The Angels' rotation faces major questions. Could a former All-Star starter like Zac Gallen be the surprise solution they desperately need?
Starting pitching has been a negative for years for the Los Angeles Angels, and it may be more of the same in 2026. Their current rotation has plenty of question marks, whether that be from guys returning from injuries like Grayson Rodriguez and Alek Manoah, or counting on bounce-back seasons from Reid Detmers and Caden Dana.
With these concerns surrounding the rotation and their placement near the bottom of baseball in pitching last season, the Halos could use one of the top free agent starters in free agency, Zac Gallen.
The Angels were ranked as a potential landing spot for the right-hander, who remains on the market despite being one of the best free agents to hit the market this offseason. He’s still looking for his contract, however, and the Angels would be wise to swoop in while he’s still available.
Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter ranked the Halos as the third-best landing spot for the 30-year-old. Though the Angels may not have the most enticing bid for any incoming free agents, they could be a sneaky winner for a starting arm this offseason, just as they were last offseason.
Reuter compared a potential Angels-Gallen deal to last winter’s Yusei Kikuchi deal that came in for three-years, $63 million. It was a deal that nobody had expected, but it happened anyway. To be fair, expecting the Angels to sign pitchers to mutli-year years in back-to-back seasons is quite the ask for the front office in Anaheim, but it’s not exactly out of the question.
The Angels are still under their 2025 payroll and have freed up even more money by restructuring Anthony Rendon’s deal. They have yet to sign anybody this offseason for more than $5 million, so all that available money is still in the hands of the front office. If they finally decide to make use of it, Gallen is a worthwhile signing.
He pitched 192 innings season for the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he recorded 13 wins and a 4.83 ERA. His 4.27 expected ERA makes him look a little better, as 2025 was a down year for the seven-year veteran. Still, it was just the second time in his career that he’s seen his ERA climb over 4.00.
Even if Gallen stays closer to league average in 2026, his arm would still be of good use in the thin Angels starting rotation. Nearly 200 innings of average baseball would be a huge positive for the Angels, who could have it much worse if they don't make a final move to add another starter. At the very least, Gallen provides an experienced arm who can eat a lot of innings. Even if it’s just on a one-year deal, the Angels should pounce on Gallen.