Angels Predicted to Sign Top Starting Pitcher in $96 Million Blockbuster

Sep 20, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen (23) pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies during the third inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

If the Los Angeles Angels want to be competitive next season under first-year manager Kurt Suzuki, the starting pitching will have to improve.

There is a host of very intriguing arms out on the market that the Halos can go and get. We'll see what the willingness level is for the front office to actually go out and spend the requisite money to nab one of these upper-echelon arms.

Zac Gallen, a longtime veteran pitcher with the Arizona Diamondbacks, is out on the market and seems like the type of arm that makes sense for the Angels as someone that is durable with a proven track record.

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Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report also believes that Gallen could be a real option for the Halos. The veteran pitcher, according to Miller, could command a four-year deal worth $96 million. The writer also predicts that Gallen ends up in Anaheim.

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"But isn't Zac Gallen exactly the type of pitcher that some atypical team like the Angels will scoop up; willing to pay ~20 percent above the current market price because it's still a good 20-25 percent below what the market price would have been one year ago?

"Well, he was healthy enough to not miss a turn through the rotation. He just wasn't his usual dominant self, mostly due to what was horrific HR/FB luck through his first 21 starts, but also due to less swing-and-miss stuff than he used to have. If he bounces back to pre-2025 form, even a 4/$96M deal would become a laughably team-friendly contract. And if he doesn't sniff nine figures on a deal, the Boras Special would make a lot of sense for him."

Gallen is coming off a bit of a down year. He finished 2025 with a 13-15 record to go along with a 4.83 ERA. Both the ERA and loss totals set career-highs for the 30-year-old. However, Gallen has won double-digit game totals in each of the last four seasons.

He's also only a couple of years away from an All-Star selection for good measure. At Gallen's age, there should be plenty left in the tank. He'd also benefit from coming over to a league that doesn't know him all that well, since he's spent his entire career up until this point in the National League.

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