Angels offseason FAQ primer

This story was excerpted from Rhett Bollinger's Angels Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

ANAHEIM -- It’s set to be an interesting offseason for the Angels, who are looking to bounce back after yet another disappointing season that saw them finish with a losing record for a seventh straight year.

But it’s also a complicated time for the franchise, as owner Arte Moreno is exploring selling the club. General manager Perry Minasian, however, said he expects it to be business as usual and that he has the freedom to approach this offseason like any other.

With that in mind, here are some frequently asked questions about the Angels this offseason:

Which players are free agents?
Right-hander Michael Lorenzen, reliever Archie Bradley, catcher Kurt Suzuki and infielder Matt Duffy are set to be free agents. Suzuki announced he’s retiring.

Are any of them likely to receive qualifying offers, and what is the deadline for that?
None of their players are expected to receive a qualifying offer.

Which players have options, what’s the dollar figure and impact on payroll, and when does it need to be decided upon?
The Angels have no players with team or player options this offseason.

Who might be a non-tender candidate, and when does the club have to make that decision?
The Angels have a long list of players eligible for arbitration that includes Griffin Canning, Luis Rengifo, Jaime Barria, Jared Walsh, Taylor Ward, Patrick Sandoval and Chad Wallach, but of that group, only Wallach is expected to be non-tendered. Canning didn’t pitch in 2022 because of a back injury but is still expected to be tendered a contract in his first year of arbitration.

Who needs to be added to the 40-man roster this winter to avoid the Rule 5 Draft, and do they have a crunch for roster spots?
Infielder Jeremiah Jackson, ranked as the club's No. 13 overall prospect by MLB Pipeline, and outfielder Jordyn Adams, the Halos' No. 21 prospect, both must be added to the 40-man roster or be exposed to the Rule 5 Draft. Jackson and Adams both reached Double-A for the first time this season and have enough upside they are both likely to be added to the 40-man roster. Other candidates include relievers Robinson Pina, Emilker Guzman and Kolton Ingram, who all had strong years in the Minors. The Angels shouldn't have any 40-man roster issues that will preclude them from protecting any top prospects.

What kind of help do they need and will they be active in free agency? Who might they target?
The Angels have plenty of holes, as they need to add to their rotation and bullpen, and also improve an offense that scored the sixth-fewest runs in the Majors last season. The good news is the rotation is in a better spot that in recent years with the emergence of lefties Reid Detmers, Sandoval and José Suarez. But they need to add at least one starter to that group and it could be Lorenzen, who indicated interest in returning to the Angels. They also need to improve a bullpen that ranked 18th in the Majors in ERA and they also don’t have an experienced closer after dealing Raisel Iglesias to the Braves at the Trade Deadline.

The Angels also need to add depth on offense, especially in the infield and corner outfield. The club saw Rengifo enjoy a breakout season, but the Halos still need to improve the middle infield. David Fletcher missed most of the season due to a hip injury, while Andrew Velazquez shined with the glove but hit only .196 in 125 games. And the corner infield needs improvement, as they didn’t have the depth to withstand Anthony Rendon’s wrist injury, while Walsh had a down year, as he was plagued by thoracic outlet syndrome that ultimately required season-ending surgery. The Angels could look to add a versatile infielder like Brandon Drury or Donovan Solano to the mix. As for the outfield, the Halos are set with Mike Trout in center and Ward in right but are likely to add a veteran to compete for the left field job with Jo Adell and Mickey Moniak.

Who might they be willing to trade?
There’s always the chance the Angels part with Adell, especially if they acquire a full-time corner outfielder this offseason. Adell was one of the club’s biggest prospects in recent years, but he has struggled to make contact and has had his troubles defensively as well. As far as prospects, no players are considered untouchable outside of catcher Logan O'Hoppe or shortstop Zach Neto.