Angels Offseason: 4 Players Set to Hit Free Agency

Maren Angus-Coombs | Oct 30, 2024

Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The 2024 World Series could wrap up soon in the Bronx, with Game 5 scheduled for Wednesday night and the Los Angeles Dodgers comfortably playing with a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series against the New York Yankees.

Once the final out of the Fall Classic is recorded, free agency begins the following day.

The Los Angeles Angels have four players set to hit the free agency market when that happens. Left-handed reliever Matt Moore, infielder Brandon Drury, outfielder Kevin Pillar, and right-handed reliever Hunter Strickland have decisions to make. It also isn't likely that the Angels extend qualifying offers to any of them, according to Rhett Bolinger of MLB.com.

After setting a franchise record for losses in a single season, the Angels are in desperate need of reinforcements. They’ll likely focus on acquiring a couple of starting pitchers, an infielder or two, and an outfielder. Adding a veteran starter would provide some stability to their young roster, while the team also needs depth in both the infield and outfield, especially given the injury issues surrounding superstar outfielder Mike Trout and infielder Anthony Rendon.

Pillar arrived in Anaheim after being released by the Chicago White Sox. It was a blessing in disguise because the outfielder experienced a resurgence in his 10th year of major league service time. He ended up finishing the season with a .229 batting average and .668 OPS.

Drury was coming off two straight years of productive seasons and was hoping for a third in 2024. Instead, Drury entered the last two games of the season with a .171 batting average and a .476 OPS, marking the lowest figures in the majors among players with at least 300 at-bats.

He’s confident that he can achieve similar success next season after discarding the swing adjustments he implemented last winter.

Strickland was wrapping up a summer at home in Georgia, resigned to the idea that his baseball career had come to an end. Now, he’s enjoying a season of revival that has been impressive enough for him to commit to playing again in 2025.

Moore landed on the injured list in late August and it is highly unlikely that the Angels bring him back. He had the eighth-highest salary and had an ERA over 6.00 at one point this season. He's too expensive to perform that poorly when the Angels can use a younger inexpensive reliever in his place.