New arms and outfield depth arrive. Can these key acquisitions ignite the Angels' turnaround from last season's struggles?
The 2026 Los Angeles Angels had their first taste of game action over the weekend, losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers 15-2 in the spring opener and beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 10-9 on Sunday. Though Halos fans haven't been able to watch due to broadcasting negotiations, baseball being back is always good news.
That’s even the case for an Angels team that doesn’t have many expectations going into the 2026 campaign. After losing 90 games last season and a questionable offseason, there’s not much hope that the Angels will finish any further than fourth place in the American League West.
Still, the Angels will be fielding several new players in 2026 after a busy offseason, and Bleacher Report has ranked the club’s top three moves of the winter. They are ranked as follows: trading for Grayson Rodriguez, trading for Josh Lowe, and signing Alek Manoah.
Rodriguez was the first acquisition of the Halos’ offseason, trading away outfielder Taylor Ward for the right-hander back in November. Rodriguez missed all of the 2025 season after undergoing surgery to remove bone spurs on his throwing elbow, but is healthy heading into the 2026 campaign.
With the Angels' historic lack of pitching, how Rodriguez returns to the mound will be vital in the club’s story this year. In 2024, Rodriguez posted a 3.86 ERA and struck out 130 batters across 116 innings. If the 26-year-old can stay healthy and produce at his prior levels, the Angels’ rotation looks much stronger with him in it.
Lowe was snagged in a three-team deal in an effort to grab outfield depth. With Adell and Trout claiming two of the three spots in the outfield, Lowe is likely to take hold of the final opening. He put up just 0.1 WAR last season in 108 games, but he’s shown how impactful he can be before.
If Lowe can get at least closer to his 2023 levels of production, the Angels will have no doubt won the trade. In that year, he had a 128 OPS+ and 3.7 WAR. After trading Ward for Rodriguez, the Angels needed another productive outfielder to make up for Ward’s bat. The pressure is on Lowe to be that guy.
Like Rodríguez, Manoah also didn't pitch in the majors in 2025. A former Cy Young candidate, Manoah still has time to return to top-end starter levels. Still just 28 years old, Manoah’s 3.34 career ERA was worth a gamble from the Angels. He made his first appearance in an Angels uniform on Sunday, throwing two innings and allowing just two baserunners and no runs.
There’s a risk with each of these three moves made by the Angels this offseason, but all three have the potential to be a game-changer for the club. Though they won’t be in the postseason in 2026, the Angels could use a big improvement from last season’s win total. Rodriguez, Lowe, and Manoah will be crucial in that goal.