AL West Rival 'Most Likely' Destination for Angels' Free Agent Pitching Target

The Halos are hoping they can win the bidding for his services.

While the Angels could fill out a five-man starting rotation today without dipping into their farm system, signing someone from the free-agent market, or making a trade, their lack of a true top-tier starter stands out.

Patrick Sandoval, Reid Detmers, Chase Silseth, Griffin Canning, and a cast of capable fifth starters figure to be a competent if unspectacular rotation. According to the ZiPS projections recently released by FanGraphs.com, the Angels' top four starters all project to between 2-3 Wins Above Replacement in 2023.

The Halos have been linked to multiple starting pitchers in free agency. Clearly, the front office has an idea of where to be aggressive in landing talent following the departure of two-way star Shohei Ohtani.

One of those starting pitching targets has been left-hander Jordan Montgomery, who excelled with the Texas Rangers in the postseason. He helped them win the World Series and is now in line for a solid payday on the open market.

The New York Post's Jon Heyman said on Bleacher Report Walk-Off Live that he believes the AL West rival Rangers are the most likely team for Montgomery.

"Like I said at the beginning of this, probably back on our first stream: I think the Rangers are the most likely team for Montgomery"

.@JonHeyman says the Rangers are still the most likely team to sign Jordan Montgomery in free agency ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/wkp9FOCaHD

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) January 3, 2024

The Rangers likely want Montgomery back after his strong performance in helping them win the championship. As much as the Angels would love to snag him, it may be unlikely.

Angels owner Arte Moreno has normally been hesitant to hand out large free-agent contracts to pitchers, and we could see it play out that way again. But Moreno has also been known to act on impulse, so maybe he changes his mind. In Nov. 2021, the Angels signed Noah Syndergaard to a one-year, $21 million contract.

Along with Montgomery, the Angels have been linked with Blake Snell. Snell is the best starter on the market, and he would easily slot in as the team's No 1. for next season.

If the Angels can land either of these two pitchers, the offseason can end with a small measure of redemption. After losing Ohtani to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Angels could use a small victory — and a new headshot to adorn the entrance to Angel Stadium.