MLB Rumors: Kolten Wong Drawing Interest from Angels, More Ahead of Free Agency

The Los Angeles Angels have reached out to Kolten Wong after the St. Louis Cardinals declined his $12.5 million option for 2021, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold.

Goold wrote that Wong and his representatives have "already heard from many clubs."

Prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, teams were already beginning to handle their payrolls more carefully. The non-marquee stars were getting squeezed hard on the open market.

The Cardinals' decision to let Wong walk is likely an example of how the pandemic is exacerbating the situation. He's one of a handful of notable players who saw their 2021 option declined.

This opens up a great opportunity for teams that are willing to spend.

Since 2017, Wong is ninth among second basemen in WAR (10.1), per FanGraphs. The 30-year-old struggled in 2020, hitting only one home run and slugging .326 in 53 games. But he's still a solid defender with a .261/.333/.384 career slash line.

FanGraphs' Craig Edwards ranked Wong as the 26th-best free agent and estimated he could receive a two-year, $15 million deal. That would be a pretty team-friendly investment on a player who has a limited ceiling but a solid floor in terms of what to expect in 2021 and beyond.

Having missed the playoffs for the sixth straight season, the Angels have a clear motivation to be aggressive this winter. The franchise can't keep squandering Mike Trout's prime years.

Second base would be an obvious place to upgrade after L.A. was collectively 17th in WAR (minus-0.3) at the position, per Baseball Reference.