Protecting Mike Trout and patching defensive gaps forces the Angels to find a center fielder solution beyond their star.
It’s safe to say there are multiple holes on the Los Angeles Angels’ roster that they’ll need to patch up this offseason if they want any hopes of finishing 2026 with an above .500 record for the first time in a decade. With all the holes on the roster, Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter believes center field is the biggest concern for the Halos.
“The best way to keep Mike Trout healthy is to limit him to designated hitter duties, while Jo Adell proved in 2025 he is not a center fielder with ugly defensive metrics (-13 DRS, -8 OAA), leaving the position as a glaring need for the Angels,” Reuter wrote.
At 34 years old, Trout doesn't quite have the same ability in the outfield as he did during his peak. He also struggles with durability issues, and playing out in center only heightens the chances of the Angels’ franchise player missing time. For this, the Angels slid Trout over to right field last season, where he made all of his 22 outfield appearances. His 106 games at DH last season are evidence of extreme precautions surrounding Trout.
Still, Angels fans might see Trout return to center field in 2026; however, how much is unknown. The club is reportedly open to allowing Trout back in center field, where he has been a finalist for the Gold Glove award multiple times.
“I'm not ruling anything out,” Angels’ general manager Perry Minasian said. “We'll see where the team looks like when we get to Spring Training and what’s in place and what gives us the best chance to win games. Might be playing center. One day might be playing left. One day might be DHing. I don’t know.”
Though he might see some action in center, it’s highly unlikely that Trout will become the everyday center fielder once again, meaning the Angels have to find their man somewhere else. Jo Adell played 89 games in center last season, but his defensive capabilities aren’t best suited for the position. With Taylor Ward out of the outfield after his trade, Adell will likely slide into the corner outfield as his replacement.
In the free agent market, Harrison Bader is a center field name that could fit right in with the Halos’ roster. Logging nearly 800 games at center during his career, his defensive presence could bring the Angels' outfield to life once again. He also provides an above-average bat, recording an OPS+ of 117 in 2025.
Other targets to fill the Angels’ hole in center field mentioned by Reuter were Chas McCormick and Lars Nootbaar. As a defensive specialist, McCormick wouldn’t provide much at the plate, but would help balance out the defensively lacking outfield in Anaheim. Nootbaar isn’t the greatest defender, but he’s displayed his above-average bat over the course of his five-year career with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Whether the Angels want to fill their hole in free agency or want to explore the trade market, their outfield needs fixing. Landing an everyday center fielder to take the load off Trout could go a long way in improving their record in 2026.