While the Angels have been off to a hot start in the offseason and are poised for a massive upgrade of their roster, the real work has yet to begin. They saved money and added talent in the Grayson Rodriguez trade, are saving even more with the Anthony Rendon buyout, and have made some nice depth upgrades on the waiver wires. 

That being said, they still need to sign the actual free agents and make the trades needed to turn this team into a playoff contender around Zach Neto and Jo Adell. Dylan Cease was the first (and only) major free agent to come off the board so far, and the Angels were very unlikely to make that kind of financial commitment to a starting pitcher like Cease. They have been predicted to land another top starter, but they missed their first real possible signing on Wednesday night as a former All Star center fielder landed with a rival for the American League Wild Card. 

Rays steal Cedric Mullins from Angels

After a down year in 2025, Cedric Mullins missed out on his chance for a major payday in free agency. The 31-year old was a staple in the Baltimore Orioles’ lineup for 7.5 years before he was dealt to the New York Mets last season, where his struggles at the plate only worsened. Now, he finds his chance for a bounce back season with the Tampa Bay Rays.

He was still one of the better true center fielders on the market, and his athleticism has remained elite. His sprint speed still ranks in the 77th percentile on the bases, and his outfield range (OAA) ranks in the 87th percentile (per Baseball Savant). A lot of his advanced stats at the plate (average exit velocity, barrel percentage, hard hit percentage) were all better than his career averages. Still, Mullins had an abysmal season at the plate. 

He was a great bounce back candidate, and would have been a healthy middle ground for an Angels team that spent 2025 forced to decide between elite offense and awful defense (Jo Adell) or the opposite (Bryce Teodosio) in center field. Mullins would provide great defense and hopefully a redemptive season at the plate. Unfortunately, that will be playing out in Tampa Bay rather than in Anaheim. 

The Angels very much could have and should have offered Mullins the $6 million deal he signed with the Rays. While Nelson Rada has Angels’ fans reasonably excited, there’s no guarantee he is a regular contributor next season. Mullins could have brought the left handed pop the team reportedly is seeking, and Perry Minasian has to be kicking himself for letting Mullins land anywhere other than Anaheim.