After a 100-loss season - the first in franchise history - the Angels can’t afford to treat this winter like business as usual. Shortstop looks spoken for with Zach Neto unless a blockbuster trade changes the picture, and Nolan Schanuel has done enough to put himself in position to be the first baseman in 2027. That still leaves real uncertainty at second and third base, two spots the Halos have to address if they want any chance of stabilizing the infield.
The front office needs to be aggressive in free agency, especially with the defense around Neto and Schanuel needing a lot more support. Fans may not be circling a postseason run next year, but they are expecting movement - something that points the franchise in a better direction as this new chapter begins.
Three free-agent infielders stand out as names worth serious consideration.
Jazz Chisolm Jr. would bring athleticism and versatility to second base. He has said he wants to return to the New York Yankees, but that interest does not appear to be mutual.
After a step back offensively, his market could be quieter than expected, which might open a door for the Angels. The 28-year-old still posted an OPS just below league average while supplying elite baserunning and defense.
A long-term deal may not be on the table, but a shorter contract could make sense for both sides.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa offers a different kind of value. He appeared in only 66 games for the Boston Red Sox in 2026, yet still produced 1.6 bWAR in that stretch.
His bat, which carried an 81 OPS+, is not the attraction. His defense is.
Kiner-Falefa can move around the infield, though his arm strength makes second base his best fit - and that happens to line up with one of the Angels’ clearest needs. Oswald Peraza, Denzer Guzman, Vaughn Grissom, and Christian Moore combined for a negative bWAR in 2026, leaving Neto and Schanuel carrying a heavier load than they should.
IKF would give Los Angeles a much steadier floor on what should be a relatively inexpensive deal.
Ramon Urias is another option, especially at third base. His 2026 season was heavily affected by injury, limiting both his playing time and his production.
He managed just 13 hits in 43 games, which obviously doesn’t jump off the page, but there’s reason to wonder how much of that was tied to the injury. Urias still has defensive credibility, including a Gold Glove at third base in 2022.
Even in 33 games at the hot corner this year, he logged three defensive runs saved. The risk is obvious, but if his bat trends back toward his healthy norms while the glove stays solid, the Angels could get real value from the seven-year veteran.
In Other News...
Angels Gold Glove Drought Keeps Exposing A Bigger Roster Problem
Major League Baseballs Gold Glove finalists list offered another reminder of how thin the Angels defensive profile has become. Jos Soriano got the clubs lone nomination, a bright spot in a season when the group around him struggled to make routine plays and keep games tidy behind the pitching staff.
The larger issue is bigger than one award cycle. The Angels ranked near the bottom of the sport in outs above average and piled up 91 errors this season, continuing a pattern that has left them with few Gold Glove contenders in recent years. Many of the players who once gave the team at least some defensive representation are no longer in the organization, and the drought now feels like part of a broader roster problem. [Read more 🡒]
Jose Soriano Gives Angels Fans One More Reason To Revisit That Trade
Jose Soriano spent part of the 2026 season becoming a reminder of what the Angels once had in their rotation, and now he has added another layer to that conversation. The right-hander, dealt from Los Angeles to Toronto at the trade deadline, has been named one of the three American League finalists for the Rawlings Gold Glove Award at pitcher, a nod to the kind of athleticism and clean work on the mound that often gets overlooked when teams talk trade returns.
Sorianos case is built on more than reputation. He handled his fielding chances without an error across 32 starts, adding 21 assists along the way, and he also did a strong job controlling the running game with a caught-stealing rate well above the league average. Tanner Bibee and Jacob deGrom are the other finalists, leaving Soriano in distinguished company and giving Angels fans one more reason to revisit the deal that sent him north. [Read more 🡒]
Angels Face A Bigger Center Field Question Than Fans Expected
Mike Trouts long-term positional shift has quietly pushed the Angels into a more complicated center-field conversation than many expected. With Trout headed toward a corner-outfield role, the team has to start thinking ahead about who can handle the middle of the outfield, and the answer may not be a single everyday player so much as a committee built around fit, defense and balance.
One possibility is a platoon that pairs Wade Meckler with Tyrone Taylor, a combination that could cover the position in different ways while helping the rest of the roster. Meckler brings one set of offensive traits, Taylor another, and together they could give the Angels a steadier presence in center while also strengthening the overall run prevention picture. [Read more 🡒]