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LA Angels Wednesday News Crash: Maybe Murakami please?

November 26, 2025

Morning Angels fans. Have links or whatever.

Angels News

CBS has a LOT of faith in the Angels as they project this team to get Murakami from Japan. No idea why but I would be for it.

Around Baseball

Pre-Arb bonus pool money has been announced. The Angels have 2 players who get extra, Neto and Soriano. Neto gets $431,322 and Soriano gets $324,925. This is due to them having an above replacement level WAR. I think The description is a bit unclear, as while it outlines the amounts by winning a major award, it doesn’t say what is used for the “The remaining money is allocated by a WAR formula:” Like, which one? BWAR? FWAR? A mix of both? Catchers hope it is the latter.

Red Sox trade for Sonny Gray, sending prospects to St. Louis, including Fitts. Which means the Betts trade tree continues to grow.

A-Roid has said that HOF voters are hypocrites as Selig is in the HOF and not him. While this is an obvious “Worst person you know makes a point” idea, the answer is to kick Selig out, not double down on an error.

Speaking of, the first public ballot for the 2026 MLB HOF class has been revealed. Jorge Morejón has named 5 players on his ballot.

Jake Fraley is off the board, signing with the Rays 1/3M. There goes the only player within Perry’s budget. /s

Kenta Maeda is also gone. To Japan. For 400 Million… yen. (2.5M USD give or take.)

Anything I missed? Post below for upvotes.

36 Comments

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Legend

Eric_in_Portland

1 month ago

just saw a funny meme on facebook, “Anthony Rendon tears ACL on way to signing retirement papers”

Legend

Fansince1971

1 month ago

So question- if the Angels buy Rendon out for the full value of 2026, does that money apply against the threshold? Or is it accounted for a different way?

I would presume they could agree to something like paying it over 5 years and then the AAV for each of those years would be around $7m.

Last edited 1 month ago by Fansince1971

Editor

Legend

Jeff Joiner

1 month ago

Reply to Fansince1971

I’m not sure about luxury tax calculations but Arte generally uses actual cash to set his payroll. They will increase.

Editor

Legend

Jeff Joiner

1 month ago

We’ve all cracked Perry quite a bit but

The trade for Rodriguez broke is the most lopsided real trade on the sim.

He found a way to mitigate Rendon’s anchor.

Trusted Member

DMAGZ13

1 month ago

Maybe they can save $10 million to spend on something else? Another Boras client? Perry must know the market is about to move… Dylan cease just signed

Super Member

clover_black

1 month ago

I don’t get this cartoon that’s being used on this site for years.

Sorry.

Legend

Pineapple12

1 month ago

Reply to clover_black

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perry_the_Platypus

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DowningDude

1 month ago

Reply to clover_black

We will now get off your lawn.

Editor

Legend

Jeff Joiner

1 month ago

$245,000,000 for 3.7 WAR (FanGraphs) = $66,216,216 per WAR

This contract makes the $19 million per WAR Pujols deal look like a steal.

Josh Hamilton’s $40 million per WAR mark has been greatly surpassed.

Super Member

Jim Atkins

1 month ago

Reply to Jeff Joiner

It took some real talent to accomplish the worst contract in team history for a team renowned for willingness to waste money on unfathomably bad deals. Thanks, Arte.

Legend

Senator_John_Blutarsky

1 month ago

Buy out Rendon. Finally.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/47110621/source-angels-talks-buy-final-year-anthony-rendon-deal

Legend

Angels2020Champs

1 month ago

Reply to Senator_John_Blutarsky

Who?

Legend

DowningDude

1 month ago

Reply to Angels2020Champs

Who was actually on third in this case … once, at least.

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DowningDude

1 month ago

Reply to Senator_John_Blutarsky

There will be a “BSOML” statement from Tony SandBags ahead of spring training, then some random injury during rehab and out for the season. This way, he doesn’t lose a dollar and fArte can write it off to an insurance claim.

Legend

Pineapple12

1 month ago

Reply to Senator_John_Blutarsky

LET’S FUCKING (Nov) GOOOOOO!!!
The dark cloud is finally being lifted away.

Legend

Pineapple12

1 month ago

Reply to Pineapple12

Offseason just got exponentially more interesting. Angels wouldn’t buy him out to not spend money

Editor

Legend

Jeff Joiner

1 month ago

Reply to Pineapple12

In this instance, I’m not counting the F bomb. Your November bomb is still in place.

The overwhelming joy of a Rendon release obviously puts you and us in a state of delirium.

Legend

Pineapple12

1 month ago

Reply to Jeff Joiner

Thanks, JJ. This is our World Series lol

Editor

Legend

Jeff Joiner

1 month ago

Reply to Pineapple12

I think we just won the off season.

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Eric_in_Portland

1 month ago

Reply to Senator_John_Blutarsky

and then, after he gets his buyout money, he’ll announce his retirement

Super Member

Roy Hobbs

1 month ago

Reply to Eric_in_Portland

Is there any way that Arte avoids paying the remaining money he owes and can spend it this year if he wanted.

