Angels' GM Perry Minasian Refuses To Answer If Angels Are Shedding Salary This Offseason

The Los Angeles Angels' offseason so far has been a somewhat confusing one. They’ve been one of the more active teams, making a couple of trades and signing several players to major-league deals.

Perhaps the biggest move of the offseason to date for the Angels has been the restructuring of third baseman Anthony Rendon’s contract. Rendon was set to make $38 million in 2026 in his final year under contract after signing with the club ahead of the 2020 campaign. After the restructuring, the Angels will now pay the owed $38 million over the span of three-to-five years.

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At first glance, it was a move that many viewed as a positive for the Angels, as it seemingly freed up millions of dollars for the club to use to improve the team in 2026. Now, questions are arising about the club’s intentions with its new financial flexibility.

The Athletic’s Sam Blum detailed the lack of transparency from Angels general manager Perry Minasian in a Wednesday article. As Blum emphasized, Minasian was unwilling to make any statements on whether the Angels are focused on slashing payroll this offseason or are simply waiting to make a big move or two in the coming weeks.

“Depending on the amount paid to Rendon in 2026, the Angels’ payroll next season currently sits around $150 million — well below the $207 million spent in 2025, according to FanGraphs,” Blum wrote. “So far this offseason, the Angels have added four free agent relievers on one-year deals, totaling just below $13 million.”

With a payroll substantially lower than last season’s, Angels fans have been expecting at least one big move that brings in one of the best available names in free agency. So far, they’ve only committed to cheap, one-year deals, as has so often been the case for the Angels in the past.

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Their approach this offseason has many questioning the intentions of the front office this winter. In response, Minasian can only say, “I’m not going to make any statements.” It’s more of the same from Minasian, a lack of transparency that has Angels fans constantly questioning the direction and goals of the club.

Minasian’s comment, or lack thereof, feels like damning evidence that the Angels are indeed slashing payroll with spring training less than two months away. If it is the case, it’s a slap in the face to Angels fans, who have been forced to watch a team that hasn’t seen a winning season since 2015.

With huge amounts of money off the books in 2026, they’d expect the front office to do its part in using that money to bring in fresh talent in hopes of legitimate improvement after a 90-loss 2025 season. Instead, it may be another offseason for the Angels in which they fail to make any roster-changing moves, resulting in another campaign lacking any optimism.