Chicago Cubs: 3 dark horse candidates to land Kris Bryant

Los Angeles Angels

They’ve already made a big addition this winter in Anthony Rendon, but the Los Angeles Angels may not be done just yet. Acquiring Kris Bryant may be the next move on their offseason “to-do” list, reuniting him with his former manager, Joe Maddon.

Just like the Yankees, the Angels are no stranger to handing out big money. They just inked Rendon to a seven-year, $245 million contract, and last year, they gave Mike Trout a 12-year, $426.5 million extension.

The Angels’ biggest need, especially with those perennial All-Stars locked up long term, is starting pitching, but this winter they’ve failed to address it.

If the team wanted to go all-in on the offensive front, they could do that by trading for Bryant and adding him to the mix long-term as well. With Albert Pujols‘ monster contract coming off the books after the 2021 season, the Angels would have cash freed up at the perfect time to make a run at Bryant right when he becomes a free agent. The appeal of hitting in a lineup with Trout and Rendon for years to come would be a hard offer to pass up.

On the trade front, the Angels don’t have an abundance of major-league-ready talent they’d be interested in offering up, but if they even hint at top prospect Jo Adell being part of the deal, the Cubs would likely jump at the opportunity to acquire him.