Angels Reportedly Among 'Frontrunners' for Free Agent All-Star Outfielder

Will the Angels get the signing across the finish line?

All offseason, the Los Angeles Angels have been looking across the board for help on the roster. They want to remain competitive next season, and they have been linked with multiple big names on the open market.

MLB.com's Mark Feinsand is reporting that the Angels are among the frontrunners for free agent outfielder Teoscar Hernandez.

"As for Hernández, the Angels, Dodgers and Red Sox appear to be the frontrunners for the two-time Silver Slugger winner. Some have speculated that Hernández will wait for Bellinger to sign before inking his own deal, but the three aforementioned teams don’t appear to be in the Bellinger mix, which could open the door for one of them to make an aggressive move for Hernández."

Per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com

The Angels have been linked with Hernandez often this winter, and he makes a lot of sense for the team. He could help fill the offensive void of losing Shohei Ohtani, and he would add another power bat to the lineup.

Hernandez appeared in 160 games for the Seattle Mariners this past season, slashing .258/.305/.435 with a .741 OPS. Hernandez hit 26 home runs and drove in 93 runs.

The veteran outfielder was an All-Star in 2021, and the hope is that he will be able to get back to his form. Playing alongside Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon, Hernandez may be able to round his game out.  

His playing in Seattle may have affected some things for Hernandez, too, due to the large ballpark dimensions. 

“A lot of players take a step back in Seattle because the ballpark is so big,” an NL executive said.

Per MLB.com

Grabbing Hernandez would also weaken a division rival, which would be great for the Halos. He is likely to get a multi-year contract from whomever he signs with.