What Will the Angels Be Like in 2025?

Survey Saturday Edition #10

Nov 16, 2024

We are almost 2 weeks into the MLB off-season & the Los Angeles Angels have certainly been the busiest team. Even though most of the top free agents don’t sign until later in the offseason, the Angels have been busy, making 2 trades & signing 3 players. After adding some key pieces to their roster, what will the Angels be like in 2025?

Free Agent Signings

Kyle Hendricks

Almost right after the World Series ended, the Angels signed veteran starter Kyle Hendricks. Hendricks went 4-12 with a 5.92 ERA & a 1.09 WHIP this past season with the Chicago Cubs.

Travis d’Arnaud

The Angels signed veteran catcher Travis d’Arnaud to a 2-year contract after a week of free agency. Last season, d’Arnuad hit .238/.302/.436 with 15 HRs & 48 RBIs in 99 games played as a back-up to Sean Murphy with the Braves. d’Arnaud is expected to remain a back-up behind Logan O’Hoppe as well as being a big part of the Angels’ clubhouse in 2025.

Kevin Newman

The Angels recently signed SS/UTL Kevin Newman, who hit .278/.311/.375 with 3 home runs and 28 RBIs in 111 games for the Dbacks in 2024. Newman will likely play multiple positions for the Halos’, along with possibly starting Opening Day at shortstop as a result of Zach Neto’s injury.

The Angels signed veteran catcher Travis d’Arnaud, pictured, because they believe the 35-year-old can still be productive – his .739 OPS last season was above average for a major league catcher – but also because of how they believe he can impact young catcher Logan O’Hoppe and the Angels’ young pitchers. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong) — Travis d’Arnaud | AP Photo/Kyusung Gong

Trades

Soler For Canning (ATL-LAA)

In the first few days of the off-season, the Angels made a trade with the Atlanta Braves that sent RF Jorge Soler to Anaheim in exchange for starting pitcher Griffin Canning. Soler hit .241/.338/.442 with 21 HRs & 64 RBIs while playing for the San Francisco Giants & Atlanta Braves. Soler will join an outfield with Mike Trout & numerous utility players.

Kingery To L.A.

Along with the Soler trade, the Angels made one of their first moves of the offseason via trade. This trade was between the NL East Champion Philadelphia Phillies, a trade that landed the Angels a veteran UTL player who spent his whole 2024 season in AAA, Scott Kingery for cash considerations. Kingery hit .268/.316/.488 with 25 home runs, 67 RBIs, & 25 stolen bases in 125 games for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, Philly’s AAA affiliate. After the trade, Kingery was added to the Angels’ big league roster & will likely get another shot at the big league. “Jetpax” recently agreed to a one-year deal with the Angels to avoid arbitration.

Braves trade Jorge Soler to Angels, ending second stint in Atlanta | Chattanooga Times Free Press — Jorge Soler | AP Photo/Marta Lavandier

With these additions to the team, the Angels will definitely be improved from their 2024 season where they went 63-99, finishing in last place of the American League West & 23.0 games back of a playoff spot. Adding a bat in Soler along with a veteran pitcher & catcher who can both improve the pitching of the team & Kingery, who can be a utility man to help out the entire roster.