Monday, October 12

When interim general manager John Mozeliak met with the media the day after the end of the regular season, his press conference was left with more questions than answers for how things will go this offseason with the change in ownership.

The Angels are in a state of transition, as new owner Stan Kroenke (Kroenke Sports & Entertainment) is expected to officially take over from Arte Moreno in early 2027. As a result, Mozeliak has been consulting both KSE and Moreno regarding important personnel decisions, including whether to retain manager Kurt Suzuki and when to restart the search for a new general manager.

It’s been a bit of a waiting period for the Angels, with no announcements from the club since Mozeliak last spoke on Sept. 28. With that in mind, here are five questions facing the Angels this offseason:

1. Who will be in charge of baseball operations?

When Mozeliak was brought in after former GM Perry Minasian was fired in late June, one of his main tasks was to find the organization’s next GM. But Mozeliak said that search is currently paused until he finds out more from KSE.

For now, Mozeliak is expected to continue to run the day-to-day baseball operations, but his contract expires in December. There’s still a chance he could stick around, either as the GM or in a different role with a new GM or president of baseball operations taking over. He does have history with Kroenke and KSE president Kevin Demoff from his lengthy stint in the St. Louis Cardinals organization, dating back to when the Rams were in St. Louis.

Cardinals assistant general manager Randy Flores, who is from the Los Angeles area, has been mentioned as a potential GM candidate, but things have been on hold for some time on the GM search.

2. Who will be manager and how many coaches will be retained?

Mozeliak made it clear that he would like to bring Suzuki back as manager next year despite the club losing 100 games and Suzuki signing just a one-year deal before last season. But Mozeliak said it’s not up to him, and it’ll be KSE’s decision on whether to retain Suzuki. He also said there could be coaching changes, although pitching coaches Tim Leveque and Michael Wuertz would appear safe.

Mozeliak praised Suzuki for his communication with the players, his willingness to learn and improve, and his relationships with the media. He felt Suzuki was put in a tough spot because of the roster but handled it well. But given the club’s struggles, retaining Suzuki wouldn’t be a popular move among the fan base. Suzuki, though, would give the Angels some continuity going into next year, and then the new ownership could decide what to do after the 2027 season.

3. How aggressive will they be in free agency with the transition to new ownership?

At this point, it’s tough to answer, but they should be able to add to the roster and not drop their payroll, especially after it dipped in 2026 with Moreno pointing to issues with their television deal. But the Angels definitely need plenty of help, especially with their bullpen and some left-handed power.

4. Will the Angels target a center fielder with Mike Trout’s move to left?

The Angels could be in the market for a new center fielder with Trout moving to left field after he returned to center this season. Trout stayed healthy, playing his most games since 2016, but his advanced metrics in center field show he’s better suited for a corner outfield spot at age 35. The Angels have internal options like Bryce Teodosio and No. 6 prospect Nelson Rada, but those two don’t offer much offense. They could decide to make a trade for a center fielder or sign a veteran to a short-term deal to help bridge the gap to Rada.

5. What will the Angels do at catcher?

The Angels could bring back arbitration-eligible veteran Tyler Heineman, but Travis d’Arnaud is a free agent. Moisés Ballesteros is also expected to catch more next season, and they do have No. 22 prospect Jacob Cozart, who was acquired from Cleveland in the Jo Adell trade. But they’re likely to add another veteran to that mix, as Heineman struggled offensively in 2026 and Ballesteros isn’t a full-time catcher. Cozart could debut at some point next year and will have to prove he can hit enough to be a regular.

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