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The Los Angeles Angels are coming off of another dismal season. They finished in last place in the American League West, and they don't have a ton of bright spots on the roster. They still want to compete and show Mike Trout they can get him to the playoffs and not be forced to trade him.
The one thing the Angels have struggled to find recently is starting pitching. They've had some offensive firepower with Trout, Shohei Ohtani and others, but they still haven't found long-term pitching options. Here are some players they can target in the free agent market or via trade.
Pitchers the Angels can get now
5) Dylan Cease
The San Diego Padres reportedly have considered trading Dylan Cease to cut payroll. The young pitcher still hasn't hit free agency and is one of the most talented in baseball. He'd easily be the best pitcher the Angels have had in a long time.
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This just isn't that realistic. The Angels have no farm system, so they can't afford a trade for anyone, let alone an ace. However, if he's available, he'd be a major upgrade if the Angels can swing it.
4) Kyle Gibson
Kyle Gibson is still available, and he might be an underrated addition. He's 37, so he'd be pretty cheap, but he had 4.0 fWAR across the last two seasons. That's seventh-most in this class, and that includes Corbin Burnes and Blake Snell.
Gibson isn't a long-term solution, but there are a lot of worse options right now to bolster the 2025 rotation. He may not be there for 2026, but the Angels can and should address the issue right now.
3) Max Scherzer
Is Max Scherzer still the same Cy Young pitcher he once was? Absolutely not. Is he still capable of performing? Certainly, and the Angels need that. He's not going to be a needle-mover, but he'd be a fantastic veteran addition.
He'll be cheap, which is good. Scherzer would also be a very good person to mentor young pitchers and prospects in the system, which could be huge for the Angels' future.
2) Clayton Kershaw
Clayton Kershaw's prime is behind him, but he'd still be a major upgrade for the Angels. He's spent his entire career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but they have a surplus of starters and may not bring him back.
Since he lives in LA and has for a very long time, the Angels make a lot of sense. He can play out his final years with a new team without uprooting his family.
1) Jack Flaherty
Jack Flaherty played in LA with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He is still just 29 years old, which is much younger than a lot of realistic options. He proved he can be an ace and is the one free agent suited to a long-term deal.
The Angels don't have a competitive roster right now, but Flaherty probably can't afford to pass up a long-term lucrative deal from anyone right now. He is young enough to be a pillar moving forward.
