Top five potential free agent targets for the Los Angeles Angels
New general manager Billy Eppler has only been with the Los Angeles Angels for a couple of weeks, but he already made his presence felt in a big way. The recent acquisition of defensive wizard/shortstop Andrelton Simmons transformed the look of the Halos' infield, but more work has yet to be done. After missing the postseason in 2015 despite another stellar year from Mike Trout, the Angels have their sights set on a return to October next season.
While they may not have many 'trade chips' remaining after the Simmons deal (which cost them their top two pitching prospects, Sean Newcomb and Chris Ellis, in addition to Erick Aybar and cash), Eppler and his staff could make a splash on the free agent market. If they do, here are a few names worth considering based on their specific needs.
1. Yoenis Cespedes
Roughly half the league would presumably be interested in Cespedes' services. The 30-year-old outfielder has a flair for the dramatic (for better or worse, considering some of his defensive lapses). Still, the New York Mets' turnaround in 2015 essentially began as soon as he was added to the team: Cespedes hit .287/.337/.604 with 17 home runs after joining New York in the summer. In a lineup with Trout, Albert Pujols and Kole Calhoun, Cespedes would be more of a complementary-type player than he had been in New York or earlier in his career. As is always the case with the Angels, however, they might be hesitant to splurge on a hefty multi-year contract for him - which is exactly what he is looking for on the market. On the other hand, Cespedes did do this in Anaheim a few years ago:
2. David Freese
The club opted not to extend a qualifying offer to third baseman David Freese, which was expected - so he became a free agent. The market for Freese has yet to fully develop, although the Halos would no doubt relish the opportunity to bring him back and run him out there alongside Simmons on a daily basis. Freese, 32, totaled 121 games in 2015, slashing .257/.323/.420 with 14 home runs and 56 RBI. While those aren't exactly gaudy numbers, Freese posted a WAR of 2.3 thanks to his usually solid defense at the hot corner. At this point it's unclear if the Halos are considering making him an offer, but it wouldn't be far-fetched to see them try to retain Freese based on his defensive presence and leadership qualities.
3. Ben Zobrist
Zobrist is another player with about half the league chasing him in the free agent market. A highly-valued and versatile role player, Zobrist delivers consistent offense and defense at a number of positions - including second base, where the Angels definitely have a need even after signing Cliff Pennington to a two-year deal. Much in the same way that keeping Freese would improve infield defense, a Zobrist addition would slide him into the middle of the infield next to Simmons to further solidify matters. There is a catch, however: Zobrist is 34 and is (probably) seeking a three or four-year contract, something that might turn off teams wary of risky contracts (such as the Angels, given their hit-or-miss free agent history).
4. Johnny Cueto
The state of the Angels' starting rotation is unclear. They could head into 2016 relying on veteran Jered Weaver to 'figure out' some of his mechanical issues, but there's no guarantee he'll return to form. The same can be said for lefty C.J. Wilson, who ended 2015 early with elective elbow surgery. Beyond them, the core of Garrett Richards, Matt Shoemaker, Andrew Heaney and Tyler Skaggs (set to return from Tommy John surgery sometime in the summer) is good on paper...but the team could use some help. Enter Johnny Cueto, who gave the World Champion Kansas City Royals some stability after a midseason acquisition and delivered some big pitching performances in October. Of course, Cueto tends to have issues with consistency: he was 4-7 with the Royals, posting a 4.76 ERA in 13 starts down the stretch...but he can also look very dominant on the mound on any given night. The Angels do already have a pitcher with that type of career path on the roster (Wilson), but the prospect of Cueto in Anaheim is alluring nonetheless.
5. Daniel Murphy
Should the Angels eschew the concept of shoring up infield defense with a Zobrist-type at second base, they could opt for someone such as Daniel Murphy. The offensively-minded and sometimes defensively-challenged Murphy was the Mets' standout postseason performer, circumstances that could help him cash in with a lucrative free agent contract from a club 'buying in' on his October heroics. His career slash line of .288/.331/.424 is respectable, but he's four seasons removed from his career-high in WAR (3.0, set in 2011). A -2.6 dWAR in 2015 doesn't help matters, nor does his career fielding percentage of .975. Adding Murphy would ostensibly help increase the club's offensive depth, but it would do so at a defensive cost...even with Simmons over there at shortstop.