Legend

FungoAle

1 month ago

Reply to Senator_John_Blutarsky

Expected, called it all year. Minaisan’s best skill is cutting bait with horrible contracts. He cut Albert and Upton with 2-years left.

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

1 month ago

Reply to Senator_John_Blutarsky

YES! We should totally go out and spend any money we save TONIGHT! Clearly Rendon has been the problem the last coupe years and now that he’s off the roster we are just a couple free agents away! Hell, even our farm just got better!

Legend

Senator_John_Blutarsky

1 month ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

Editor

Legend

Jeff Joiner

1 month ago

The Hall of Fame is a walking contradiction on steroids.

David Ortiz actually failed a test and was a far worst player than Bonds, A-rod, or Clemens and he’s in.

A-rod is being held out for failing he same test as Ortiz.

Bonds and Clemens are being held out because their PED use was as blatant as Ortiz’s but they didn’t have cute nicknames.

Trusted Member

Kevin

1 month ago

We will see on Murakami. Arte likely will look to add a Japanese player hoping for greatness like Ohtani and the marketing bump. I can also envision an overseas player seeing the success Ohtani had via development and deciding the Halos would be a decent fit. Plenty of space for playing time etc.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Super Member

TrojanBoiler

1 month ago

Bad defense + swing for the fences and strikeouts be damned? Sounds like he would fit right in.

Trusted Member

grichmanpoorman

1 month ago

Reply to TrojanBoiler

“Halos Culture”

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Jeff Joiner

1 month ago

Murakami fits the dingers and K’s mode of team building. Defense is also suspect.

I prefer Okamato as an all around player and Turks suggestion of Song is really appealing.

I wonder if Murakami brings in some Japanese dollars that help offset the contract, though.

Last edited 1 month ago by Jeff Joiner

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Super Member

Turk's Teeth

1 month ago

Reply to Jeff Joiner

I like Okamato as well – just couldn’t afford him within my IIWPM budget parameters. For value returned vs money and years spent, I think it’s Song > Okamato > Murakami for me.

Murakami legit scares me though. Just to repost part of Longenhagen’s scouting report here:

In 2023, his strikeout rate regressed up to 28.1%, near where it was when Murakami was still an improving teenager, and it’s hovered in that range for the past three seasons. That’s a pretty big, scary number for a Japanese hitter trying to transition to MLB.

Murakami’s splits against good velocity (63% contact rate since 2022) and against secondary pitches (just above 50% in 2025) are even more concerning. Essentially, every secondary pitch type played like an elite offering against him in 2025. This may be because Murakami dealt with a litany of injuries from the end of 2024 through the middle of 2025 (toe, elbow, oblique), or it might be remedied with a tweak to the way his hands set up so that he can more regularly be on time against good fastballs. But if Murakami is only ever the quality of contact hitter we’ve seen the last three years, with no changes or improvements, he basically can’t be a good MLB hitter. Aside from Joey Gallo, there really isn’t precedent for someone making this little contact and having a sustained, successful career of any kind.

Legend

steelgolf

1 month ago

Reply to Turk's Teeth

Sounds like a Japanese Soler.

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Fansince1971

1 month ago

MuraKami requires a posting fee and then a contract- the total is projected to be in the neighborhood of 6/162 or around $30m per season.

The only way I could see Arte agreeing is if he is dreaming of long lines of Japanese fans coming to games to cheer for MuraKami. His golden days of Ohtani might make him consider this. But I seriously doubt Arte will agree to such financial investment.

Even if Arte does agree, MuraKami would have to choose Anaheim. Why would he? There will be demand from many teams better situated to make the postseason.

So I see it as very unlikely. The CBS article is pure speculation. I could see him more likely in SF or NY.

Last edited 1 month ago by Fansince1971

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gitchogritchoffmypettis

1 month ago

Reply to Fansince1971

Yeah. The ask on Murakami is really high for a guy who may be a DH with a really low OPB on an MLB squad in two years. He just doesn’t offer much accept a track record of beating on Japanese pitching… but still striking out a lot. It doesn’t take a super computer to see that he will hit fewer home runs, strike out more and still be a bad third baseman in the MLB. And cost 30M per year?

It makes paying Bregman look smart. He’s not Ohtani. No one is. He’s not gonna draw an extra million fans. You’ll likely have to “develop” him a little so he hits over here. That’s not a nine figure deal player. Those other Asian options are a better idea.

Super Member

Roy Hobbs

1 month ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

Really, if you’re going to do that then sign Bregman.

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WallyChuckChili

1 month ago

Neto and Soriano

Trusted Member

Terry

1 month ago

Murakami will add power and also loads of strikeouts, he may become MuraKami. Replacing Ward’s K’s with the new guy. But he bats lefthanded, so why not? If anything it will be interesting. Too bad he can’t pitch also.