Angels Rumors

Luis Rengifo, Chase Silseth Undergo Season-Ending Surgeries

By Darragh McDonald | August 6, 2024 at 5:35pm CDT

Infielder/outfielder Luis Rengifo and right-hander Chase Silseth of the Angels are both done for the year, reports Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register on X. Rengifo had season-ending wrist surgery while Silseth had season-ending elbow surgery. It’s unclear exactly what kind of surgery Silseth had but Fletcher says it was not Tommy John surgery. Both players are expected to be ready for Spring Training next year.

Rengifo was a popular name in trade rumors this summer due to his strong performance and narrowing window of club control on a struggling team. Since the start of 2022, Rengifo has hit .273/.323/.431 for a wRC+ of 110. He’s also stolen 36 bases and bounced around the diamond to all three outfield spots and the three infield positions to the left of first base. He’s making $4.4MM this year and is controllable via arbitration for 2025 before he’s slated for free agency.

The Angels are out of contention this year and made some sell-side moves prior to the trade deadline, but limited themselves to just moving impending free agent relievers Carlos Estévez and Luis García. Despite Rengifo’s name popping up from time to time, he wasn’t traded, but perhaps the wrist issue played a role there. He landed on the IL July 4 due to right wrist inflammation and was reinstated July 23, but landed right back on the IL on August 3. Maybe the uncertainty around the ailment tamped down the offers and led the Angels to hold on.

Regardless of what happened with the trade talks, the result now is that Rengifo is out for the year. That won’t have a huge impact on the Halos in the short term since they will mostly be playing out the string for the rest of the schedule. It will lower Rengifo’s ability to raise his 2025 salary compared to what would have been possible if he stayed healthy. His name is likely to be in some trade rumors again this winter but the Angels might hold onto him into the 2025 campaign so that he can demonstrate his health for prospective trade partners. He’ll be transferred to the 60-day IL as soon as the Angels have a need for his roster spot.

Silseth tossed 52 1/3 innings for the Halos last year with a 3.96 earned run average. That put him in line for a rotation job in 2024 but his season has been derailed multiple times. He made two big league starts to begin the year but then landed on the IL with right elbow inflammation. No ligament damage was found but Silseth was nonetheless transferred to the 60-day IL at the end of April. He began a rehab assignment at the end of May and was reinstated from the IL on June 25 and optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake. He then made four more Triple-A appearances between late June and late July but now it seems he’ll require some of sort of surgical procedure to get over his ailment.

The righty came into this year with 153 days of service time. He crossed the one-year mark while on the injured list but is no longer adding to that total since being optioned in June. The Halos could call him up and add him to the 60-day injured list, which would start his service time clock again, but they won’t need a roster spot right away. Their 40-man roster count is currently at 39 and, as mentioned, they can move Rengifo to the 60-day IL to open up a spot at any point. The same is true of Mike Trout, who is also done for the year but has not yet been moved to the 60-day IL.

Since Silseth is expected back by the spring, he clearly hasn’t undergone a major ligament procedure and could be a part of the club’s rotation mix for 2025. As of right now, the group projects to include Tyler Anderson, Griffin Canning, José Soriano, Davis Daniel, Carson Fulmer, Reid Detmers, Kenny Rosenberg and Silseth.

Angels Re-Sign Adam Cimber To Minor League Deal

By Mark Polishuk | August 4, 2024 at 10:31pm CDT

Less than two weeks after the Angels released Adam Cimber, the two sides have reunited on a minor league contract, according to the righty’s MLB.com profile page. Los Angeles signed Cimber to a one-year, $1.65MM free agent deal last winter, but was designated for assignment and then released in July while he was still on the 15-day injured list recovering from right shoulder inflammation.

It seems as though there might’ve been a handshake agreement on that initial DFA and release, as it freed up a 40-man roster spot for the Angels and came at no financial cost to Cimber since the team was still on the hook for the remainder of his 2024 salary. Cimber has enough MLB service time to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency, so after some time to explore his options on the open market, he has now circled back to Anaheim. On this new minor league deal, Cimber could continue to rehab or just return right to game action at Triple-A Salt Lake in something of an unofficial minor league rehab assignment.

Shoulder injuries have both limited Cimber’s participation in the last two MLB seasons, and impacted his performance to the tune of a 7.20 ERA over 45 innings in 50 appearances since Opening Day 2023. Cimber’s 149 appearances led all big league pitchers over the 2021-22 seasons, so it could be that this heavy workload finally caught up to the veteran right-hander. The Blue Jays non-tendered Cimber last offseason and the Angels inked him to that $1.65MM deal that has yet to yield many dividends.

These two rough seasons have come on the heels of five solid years of performance in 2018-22, as Cimber had a 3.20 ERA in 278 2/3 innings with San Diego, Cleveland, Miami, and Toronto. If he can get healthy, return to the majors, and get back to anything like his old form, Cimber might have an outside shot at another low-cost guaranteed big league deal this winter.

