The possibilities for the Angels’ roster construction feel endless after the Taylor Ward for Grayson Rodriguez trade. As much as Angels fans adore and respect Ward, this type of trade has been one they have wanted for some time — trading a major leaguer on an expiring deal for a cost-controlled pitcher with immense potential. Even juicier for fans’ imaginations, the team is saving so much money that they can now disperse around the rest of the roster.

From Beyond The Halo’s Substack: “Per FanGraphs/Roster Resource, the Angels estimated 2026 payroll now sits at $166M after the team ended at an estimated $206M. That gives them $40M to play with before reaching last year’s payroll.”

Let’s try to put together a relatively plausible 2026 Angels squad without dipping into the luxury tax! The dream would all these moves somehow happen and Moreno DOES dip into the luxury tax (remember, this is a DREAM and definitely won’t happen), but I tried to keep all the 2026 average annual values below $40 million. As a note, the 40-man roster currently stands at 33 players after the Halos solely added Walbert Ureña at the Rule 5 protection deadline.

Constructing a dream Angels roster after team saved millions by trading Taylor WardBattersMoves:
-Sign Munetaka Murakami
-Trade Chase Silseth, Bryce Teodosio, Kyren Paris and Sam Aldegheri for Steven Kwan
-Trade Jorge Soler and $3 million to Colorado Rockies for Tyler Freeman (waive Freeman)
-Trade Ryan Johnson, Denzer Guzman and Nate Snead to Boston Red Sox for Jarren Duran
-Trade Jo Adell to Milwaukee Brewers for Blake Perkins, Isaac Collins, Abner Uribevs. RHPs:

1. Steven Kwan*—8
2. Zach Neto—6
3. Jarren Duran*—7
4. Mike Trout—DH
5. Munetaka Murakami*—5
6. Nolan Schanuel*—3
7. Isaac Collins**—9
8. Logan O’Hoppe—2
9. Christian Moore—4

Bench: Blake Perkins**, Oswald Peraza, Travis d’Arnaud, Nelson Rada*
MiLB: Matthew Lugo
Keep In Siberia: Anthony Rendon

ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel projected a 5 year, $80 million ($16M AAV) deal for Murakami, plus a $13.875 million posting fee. That cuts roughly $30 million out of the $40 million purse, which is not the most ideal. However, the Angels do have some maneuvers they can pull to shed salary and still add more MLB talent. Signing Murakami simply has to be the top priority for the Halos, he would fit perfectly into the Angels’ young core of Neto, Schanuel, Rodriguez, Soriano, Detmers, etc. There are concerns about his whiff rate and how he does against velo…good, that means he’s cheaper. Go. Get. Him.

Kwan for $8.5 million, three more years of club control, but the Angels gotta give something to get something. Go look at Cleveland centerfielders’ defensive metrics on FanGraphs then tell me Cleveland would not value Bryce Teodosio. Silseth could all play on the 2026 Guardians on Opening Day right now, and Paris and Aldegheri are promising up-and-comers who would have outside shots to make the Opening Day roster (the Guardians’ 40 man roster is bleak). This trade saves the Guardians millions and gives them some 40-man depth and addresses areas of need.

Duran is in-line for $7.7 million and has another couple years under club-control. Duran’s a perfect-three hole hitter who has everything the Angels need. The Red Sox have to move one of Duran or Wilyer Abreu to play one of those two plus Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela, and even Masataka Yoshida and Jhostynxon Garcia in the outfield. The Angels could overwhelm them with three of their top-15 prospects to save them money, fix a problem and stash two promising arms and a potential star in Guzman.

Trading Soler and some cash for a $1.5 million Freeman saves the Angels money, frees up a roster spot and gets rid of a full-time DH. The Rockies add a slugger who’s thrived in Coors Field at a discount price. Soler immediately becomes their best hitter on the roster.

Trading Jo Adell takes off around $4.5 million and adds back three pre-arb Brewers. The Angels would get under the $40 million threshold (when you factor in the SP addition below). Collins and Perkins are a couple of late-20s outfielders, but Collins has some experience in the infield as well. Adell is far better than those two position players, and does not add a lot to their payroll. Uribe is one of many monsters in the Brewers’ pitching pipeline, he’s replaceable.

PitchersMoves:
-Sign Tyler MahleSP: 
1. Yusei Kikuchi*
2. Grayson Rodriguez
3. Tyler Mahle
4. José Soriano
5. Reid Detmers*

Bullpen: 
CL: Abner Uribe
SU: Ben Joyce, Robert Stephenson, Brock Burke*
Swing: José Fermin, Sam Bachman, Ryan Zeferjahn
Long: Caden Dana

MiLB: Cody Laweryson, Walbert Ureña, Mitch Farris, Jack Kochanowicz, Víctor Mederos, George Klassen, Chase Shores, Tyler Bremner

Let’s say Mahle gets two-years, $25 million ($7 million AAV for 2025, $18 million AAV for 2026). I personally would offer him three-years and a lower AAV, but let’s say he gets a pay raise from what he received from the Texas Rangers (two for $22 million). Mahle thrived under Mike Maddux’s tutelage, and is cheaper than many starting pitchers on the market who just are not as good as the righty.

Uribe would immediately slot in as the Angels’ No. 1 closer, and hopefully two of Joyce, Stephenson and Burke can bare down in set-up roles. The swing relievers can get swapped in and out with any MiLB signings turned MLB relievers, or prospects in Mederos, Klassen or Shores. The Angels might want to give a Rule-5 prospect a shot like they did last year with Garrett McDaniels.