Angels Sign Baron Alum C.J. Wilson—and Some Dude Named Pujols

For the last few years now, Angel fans have been waiting for the club to complement its top-notch pitching staff by adding a bat to the lineup that could get them over the hump. Thursday, they got their wish—and then some.

Lying quietly in the weeds for most of the offseason to this point, the Angels came out guns blazing Wednesday, signing both Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson.

The deal for Pujols is for 10 years and between $250 million and $260 million. Pujols is arguably the best player of the modern baseball era, and by far the most highly sought-after free agent in recent memory. His .328 batting average, 445 home runs and 1,329 RBI over the past 11 seasons are all tops in baseball.

The signing of Wilson is a considerable upgrade to a starting rotation that is already among the best in the game. He comes home to Orange County at a relative discount: five years, $77.5 million. It had been reported that Wilson might be willing to come home for less money, but Angels ace Jered Weaver may have further helped the club land Wilson on the cheap by signing a five-year, $85 million extension in August. The deal effectively tested Wilson's desire to pitch in Anaheim because the Angels likely wouldn't have been willing to pay him more than they're paying Weaver.