Saturday, November 15

Angels general manager Perry Minasian has been busy working with new manager Kurt Suzuki to build the club’s coaching staff, but he said at the annual GM Meetings in Las Vegas that they’re also looking at ways to improve the roster -- especially the pitching staff and trying to find a left-handed bat.

The Angels have made several coaching staff hires over the last week, including pitching coach Mike Maddux, bench coach John Gibbons, first-base coach/outfield instructor Adam Eaton, catching coach Max Stassi, third-base coach Keith Johnson and infield coach Andy Schatzley. They’re still looking for hitting coaches and a bullpen coach, but Minasian has been pleased with the way the staff has been assembled so far.

It's a mix of fiery experienced coaches, in Maddux and Gibbons, to go along with those familiar with the organization such as Eaton and Stassi, who both played for the Angels, and Johnson and Schatzley, who both came from the Minor League ranks.

“From a manager standpoint, you want to have people around you that you trust, that you love, that are talented, too,” Minasian said. “They make players better. I think we see that with the staff. He's been surrounding himself with Mike Maddux and John Gibbons. It says a lot about Kurt and what he feels like he needs on his staff.”

So while Minasian believes the new coaches will help the club’s current players, he knows he needs to find ways to upgrade the roster after the Angels finished with a 72-90 record in 2025. It was a nine-win improvement from the year before, but the underlying stats -- such as the club’s ERA/walk rate and inability to make contact -- are concerning.

“Every offseason is an opportunity to change the dynamic of your club, right?” Minasian said. “Obviously, we haven't yet. We're looking to improve. We made it a small step last year. It was an improvement from the previous year. We want to make another significant step next year. So we're going to look at every area to try and improve and kind of see where the offseason takes us.”

The biggest need is improving the pitching staff -- as the Angels want to add two starting pitchers and are also in the market for relief help, especially with Kenley Jansen a free agent after a strong season as closer. Their only returning starting pitchers are right-hander José Soriano and lefties Yusei Kikuchi and Reid Detmers, with Detmers moving back to the rotation after a year in the bullpen.

But Minasian did reveal some good news: Reliever Robert Stephenson won’t need surgery after dealing with right elbow inflammation at the end of the season. Stephenson is expected to be ready for Spring Training, which would be a big boost for the bullpen, as he is an excellent reliever, when healthy. But Stephenson has thrown only 10 innings with the club over the last two seasons -- all in 2025 -- after undergoing Tommy John surgery in April '24.

Minasian also indicated he’d like to acquire a left-handed bat to balance the lineup. The Angels are looking for a second baseman, a third baseman and possibly a center fielder if they find the right fit. But they could look to move either Taylor Ward or Jo Adell if they add a center fielder, because they have an excess of corner outfielders with Mike Trout and Jorge Soler also on the roster.

Free-agent center fielders Trent Grisham and Cedric Mullins would be fits, but there aren’t many free-agent infielders who hit left-handed outside of Jorge Polanco (switch-hitter) and Adam Frazier. Minasian said he wouldn’t rule out trying to acquire a utility player who can play multiple positions, especially with Luis Rengifo a free agent.

• What's available on free-agent market? Check out this menu

Minasian, though, wouldn’t say how much the payroll will change compared to last season, only saying that he believes owner Arte Moreno wants to win and that he’ll be able to make additions to the club.

“It needs to be the right player, with the right makeup,” Minasian said. “Makeup is obviously very important to us, but versatility is something from a team-building standpoint, like all 30 of [the Major League teams] would love to have it.”

Right-hander Kyle Hendricks, who pitched with his hometown Angels last season, announced his retirement after a stellar 12-year career -- the first 11 seasons spent with the Cubs. Hendricks -- an Orange County, Calif., native, who grew up an Angels fan -- led the Major Leagues in ERA in 2016 (2.13) and helped Chicago to its first World Series title in 108 years that season, while starting Game 7 of the Fall Classic.

“What a great human being,” Minasian said. “And his ability to connect with everybody in the building -- not just the players, not just the coaches, but the support staff, the way he treats people, the way he went about his business, how hard he works, how much he cares, the way he worked on his craft. He's a unique, one-of-a-kind individual that I loved having here.”

Who has the record for most Gold Glove Awards in club history?

A. Bob Boone

B. Bobby Knoop

C. Darin Erstad

D. Mark Langston

Prospect Raudi Rodriguez continued his impressive year, going 2-for-3 with a walk and two RBIs as the American League beat the National League, 5-4, in the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game on Sunday. Rodriguez hit .433/.514/.650 with one homer, six doubles, two triples and nine RBIs in 18 games with the Salt River Rafters this year after a breakout season (.842 OPS, 49 extra-base hits in 125 games) with Single-A Inland Empire.

"It's crazy for me to see Raudi, because I got Raudi two years ago, the first time he got with us,” said Erick Salcedo, the Angels' Arizona & Latin American field coordinator who served as a coach on the Salt River staff. “He's got the tools, man. He's an athlete, a good body, but the strength he has is crazy.

"People don't realize how strong he is -- how the ball jumps from his bat is impressive. When you see the numbers, like how hard he hit the ball -- he's at like 107-plus [exit velocity]. For his 6-foot and 185-pound [frame], and he hits the ball that hard, it's impressive.”

 D. Langston, who won five Gold Gloves with the club from 1991-95.

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