Arte Moreno reveals if he would consider selling Angels again

Mar 24, 2019; Anaheim, CA, USA; Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno at a press conference to announce a 12 year contract extension for center fielder Mike Trout (not pictured) at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno put the team up for sale in 2022, but changed his mind several months later. Angels fans hoping that he might have another change of opinion probably should not be holding their breath based on his latest comments, however.

In an interview with Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register, Moreno said he had no intention of putting the team back on the market anytime soon. The 77-year-old left the door open to being blown away by a “stupid” offer, but absent that, he plans to stick around for years to come.

“I am here long term,” Moreno said. “There are some people that came back and some people that knew I had it on the market (in 2022). I basically said it’s not on the market.”

This will not be welcome news for most Angels fans, who have a very low opinion of Moreno’s ownership. He seemed ready to sell in 2022, but ironically, one report suggested he essentially talked himself into keeping the franchise in doing so.

The Angels have not made the playoffs since 2014, and Moreno has faced increasing criticism for his role in the lack of success. Opinion dropped even further when he essentially did not try to compete with the Dodgers in the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes, even if Ohtani was probably leaving anyway.

The organization’s fortunes do not seem likely to turn around as long as Moreno is calling the shots. Unfortunately for Angels fans, that could remain the case for years to come.