The Los Angeles Angels are reportedly expected to spend more money this offseason, and though I need to see it to believe it, the Angels may finally bring themselves out of poverty with activity in free agency.
Pitching is the clear and obvious focus for Los Angeles, as their pitching staff ranked 28th in Major League Baseball for team ERA. This team lacks an ace but there are several solid options available this winter. However, the rest of the team for the most part isn’t set in stone, so the Angels should be trying to sign any big-name free agent they can.
Shortstop and designated hitter are really the only two spots that are set with Zach Neto and Mike Trout holding those positions down, allowing the Angels to go out and sign really anybody that will improve the roster.
There may be no better option than Cody Bellinger, who plays Gold Glove-caliber defense in center field and at first base. After he won Most Valuable Player with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2019, Bellinger regressed into a completely unrecognizable player before reviving his career with the Chicago Cubs in 2023.
Bellinger continued his career revival with the New York Yankees in 2025 and projects to be one of the top free agents this offseason.
“Pretty much every team could use an upgrade at one of its corner outfield positions. Some teams need a center fielder. Some need a first baseman,” ESPN’s David Schoenfield wrote Monday. “Bellinger is kind of Kyle Tucker Lite, except with more positional versatility -- he played games at all of those positions in 2025 -- and a much lower projected contract at six years, $165 million.
“Tucker is the better hitter, no doubt. Bellinger is a different hitter than when he won the NL MVP in 2019 and then hurt his shoulder -- now focusing on more contact at the expense of exit velocity -- but he has made it work. He had enough pull-side power to hit 29 home runs with the Yankees this season, although he hit 18 of those at home. But it's those latter two metrics that stand out: Bellinger is the superior fielder and the better runner. He's a year older than Tucker, but I like his chances to hold his value -- and at perhaps half the price it will take to sign Tucker.”
Bellinger would slot in as a middle-of-the-order hitter with great defensive versatility. Adding Bellinger wouldn’t make the Angels contenders overnight but signing him would be a great start.