The Los Angeles Angels are hoping to slay the dragon that is not making the playoffs since 2014, the year the club had the league’s best record but lost in the American League Division Series to the Kansas City Royals.
The Angels typically don’t make a ton of moves, but this offseason, the club has added a lot of free agents and even made a trade that could make a huge impact for them.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementTheir biggest move of the offseason has been trading left fielder Taylor Ward to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for right-handed starter Grayson Rodriguez, a move that bolsters the starting rotation with a potential ace of the future.
Los Angeles’ focus was rebuilding their pitching staff, one of the worst in the sport over the last few seasons. The Halos signed former All-Star left-handed reliever Drew Pomeranz, who had a phenomenal first season back in Major League Baseball after a four-year hiatus, former All-Star right-handed starter Alek Manoah and former All-Star right-handed relievers Jordan Romano and Kirby Yates.
All these guys displayed dominance in the past but haven’t had the same luck in the last few seasons. There’s optimism that at least a couple of these guys will bounce back and help the Angels win games this year.
General manager Perry Minasian may not be finished making moves, but it seems like the team won’t make many more. With this is mind, here are my team Most Valuable Player and Cy Young predictions for 2026.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMVP: Zach Neto
Neto, 24, had his best season in MLB in 2025 and hit a career-high 26 home runs, third-most among shortstops. Despite missing 34 games, he had a 5.1 WAR, tying his 2024 total across 155 games. He is an exceptional fielder, as his 13 defensive runs saved ranked second among shortstops. Neto is a good baserunner as well, leading to lots of extra-base hits and stolen bases. If he stays healthy, I think Neto will surpass his career-high in WAR and have an OPS above .800.
Cy Young: Grayson Rodriguez
Rodriguez, 26, didn’t pitch in 2025 due to various injuries and rehab issues. However, the tall righty is expected to be ready for spring training and there’s a lot to be excited about. Rodriguez features a solid four-pitch mix: a deceptive sinking-fastball sitting in the mid-to-upper 90s, nasty changeup, hard slider and wipeout curveball that elicits a ton of swing and miss. He isn’t polished by any means, but there’s a lot of life in his arm and he could be Los Angeles’ next ace for years to come.
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