The Los Angeles Angels continued their long postseason drought in 2026, finishing the year with a record of 62-100.
Los Angeles last reached the playoffs in 2014, continuing over a decade-plus of poor results this past season. But the future is bright for the Angels for the first time in a long time, with the team being sold to Stan Kroenke.
Kroenke could give this franchise the boost that it has needed for some time, and this upcoming offseason will be his first for him as the owner. The Angels won’t turn things around right now, but with Kroenke leading the charge, Los Angeles could become a playoff team sooner rather than later.
Angels Linked to Tarik Skubal
One name that could make a lot of sense for the Angels to consider is ace Tarik Skubal, who will be hitting free agency. Skubal is going to be one of the more highly sought-after players on the open market this season, and if Kroenke wants to make a splash, this could be the move.
MLB analyst Matthew Swigonski of Halohangout.com mentioned Skubal as an option for the Angels to consider going after this offseason.
“From the Denver Nuggets to the Los Angeles Rams, Kroenke-owned teams have certainly not been shy about spending money on their rosters. There’s no reason to believe that the Angels wouldn’t operate with the same mindset under Kroenke. There’s no guarantee that Skubal would even sign with the Angels, regardless of the money thrown his way. But it is certainly fun to consider how monumental it would be for the organization.
“After following in the footsteps of the less-than-stellar track record of Arte Moreno’s ownership, Kroenke doesn’t have much of a bar to clear in order to be viewed as a success by fans. But if the Angels shocked baseball and landed Skubal, Kroenke would not only signal a changing of the guard to fans, but he’d put the American League on notice,” Swigonski wrote.
Should the Angels Pursue Tarik Skubal?
If Kroenke wants to make a name for himself in the Los Angeles area, landing Skubal could do jsut the trick. Not only would he be adding the former Cy Young Award winner to his team, but he would be taking the left-hander from the rival Los Angeles Dodgers.
Skubal split time between the Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Dodgers this past season, posting a 2.72 ERA and 6.89 K/BB ratio over 26 starts. The left-hander remains one of the best pitchers in the game today, and he could transform the pitching staff for the Angels going forward.
The big question would be whether Skubal would have interest in joining the Angels since they haven’t won anything for so long. But sometimes, players like to take challenges, and it remains unknown if Skubal will simply sign with the largest offer that he receives this offseason.
Overall, if Kroenke is looking to add this offseason, he should at least see what it may take to bring Skubal to the Angels. This could change the entire trajectory of this franchise, giving this team something to build around for the first time in over a decade.
Angels Predicted to Land Tarik Skubal in Shocking Offseason Move