California Notes: Ramos, Detmers, Edwards

By Mark Polishuk | August 4, 2024 at 9:51pm CDT

Heliot Ramos has been battling a right thumb injury for the last week, telling reporters (including Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle) that the discomfort has factored into his lack of production over the Giants’ last few days. The thumb issue forced him to make an early exit from the Giants’ 6-4 loss to the Reds on Saturday and Ramos also didn’t play in today’s game. The outfielder is day to day for now, though since the Giants’ next off-day isn’t until August 16, the club might be forced into a 10-day injured list placement for Ramos if the swelling doesn’t come down.

A longtime staple of top-100 prospect lists, Ramos didn’t show much in limited MLB action in 2022-23, but he has fully broken out after San Francisco called him back up to the Show in early May. Ramos is hitting .285/.344/.491 with 15 home runs in 320 plate appearances, and this production earned him a spot on the NL All-Star roster. Ramos’ emergence has helped keep the Giants in the playoff race, so missing him for any amount of time (IL placement or not) is a blow to the lineup.

More from three of the Golden State’s teams…

Reid Detmers posted a 6.19 ERA over his first nine Triple-A outings since he was optioned to the majors at the start of June, and the tough stretch continued when he allowed six runs in 3 2/3 IP in a start today with Triple-A Salt Lake. Prior to today’s game, Angels pitching coach Barry Enright told Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register that he felt Detmers’ slider and his mentality on the mound had been showing improvement, but it isn’t yet known if Detmers’ latest result might lead to at least one more tune-up outing rather than a promotion back to the majors. Detmers also had a 6.14 ERA in 63 big league innings this season, after solid results in 2022-23 had seemingly established him as a key piece of the Angels’ rotation. As Fletcher notes, if the Angels didn’t call Detmers back up until August 20, the team would lock in an extra year of control over Detmers. The southpaw therefore wouldn’t have enough MLB service time to qualify for free agency until after the 2028 season. While this is certainly a factor in whatever decision Los Angeles makes about Detmers’ development, it can be argued that the Angels have justifiable reason to keep Detmers in the minors, given his struggles.
The Padres signed Carl Edwards Jr. to a minor league contract last month, and Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune writes that the veteran reliever is taking a new step in his career by working as a starting pitcher. The right-hander has a 4.91 ERA over 22 innings and six starts, throwing at least four innings and 80 pitches in each of his last three games. Edwards began his minor league career as a starter, but he started just one minor league game from 2015-23, and never started any of his 295 career games or rarely even went beyond a single inning of work. As he approaches his 33rd birthday in September, Edwards’ ability to now work as a starter (or at least as a bulk pitcher or long reliever) could add a new wrinkle to his career, and provide the Padres with some unexpected rotation depth.

AL West Notes: Carter, Rendon, Wilson, Astros

By Mark Polishuk | August 4, 2024 at 4:24pm CDT

Rangers GM Chris Young stated earlier this week that Evan Carter’s recurring back problems would likely end his 2024 season, and Carter confirmed as much when speaking with Shawn McFarland of the Dallas Morning News (X link) and other reporters today. Carter said he doesn’t think surgery will be required to address the lumbar strain in his back, and he should have a normal offseason and a regular path to the start of Spring Training once he begins swinging in 9-10 weeks.

Carter’s official rookie season will now end with 45 games played, and a .188/.272/.361 slash line over 162 plate appearances. It was a tough follow-up to Carter’s incredible run in 2023 after his late-season MLB debut, but hopefully a full offseason of rest and recovery can help him move past the back problems that ruined his year.

Angels Place Luis Rengifo On 10-Day IL, Select Charles Leblanc

By Nick Deeds | August 3, 2024 at 7:08pm CDT

The Angels announced prior to tonight’s game against the Mets that the club has selected the contract of infielder Charles Leblanc. The Angels already had space on the 40-man roster available in the aftermath of this week’s trade deadline, meaning no corresponding move was necessary to make room for Leblanc on the 40-man roster. Leblanc will take the place of infielder Luis Rengifo on the active roster as Rengifo was placed on the 10-day IL due to wrist inflammation.

Rengifo, 27, received plenty of trade interest in the run-up to the deadline himself but ultimately remained in Anaheim, perhaps in part due to concerns surrounding his wrist. The switch-hitter was placed on the IL with right wrist inflammation just under a month ago and was ultimately sidelined for around three weeks before being activated a week prior to the deadline. Rengifo has struggled badly since his return, however, slashing just .188/.257/.219 in nine games. A week-long slump isn’t necessarily indicative of anything serious, but manager Ron Washington told reporters (including Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register) earlier this week that Rengifo had experienced a bit of a “flare-up” of his previous wrist injury and would be re-evaluated in the coming days.

