The Los Angeles Angels were never going to be contending for a postseason spot in 2026, but being tied for the worst record in baseball is a different kind of low. While they’ve now finally gone all-in on the rebuild after a sell-off at the trade deadline, the front office’s offseason moves were a different story. Let’s take a look back at how those offseason acquisitions have played out in 2026 for the Halos.
Before the dust from the 2025 season had settled, the Angels were getting an early start on shaping their roster for this season, trading outfielder Taylor Ward to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for right-hander Grayson Rodriguez back in November.
Ward’s power wasn’t quite there in Baltimore, but his 110 OPS+ was enough to lure the Seattle Mariners at this year’s deadline. He’s struggled to find his footing in Seattle so far, but Ward’s bat has certainly been missed by the Angels this season.
Meanwhile, Rodriguez has had a rough go as an Angel, recording a 7.17 ERA in 13 starts this season. There was hope that he’d return to his pre-injury form, but so far the Angels only have negative value to show for trading a fan favorite in Ward. The first move of the offseason goes down as a loss.
Former general manager Perry Minasian got the Halos involved in another trade during the offseason, this time a three-teamer. The Angels acquired outfielder Josh Lowe and sent away reliever Brock Burke in the deal.
Like Rodriguez, Lowe has also had a rough time in an Angels uniform, slashing just a 73 OPS+ in the majors this season. His production was negative enough to warrant a demotion back in May, although he has found his way back into the everyday right fielder role in the bigs. Another poor trade for Minasian and the Angels.
One trade that the Halos did hit on last offseason was the one that brought infielder Vaughn Grissom to Anaheim in exchange for the club’s No. 25 prospect, Isaiah Jackson. Grissom has played all over the infield this season for the Halos while recording his first positive WAR season since 2022. A win for the Angels.
On the free agency front, the Angels signed several players past their primes looking for one final shot. Relievers Drew Pomeranz, Kirby Yates, Jordan Romano, and starter Alek Manoah were all signed to deals during the offseason, but none of them are Angels today. When the strategy is to take fliers on players who have been passed on for a reason, this is the expected outcome. Some very big swings and misses from Minasian here.
Third baseman Yoan Moncada was re-signed in the offseason on a one-year deal, but his OPS has dropped .178 points while also missing most of the year due to a knee injury. Instead of going after bigger-name free agents to man the hot corner like Eugenio Suarez, the Angels went cheap and opted for Moncada. Another bad move in hindsight.
Possibly the best move of the winter for the Angels came from an unsuspecting move when outfielder Jose Siri signed a minor league deal. Called up to the bigs in May, Siri has been one of the better players on the entire roster in 2026.
Siri is in the midst of a career year from the plate while also providing a strong arm in the outfield and speed on the bases. Bouncing around the outfield and coming in as a pinch-hitter and pinch-runner, Siri’s addition has been a rare plus for the Halos this season. Many fans are hoping he’ll stay beyond this season. That means this deal is a win.
Other signings include Nick Madrigal, Trey Mancini, and Jeimer Candelario, all of which were misses for the Halos’ front office.
So, while the offseason was a busy one for the Angels, it was largely a failure for Minasian and the Angels’ brass. With the 2026 season wrapping up and a new general manager at the helm with a much clearer, transparent vision, this upcoming offseason should feel a lot different for Angels fans – at least that’s the hope.