Minasians specific role in Atlanta has not been detailed, but the reunion with Anthopoulos adds intrigue to a Braves setup that already leans heavily on continuity and familiarity. The exact assignment may still be coming into focus, yet the decision itself says plenty about how much Atlanta values people it already knows. [Read more 🡒]
Angels Running Out Of Time To Fix A Critical Front Office Problem
The Angels are staring at a tightening calendar as their ownership transition from Arte Moreno to Stan Kroenke needs to be completed before the MLB lockout begins Dec. 1. Any sale still has to clear approval from at least 23 of the 30 club owners, and the clock matters here because a new ownership group would need time to start shaping the front office and sorting through roster decisions before the sport goes dark.
For now, the process does not appear to have the clean runway the Angels were hoping for. The next real chance for approval comes at the Owners Meetings in New York from Nov. 17-19, which leaves only a short window for the club to finalize a sale and get moving on the executive hires and other business that usually follows a change at the top. [Read more 🡒]
Angels Have A Real Chance To Fix Their Bullpen This Winter
The Angels spent too much of last season looking for reliable outs in the late innings, and the offseason gives them a chance to address that weakness in a more deliberate way. With a projected payroll budget to work with, the front office can shop for relief help instead of hoping internal options suddenly stabilize the back end of the bullpen.
A few names stand out as realistic fits because they bring recent success without pushing the budget into uncomfortable territory. The challenge is not finding one arm, but adding multiple dependable relievers who can shorten games and give the pitching staff some much-needed structure, which is the kind of bullpen upgrade this roster has been missing. [Read more 🡒]