MLB Rumors: 3 mathematically-eliminated teams that will be most active this offseason
By Curt Bishop
MLB Rumors: Los Angeles Angels will be active
The Angels are another interesting case. A lot of focus was on them due to Shohei Ohtani being in the final year of his contract.
The Angels were in postseason contention at the time of the deadline and added some key pieces, but things began to go south shortly thereafter, and now it is almost certain that Ohtani, who recently underwent Tommy John surgery, will walk in free agency. Robert Murray thinks the odds of an Ohtani return as low:
"Not only did it signal that the Angels were done in 2023, it perhaps signaled the end to Ohtani’s tenure in Anaheim. He’s made it clear that he wants to compete in the postseason. He has not done so in six seasons in Anaheim despite being the best player in baseball. The Angels did everything they could to keep Ohtani. In the end, however, this was increasingly likely to be his last season in Anaheim."
But considering that they tried to make one last run with Ohtani, it's obvious that they had goals of winning. Rumors of a potential Mike Trout trade are circulating now, and in order for Trout to win in Anaheim, the Angels will have to spend some money and build around him if they plan on contending.