Angels Have One Big Roadblock to Signing Top Tier Free Agent Pitchers
One of the biggest priorities for the Los Angeles Angels this offseason has been to upgrade the starting rotation. The Halos have multiple arms already in place, but they are lacking a true ace-level starter.
The front office has been checking in on some of the biggest names available on the trade market and via free agency. Starters like Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery make sense for the team, and the Angels have shown interest in signing them already.
Angels insider Sam Blum of The Athletic reported that while the team is interested in signing some of the top-tier free agents, there may be a slight holdup based on their history.
"The one big hold-up? Moreno has long been averse to signing starters to long-term deals. Before Tyler Anderson’s three-year contract last year, Joe Blanton was the last Angels starter signed to a multi-year contract (in 2012)."
Snell would provide the Angels with a reliable front-line starter, but the cost could limit the Halos. He is expected to receive a hefty contract after an incredible season, and it may be out of the range the Angels are willing to offer.
As Blum mentions, historically the franchise has been hesitant to give out long-term pitching contracts. Maybe Snell or other starters will be the outlier, but it's not a good bet.
The Angels have been more open to handing out long contracts to hitters, as they see them aging better throughout the deal. Pitchers can be fickle, especially when they go over a certain age.
Snell and Montgomery are both over the age of 30, so they may be exiting their primes soon. However, each of them has shown the ability to dominate at the highest level, so the pros could outweigh the cons here.
This offseason is crucial to the success of the Angels going forward, and the front office must get decisions correct. They can't afford any more slip-ups in terms of building the roster, so the pressure is certainly on them this winter.
