Angels Named Best Fit for All-Star, Gold Glove Third Baseman in Blockbuster Trade

Sep 22, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) throws out San Francisco Giants left fielder Heliot Ramos at first base during the seventh inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Angels don't have a consistent third baseman on their roster since Yoan Moncada is a free agent, and Anthony Rendon's future has a significant impact on the franchise.

The Angels are expected to spend a significant amount of money in free agency, primarily focusing on pitching upgrades, but the lineup has numerous holes that require a revamp of resources.

One potential roster upgrade the Angels could consider is trading for third baseman Nolan Arenado, who has two years remaining on his contract.

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MLB.com's Mike Petriello explored potential deals involving Arenado, and he listed the Angels as his top fit for the infielder.

"This might be it. This might be the spot. The Angels, 72-90 last year and having missed the playoffs for the past 11 seasons, might not be an obvious landing spot for a player hoping to find a contender," Petriello said.

"But they continue to operate as though they are, and the addition of Grayson Rodriguez surely opened some eyes across the sport. With Anthony Rendon completely out of the mix, the Angels had baseball’s third base situation in 2025, a last-place ranking they’re projected to repeat in 2026.

"Although Arenado grew up in Southern California as a Dodgers fan, he attended high school in Lake Forest, which is far closer to Angel Stadium than it is Dodger Stadium. If he wants to get back home, he’ll never have a better chance than this."

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Arenado is one of the most accomplished active players, with eight All-Star selections, 10 Gold Glove awards, five Silver Sluggers, and six Platinum Gloves.

While he has an impressive track record, Arenado is past his physical prime, but he would at least improve the team's defense.

His range and glove overall remain solid, but his hitting — .237/.289/377 — is significantly below average.

His OPS+ was 87 last season, though it had been around 108 and 102 in 2023 and 2024, respectively. If Arenado can return to his previous hitting levels, he would be a good value on a rebuilding, young roster. However, if he continues to slump, his contract will definitely seem expensive.

It is worth noting that Arenado would take up space on the payroll while also costing prospects, which suggests the front office must have considered that he had reached his previous levels.

For more Angels news, head over to Angels on SI.