Arte Moreno, the owner of the Los Angeles Angels, recently revealed that he was interested in pursuing Trea Turner during the MLB free agency period. However, the Washington Nationals were able to lock in the star shortstop to a long-term contract before Moreno’s pursuit could advance any further.
Turner, who was a first-round pick by the Nationals in 2014, has emerged as one of the best shortstops in baseball over the past few seasons. In 2020, he led the National League in hits, runs, and stolen bases, while also hitting .335 with a .394 on-base percentage and .588 slugging percentage.
These impressive numbers made Turner a highly coveted player in the free-agent market, with several teams expressing interest in signing him. However, Moreno’s desire to acquire the 28-year-old shortstop is particularly noteworthy, given that the Angels already have a talented shortstop in their roster in the form of Jose Iglesias.
Despite this, Moreno’s pursuit of Turner could be a sign of his commitment to building a stronger team around Mike Trout, who has been the face of the Angels franchise for over a decade. With the superstar outfielder now in his 30s, there is a growing sense of urgency among Angels fans and management to surround him with top-tier talent that can help the team contend for a championship.
Of course, bringing in a player of Turner’s caliber would have required a significant financial commitment from the Angels, who are already one of the highest-spending teams in baseball. Turner ultimately signed a seven-year, $142 million contract extension with the Nationals, which may have been more than the Angels were willing to spend on a single player.
Nonetheless, Moreno’s public admission of his interest in Turner is a sign that the Angels are not content with their current roster and are willing to make bold moves to improve their chances of winning. Whether this will lead to success on the field remains to be seen, but Angels fans can take heart that their owner is committed to bringing a championship to Los Angeles.
