The Angels’ lineup needs fewer empty trips, and two free-agent outfielders stand out as clean ways to change that. After watching Milwaukee win a title by putting the ball in play, Anaheim has a clear offseason problem to solve: the strikeout rate.
Last season, the Angels’ offensive strikeout total was one of the two big factors that separated them from the Brewers. The number is ugly enough to tell the story on its own - 1,555 empty at-bats.
To climb just to league average, the Halos would need to cut 205 strikeouts. To push into the top 10, they’d have to shave off about 250.
That makes contact an obvious priority, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. fits that mandate almost perfectly. The 33-year-old outfielder is heading to free agency without a Qualifying Offer attached, and his game is built around putting the ball in play.
Even in a frustrating, injury-shortened 2026 season with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Gurriel Jr. struck out only 38 times in 201 plate appearances, good for an 18.9% strikeout rate. By comparison, Angels outfielder Josh Lowe struck out 105 times in 343 plate appearances, a rate north of 30%.
Gurriel Jr.’s career numbers back up the idea that this isn’t a fluke. Over nine major league seasons, he has struck out 696 times in 3,756 plate appearances, a career strikeout rate of 18.5%.
That kind of in-zone contact gives opposing pitchers fewer easy ways to exploit the Angels’ tendency to waste innings. If Gurriel Jr. doesn’t square one up, he still has a way of keeping an at-bat alive by moving runners or driving one in from third base.
He also offers defensive value in the corners. The Angels could use him in right field or rotate him with Trout, giving the lineup a steady, high-floor piece in the middle of the order. When he isn’t starting, he still profiles as a useful bench bat.
Tyrone Taylor is another fit the Angels should be looking at. His plus defense and success against lefties make him a logical platoon option for Wade Meckler, and he can cover all three outfield spots.
Offensively, Taylor’s best trait is his restraint. In 241 plate appearances during the 2026 season, he struck out only 41 times, which worked out to an elite 17.0% strikeout rate.
After a late-season trade to Chicago, he was even better, striking out just 10 times in 30 games.
That stretch pulled his career strikeout rate down to 22.2%, with 422 strikeouts in 1,899 plate appearances. The Southern California native rarely chases outside the zone and does not give away at-bats with unnecessary swings and misses. He’d be a clean, local solution for the Angels, especially as a replacement for Jose Siri, who struck out 31.9% of the time while playing defense that was rated a notch below Taylor’s.
The contrast with Anaheim’s current outfield options is hard to miss. In 2026, Jo Adell struck out 23.8% of the time, Josh Lowe 30.6%, and Jose Siri 31.9%. Replacing those kinds of empty swings with Gurriel Jr. or Taylor would change the shape of the lineup fast.
That matters because contact changes everything. It forces pitchers into the zone, creates chances to move runners, and opens the door for sacrifice flies and bunts. Those are the kinds of plays Milwaukee used so well, and they’re the kinds of plays the Angels need more of.
The broader point is simple: if Anaheim keeps leaning only on high-variance power, the scoring will stay streaky and too many rallies will die on empty outs. Adding bat-to-ball certainty through Gurriel Jr. or Taylor would give the Angels a more stable offensive floor while still allowing Mike Trout and Zach Neto to do damage without the front office having to give up draft capital.
In Other News...
Angels Roster Crunch Could Put Two Young Infielders In Danger
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For an Angels club that has spent years trying to piece together reliable depth, losing Paris now is less about one move than another reminder of how hard it is to turn internal talent into a usable big-league piece. The next stop is the Mets, who saw enough to bring him in and make room by moving on from Cristian Pache, while the Angels are left with another example of a prospect story that never quite turned into the one they wanted. [Read more 🡒]
Angels Have Already Started Making Room For More Offseason Moves
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Those kinds of transactions rarely grab much attention on their own, but they matter this time of year because every open spot can help a team maneuver around the Rule 5 draft and make room for possible additions. For an Angels club still sorting out its next steps, getting the roster down to 39 players is a small but meaningful sign that more changes are coming. [Read more 🡒]