The Los Angeles Angels desperately need outfield help. Discover affordable, impactful trade targets who can solidify their defense and provide offensive sparks.
There are several holes on the Los Angeles Angels’ roster, but those in the outfield may be the most pressing as spring training quickly approaches. As it stands, Jo Adell is the only everyday outfielder who’ll be playing for the Halos in 2025. With time ticking in the offseason, general manager Perry Minasian has much work to do to build out the club’s outfield potency.
Angels’ face of the franchise, Mike Trout, made a move to become a primary designated hitter last season, only playing in the outfield in 22 of 130 games. It’s still unknown whether or not he’ll continue his role as the DH or return to the corner outfield under first-time manager Kurt Suzuki in 2026. The front office, however, should be operating as if Trout won’t be in the outfield next season.
They traded for outfielder Josh Lowe in a three-team deal on Thursday night, and while he provides some decent depth in the outfield, he’s not the answer the Angels need. His immense struggles at the plate against left-handed pitchers make him a liability at times, and the Halos aren’t in a position to afford somebody who is a net-negative on any given day.
Luckily, there are several other outfielders that the Angels could snag via the trade market in the coming weeks. In a Bleacher Report article by Kerry Miller listing the best trade candidates at every position, several players listed could be great fits for a desperate Angels outfield.
The Angels tried Adell in center field in 2025, and that didn’t go too well on the defensive side of things. Adell ranks in just the 1st percentile among qualified outfielders for fielding run value, finishing the season with a -12 outs above average. The Angels need an everyday center fielder so that Adell can hide his defensive liabilities in the corners.
A perfect target for the Angels' center field opening would be the Toronto Blue Jay’s Myles Straw. Straw is a defensive specialist, recording 11 outs above average for the Blue Jays in 2025 – a 23-point difference from Adell’s total. Trading for one of baseball’s greatest defensive center fielders would be perfect for an Angels team that lacks much on that side of things. It shouldn’t be all that hard to land him either, as he’s an expendable piece in Toronto.
The Cincinnati Reds’ Nick Castellanos is another outfield name listed in Miller’s article that could be traded this offseason, and perhaps a move to Anaheim makes sense. With one year left on his deal after a subpar season, a move to the corner outfield at Angel Stadium could be beneficial for both parties.
Other candidates, such as Jarren Duran, Luis Robert Jr., Byron Buxton, and Steven Kwan, were listed as trade candidates this offseason, but contending teams across the MLB are much more likely to land such names than the Halos. The Angels don’t need to go out and land one of baseball’s biggest outfield names – they simply need reinforcements. Grabbing a positive outfielder or two would do wonders for the club’s outlook in 2026 as they look to improve from a 72-win 2025 campaign.