The infielder took the next day off but appeared in yesterday’s contest, ultimately taking two at-bats before exiting in the fifth inning. Evidently, the continued problems with Rengifo’s wrist have now risen to the point where the club feels a second stint on the shelf is necessary. It’s not yet clear what the 27-year-old’s timetable for return looks like at this point, but it’s certainly a disappointing turn of events for a youngster who was enjoying a breakout season prior to the injury. Through July 2, Rengifo posted an excellent .319/.362/.448 slash line in 266 trips to the plate while splitting time between second and third base alongside cameos at shortstop and in right field. His switch-hitting bat, defensive versatility, and youth all figure to once again make him an attractive trade candidate this offseason, when he’ll go through his final trip through arbitration before free agency.

As for Leblanc, the 28-year-old signed a minor league deal with the Angels back in November and will now get his first opportunity in the majors since 2022. A fourth-round pick by the Rangers in the 2016 draft, Leblanc’s big league debut came six years later as a member of the Marlins. He ultimately played 48 games in Miami, slashing a respectable .263/.320/.404 with ten doubles, four homers, and four stolen bases in 169 trips to the plate for the club while splitting time between first base, second base, and third base. Leblanc spent the 2023 season in the minors with Miami and slashed a strong .253/.384/.423 but did not manage to crack the big league club. In 91 games at Triple-A with the Halos this year, Leblanc has shown similar on-base ability with a little more pop as he’s hit .262/.382/.472 in the offense-friendly environment of the Pacific Coast League. He’ll offer the Angels some depth for their infield mix for the time being amid injuries to both Rengifo and Anthony Rendon.

MLBTR Podcast: Trade Deadline Recap

By Darragh McDonald | August 1, 2024 at 11:59pm CDT

The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Tim Dierkes, Steve Adams and Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…

Were the prospect prices high in this year’s trades? Is this a new normal due to the expanded playoffs creating a seller’s market? (2:15)
The three-team trade involving the Dodgers, White Sox, Cardinals, Erick Fedde, Miguel Vargas and others (15:40)
The Rays and Cubs, the buy-sell tightrope and the trade involving Isaac Paredes and Christopher Morel (29:30)
The Astros acquire Yusei Kikuchi from the Blue Jays for a three-player package and the connection to the the Dodgers acquiring Jack Flaherty from the Tigers but the Yankees reportedly being scared off by his medicals (48:00)
The Guardians acquire Alex Cobb from the Giants and acquire Lane Thomas from the Nationals (58:35)
The Orioles acquire Trevor Rogers from the Marlins and acquire Zach Eflin from the Rays (1:09:10)
Will teams have to be more aggressive in the offseason going forward if the expanded playoffs will make less good players available at the deadline? (1:20:35)
The Rockies and Angels held onto a lot of trade candidates (1:23:35)
The Marlins leaned in hard to seller status (1:31:40)
The Padres built a super bullpen (1:44:50)
The Braves acquire Jorge Soler from the Giants (1:47:40)
The Royals acquire Lucas Erceg from the Athletics (1:54:40)

Check out our past episodes!

Trade Deadline Preview – listen here
Top Trade Candidates, Hunter Harvey To KC And The Current State Of The Rays And Mets – listen here
Brewers’ Pitching Needs, Marlins Rumors And The Nats Prepare To Sell – listen here

The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff. Check out their Facebook page here!

Mike Trout Done For The Year Due To Meniscus Tear

By Darragh McDonald | August 1, 2024 at 5:15pm CDT

Angels outfielder Mike Trout has suffered another meniscus tear and is out for the year. General manager Perry Minasian informed reports today, including Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register, who relayed the news on X.

Trout underwent surgery at the start of May to address a torn meniscus in his left knee. He was able to begin a rehab assignment by playing for the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees on July 23 but departed that game with left knee soreness. The Angels then announced that he would return to Southern California to be re-evaluated and it now appears that a torn left meniscus has been discovered yet again and he won’t be able to return in 2024.

“Since my initial surgery on May 3rd to repair my meniscus, my rehabilitation proved longer and more difficult than anticipated,” Trout said in a statement released on X. “After months of hard work, I was devastated yesterday when an MRI showed a tear in my meniscus that will require surgery again – ending my hopes of returning this season. Playing and competing is a huge part of my life. This is equally as heartbreaking and frustrating for me as it is for you, the fans. I understand that I may have disappointed many, but believe me, I will do everything I can to come back even stronger. I will continue to help my team and teammates from the dugout as we press forward into the second half of the season. Thank you for your support.”

