Seeking an infielder: Who could Angels target?
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ANAHEIM -- The annual MLB Winter Meetings are now in the rearview mirror, but one major takeaway is that the Angels are in the market for another infielder.
The Angels already acquired utilitymen Kevin Newman and Scott Kingery this offseason, but general manager Perry Minasian indicated that he¡¯d like to add one more infielder to the mix.
The Angels are flexible and could go after a third baseman or a second baseman because Luis Rengifo can play both positions. But veteran Anthony Rendon appears headed for more of a backup role this season, as he¡¯s dealt with injuries over the last four years and went homerless in 57 games last year. And if they do go after a second baseman, it¡¯ll be more of a short-term fix, as they don¡¯t want to block their No. 2 prospect, Christian Moore.
The Angels would love to add some power to the lineup, and while a left-handed bat would fit the lineup better, they¡¯re open to another right-handed bat to join Mike Trout and Jorge Soler in the middle of the order. But they¡¯re not expected to target Alex Bregman, the top third baseman on the free-agent market, because of the cost.
They¡¯re also open to either free agency or trade, as there are a few notable third basemen on the trade market. But the Angels don¡¯t want to trade any of their top prospects such as Caden Dana, George Klassen or Moore, so it could be difficult.
But there are certainly options, and with that in mind, here¡¯s who the Angels could target via trade or free agency:
Nolan Arenado
The Cardinals are aggressively shopping their third baseman, who is owed $74 million over the next three seasons, with the Rockies still on the hook for $10 million of that. Arenado, 33, has a full no-trade clause, but the Angels are one of his preferred teams because he grew up in the area and attended nearby El Toro High School in Lake Forest, Calif.
Arenado, though, has seen his offense decline in recent years, including hitting .272/.325/.394 with 16 homers and 71 RBIs in 152 games last season. But he's durable and remains a strong defender, so he does have value.
The Angels have to be a bit wary about his offense and the cost, both in terms of prospects and his contract the next three years, but if the Cardinals take on some of the money, it could make more sense.
Eugenio Suárez
The D-backs haven¡¯t been as active in terms of trying to move Su¨¢rez, as they picked up his $15 million option for next year and he has a fit on the club as their starting third baseman. But he¡¯s in the last year of his deal and would be a nice short-term option for the Angels.
The 33-year-old had a slow start to the 2024 season but batted .256/.319/.469 with 30 homers and 101 RBIs in 158 games. Like Arenado, he's durable, but he's not as strong a defender.
Alec Bohm
At 28, Bohm is the youngest of the potential trade options and remains under team control for two more seasons. The third baseman hit .280/.332/.448 with 15 homers and 97 RBIs in 143 games last year, while also improving his defense and being named an All-Star for the first time.
The Angels have matched up well with the Phillies in recent years, making several trades such as Brandon Marsh for Logan O¡¯Hoppe, Noah Syndergaard for Mickey Moniak and Carlos Est¨¦vez for pitching prospects Sam Aldegheri and Klassen. The Phillies would want a big return for Bohm, so it might be too much for the Angels.
Gleyber Torres
Torres, 28, is a free agent and would slot in at second base, with Rengifo going to third base. Torres hit .257/.330/.378 with 15 homers and 63 RBIs in 154 games with the Yankees last year, as the right-handed hitter saw his power numbers decline.
But he¡¯s young and durable, which is something the Angels covet. His cost, however, might be just out of the Halos' range, as they¡¯re still looking to make other additions to the roster.
Jorge Polanco
Polanco, 31, is coming off a bit of a down year, as he batted .213/.296/.355 with 16 homers and 45 RBIs in 118 games with the Mariners. But he has a strong track record from his time with the Twins from 2014-23 and is a switch-hitter, which fits the lineup.
He likely would be in the Angels' price range but is also coming off left knee surgery in October. Like Torres, Polanco profiles best as a second baseman, which would move Rengifo to third.