The Angels only offensive target this offseason should be Zack Cozart

The Los Angeles Angels enter the offseason with multiple holes to fill, mostly in the starting rotation. However, offensively, LA’s main focus should be Zack Cozart.

For what it is worth, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are at least trying to patch their holes to contend next season.  With Mike Trout leading the charge, Arte Moreno and company are doing what they can to give the two-time MVP his first ever playoff win.

With Trout, anything is possible. However, even with Trout, the Los Angeles Angels were still in the bottom half of MLB offenses.

The Halos ranked 17th in the MLB in position player WAR last season, per FanGraphs. However, a strong defense held the team’s total WAR. According to FanGraphs off statistic — which measures “the quality and quantity of their total offensive performance” — the Angels were 20th in the league and measured below the “awful” threshold.

Thus, Los Angeles is looking to fill in the offense any way they can. The pitching rotation definitely is the bleakest, but after that, there are not many holes to fill. After extending Justin Upton there is not much more to do to the offense side of things. However, if anything, Zack Cozart should be the LA’s first offensive priority.

Cozart is entering the free agent pool after a breakout season with the Cincinnati Reds. In his first MLB All-Star Game selection, Cozart hit .297 with 24 home runs and 63 RBIs in just 122 games played. These were both career-highs for Cozart, who had never hit more than .260 in a full season.

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Although the Angels already have a great shortstop in Andrelton Simmons, there is a space to fill for Cozart. Cozart could move over to second base, a similar move that Danny Espinosa made for the Washington Nationals. Although Espinosa did not perform with the Angels, a similar move can be made for Cozart.

Cozart would be the icing on the cake for the Angels. Cozart could fill in perfectly at the second or third spot in the lineup; depending on where the Angels want to hit Trout.

With Upton batting cleanup and Albert Pujols batting fifth, the middle of the Angels order suddenly becomes immensely deep.

Instead of trying to pick up several less significant pieces, the Angels should turn their focus to bringing in Zack Cozart. Although pitching may be the barrier from mediocrity to greatness, Cozart is the perfect hitter to add to this Angels’ lineup.

Next: Could C.J. Cron be traded?

Cozart definitely earned a big payday after his breakout season with the Cincinnati Reds. As we have seen before, the Halos are not afraid to offer up the big payday.