Angels Ownership Change Could Create Competitive Problem for Rangers

For years there have been some constants in the American League West. The Houston Astros tend to win the division. The Texas Rangers tend to fall short. And the Los Angeles Angels tend to fall apart.

Arte Moreno has owned the Angels since 2003, right after the franchise finally won its first World Series in 2002. But in the past decade the Angels have become one of the laughingstocks of baseball — and not just because they haven't had a winning season since 2015.

Moreno is considered one of baseball's worst owners, both by his fellow colleagues and by Angels fans. Well, on Tuesday, Angels fans got the best gift they could have possibly imagined. Moreno is selling the team — and he has a buyer. And that buyer could tip the balance of power in the AL West.

How New Angels Owners Could Impact Rangers

Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke holds the Super Bowl trophy — Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Per MLB.com and other outlets, Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke has entered into an agreement to purchase the Angels from Moreno. The deal must be approved by MLB owners and the team is expected to change hands in the first quarter of next year. Moreno’s decision to sell comes as MLB and the MLB Players’ Association is heading toward a near-certain work stoppage in December.

Moreno is reportedly selling for $4 billion, per The Athletic (subscription required). While he won over fans initially as the team won six division titles, his high-spending ways led to bad contracts, high turnover in his front office and the organization failing to retain Shohei Ohtani, who left in free agency for the Los Angeles Dodgers after the 2023 season. He also vetoed trading Ohtani at the 2023 deadline, which would have yielded something in return.

Late in Moreno’s tenure he seemed unable to set a course for the franchise, leaving fans and the team in limbo. Kroenke is likely to change that.

Since taking over as majority owner of the Rams in 2010, the Rams have reached the playoffs seven times and won a Super Bowl. While reviled in St. Louis for moving the franchise to Los Angeles in 2016, he has poured money into the franchise both in payroll and in SoFi Stadium, which is the franchise’s home along with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Kroenke’s organization has been stable. Sean McVay has been the head coach for nine years while Les Snead has been the team’s general manager since 2012.

It’s the sort of stability and success the Angels haven’t had for a decade under Moreno. That should worry the Rangers. An Angels franchise with the right resources, and right ownership and the right plan could make them a real player in free agency and in the trade market. It also comes at a time when Rangers owner Ray Davis has asked president of baseball operations Chris Young to trim payroll.

Kroenke won’t be in charge for a while. But once he takes over, his ownership will be worth watching for the Rangers and its fans and how it changes the AL West.

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