Angels Made Offer to All-Star Infielder in Free Agency, But He Declined: Report

Valentina Martinez | Dec 12, 2024

Sep 29, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels left fielder Taylor Ward (3, fourth from right) watches a game from a dugout during the ninth inning against the Texas Rangers at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images / Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Angels made an offer to free agent second baseman Gleyber Torres, but he declined, according to MLB insider Jon Heyman.

"Somebody asked me, 'Gleyber Torres to the Angels?' I don't think that's happening," Heyman said Thursday on Bleacher Report. "At least not now. They did make him an offer. He declined the offer. I don't think it was about the offer. If I know Gleyber Torres, I think most likely, he would prefer to be on the East Coast if he can, in Florida spring training. So I think that's probably the reason behind that."

This winter, the Angels have added a number of hometown players to the roster such as Travis d'Arnaud, Kevin Newman, and Kyle Hendricks. General manager Perry Minasian said he purposely brought in players that embraced the west coast.

“Maybe my first year, my first two years in this job, I was chasing guys where there was very little chance of them coming west,” Minasian said. “So I've made that adjustment over the last couple years.”

Now that the Angels know about Torres' geographical preference, it's likely the organization will set their sights on someone else. Minasian made it clear he wants players that enjoy being in Southern California.

Even though the Angels finished the season with a 63-99 record, Minasian believes the location of the team makes it an optimal desitination for many free agents.

“In general, I don’t think our place is a tough sell,” Minasian said. “I say this all the time, and I don’t know if people believe it or not, you’d be surprised how many people want to play here. It’s a great place to play. It’s a great place to live. It’s a great place to spend the season. It’s a great place for families. It’s a good ballpark. It’s a great fan base. It’s a great — not a good place to play — a great place to play. I’ve seen it this offseason in particular. There’s a lot of people that want to play here.

“It’s less about talk and more about what’s on the field. I think people recognize what we’ve been able to do here over the last couple years, with some young players and with what we’ve added this year. You have relationships with people, with agents. They know what’s a good spot and what’s not. I think people recognize throughout the game that we’re in a spot where we’re a desirable place.”

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