The Los Angeles Angels are headed for a very different kind of ownership era, and the first real details behind the sale make that clear. Stan Kroenke is taking over from Arte Moreno, and the way Moreno ran the club looks nothing like what usually happens in baseball.
One of the most striking revelations in the reporting is how Moreno handled the business side of the franchise. He began talking with Kroenke back in the spring about a possible deal, and his approach to operating the Angels was shaped by a refusal to carry debt. That is unusual in a sport where teams routinely lean on borrowing as part of the model.
Moreno once explained that mindset plainly. “I can’t go into a Starbucks and order coffee that I can’t pay for,” he said in 2007 about the Angels budget. “This is about bringing more in than I spend.”
That philosophy affected the organization in real ways. Moreno was known for being extremely tight with administrative spending, while still eventually paying for players in an effort to keep the roster talent level up.
Angels president Molly Jolly has been left to explain that approach, saying, “(Moreno) has a traditional sense about him,” Jolly said. “To be able to sit down with another gentleman and have a conversation and talk about baseball and the franchise, that resonates for how he thinks and looks at things rather than it being a complex conversation.”
Interim GM John Mozeliak, meanwhile, said he was surprised by the sale but not stunned. He said Moreno had hinted this could happen when he first arrived.
“When I first came here, I spoke with Arte and he had mentioned that this was a possibility,” Mozeliak said. “I was definitely surprised, but it wasn’t a shocker.
I think it’s exciting news for everybody. Change is what I came in to try to start doing.”
The shift in ownership may end up being most significant off the field. Kroenke made his money in real estate, and buying the land around Angels Stadium is expected to be a priority.
Moreno had also tried to do that, and according to Sam Blum and Brittany Ghiroli, he had a $320 million deal in place in 2022 to purchase the stadium and the land around it, all of which is currently owned by the city. That deal fell apart.
In Other News...
Angels Rebuild Just Got A Playoff Push Fans Should Notice
The Angels rebuild has a small but meaningful reason for optimism this week, and it is coming from Double-A Rocket City. The Trash Pandas opened their Southern League postseason series with a 9-2 win and now sit one victory away from reaching the league championship round, a run that has put a spotlight on some of the organizations young talent.
Arjun Nimmala, Jacob Cozart and Jake Munroe have been part of the push, exactly the sort of prospect development the Angels are banking on as they try to build something more durable. The next game shifts to Knoxville, Tennessee, with the starting pitchers still to be announced, and for an organization in transition, even a minor league playoff run can feel like a useful sign of where the arrow is pointing. [Read more 🡒]
Angels Have A Chance To Steal A Dodgers Bat For Next Year
With playoff hopes gone, the Angels have spent the late season using the final stretch to get a longer look at younger players and sort through next years roster picture. That broader evaluation now comes with a possible free look at a hitter from across town, after the Dodgers designated Ryan Ward for assignment and put him on waivers.
Colorado has the first crack at claiming Ward, but the Angels sit right behind the Rockies in waiver priority. For a club searching for useful bats and any edge it can find heading into next season, that makes this a situation worth watching closely, especially if Ward becomes available in Anaheims lane before the waiver process runs its course. [Read more 🡒]
Former Angels Could Get Their October Shot Before Los Angeles Does
The Angels own October frustration is well known by now, with the club stuck in baseballs longest postseason drought since 2014. But as the season unfolds, a few familiar names from the past are suddenly in position to get a taste of playoff baseball elsewhere, which only sharpens the contrast for a fan base still waiting for its own breakthrough.
Jos Soriano with the Toronto Blue Jays, Jo Adell with the Cleveland Guardians and Randal Grichuk with the Chicago White Sox all sit in the mix to potentially reach the 2026 postseason, depending on how their teams finish the year. For Los Angeles, it is a reminder that former Angels may get their October shot before the franchise does, and their performances could end up carrying real weight in how those clubs seasons play out. [Read more 🡒]