It’s yet another brutal blow in a career that was once defined by such brilliance but has more recently been defined by injuries. From 2012 to 2020, Trout was the consensus best player in baseball. In that stretch, he hit 297 home runs and drew walks in 15.4% of his plate appearances. He slashed .306/.421/.587 for a wRC+ of 173 while stealing 197 bases and providing quality defense in center field. FanGraphs considered him to be worth 73 wins above replacement in that time frame, with Max Scherzer coming in a distant second with 50.4 fWAR. Buster Posey was second among position players with 47.1 fWAR.

But Trout has been significantly hampered by various ailments since that time. In 2021, a right calf strain limited him to just 36 games. In 2022, he got that up to 119 games but still missed a bit of time due to back problems. Last year, a left hamate fracture capped him at 82 games.

When he’s been able to take the field, he has still been able to produce at an elite level, and that was still true here in 2024. He began the season with 10 home runs and six steals in just 29 games. Despite a tiny .194 batting average on balls in play, he produced a line of .220/.325/.541 for a wRC+ of 137. But due to these ongoing knee problems, he won’t be able to add anything to those stats with the remainder of the schedule.

The news won’t have a huge impact on the Halos here in 2024. At 47-61, they are well back of the playoff race at this point. They recently made some sell-side moves ahead of the deadline, trading impending free agents Carlos Estévez and Luis García.

Fans of the club and baseball in general will be hoping that Trout comes back healthy and effective next year. Though many of his injuries have appeared to be fluky in nature, his continued absences naturally create some worry about the long-term picture for the club. Even when they had peak Trout on the same roster as Shohei Ohtani, they never managed to get into the playoffs or even finish a season with a winning record. Ohtani is now a Dodger while Trout is going to turn 33 years old next month and hasn’t played 120 games in a season since 2019.

The extension he signed in 2019 runs through 2030 and pays him $35.45MM annually at this point. Fans of other clubs often dream of getting Trout out of Anaheim via trade but his run of injuries will make other teams loath to take on all that money for his mid- and late-30s. He also has a full no-trade clause and has expressed a desire to stay and win with the Angels.

Red Sox Acquire Luis Garcia From Angels

By Anthony Franco | July 30, 2024 at 5:45pm CDT

The Red Sox brought in their second high-leverage reliever of deadline season. Boston acquired hard-throwing righty Luis García from the Angels for four minor league players: first baseman Niko Kavadas, outfielder Matthew Lugo and pitchers Yeferson Vargas and Ryan Zeferjahn. The Sox had also acquired Lucas Sims from Cincinnati earlier in the day.

García, 37, was one of the better rental relievers available. He carries a 3.71 ERA through 43 2/3 innings. García is keeping the ball on the ground at a robust 51.2% clip while posting decent strikeout (22%) and walk (7.7%) numbers. That’s generally in line with his overall track record. García relies heavily on a power sinker to keep the ball down. His swing-and-miss rates are more solid than exceptional but it’s an effective profile overall.

Since the start of the 2021 season, García owns a 3.64 earned run average in 204 appearances between three teams. He has a 23.1% strikeout rate with a 7.5% walk percentage while getting grounders upwards of 54% of the time. It’s a different profile from Sims, who misses more bats but has less consistent strike-throwing ability.

The Halos signed García to a one-year, $4.25MM free agent deal over the winter. Los Angeles had completely overhauled its relief group via free agency last offseason. The García pickup was the only one that really worked as the front office envisioned. Boston assumes the roughly $1.39MM remaining on that contract through season’s end.

L.A.’s deft free agent pickup allowed them to net four minor leaguers. None of them are top prospects, but three of them could conceivably reach the majors late this year. Baseball America ranked Lugo 23rd in the Boston system. BA writes that the 23-year-old improved his plate discipline and has upped his offensive profile this season. The Puerto Rico native absolutely destroyed Double-A pitching at a .315/.405/.664 clip in the first half. He has a .250/.340/.452 line over 35 Triple-A games, where he’s striking out at a 27% rate. Lugo began his career as a shortstop prospect but seemingly projects to a corner outfield spot.

Kavadas, a Notre Dame product, has posted huge offensive numbers in Triple-A. He’s hitting .281/.424/.551 with 17 longballs through 335 trips to the dish. Kavadas doesn’t provide any kind of defensive value and he’s striking out a third of the time in the minors. It’s a difficult profile to pull off, but he has huge power and is on the doorstep of the majors.

Zeferjahn, 26, is a former third-rounder out of Kansas. The 6’5″ righty has a 3.52 ERA over 38 1/3 combined innings of relief between the top two minor league levels. He’s striking out 31.3% of opponents while issuing walks at an 11.8% clip. Vargas, a 19-year-old righty out of the Dominican Republic, is the one low minors development play of the group. He just reached Low-A after throwing 31 2/3 innings in the complex league.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post first reported the Red Sox were acquiring García. Sam Blum of the Athletic reported the Angels’ return.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Angels Acquire Mike Baumann From Giants

By Darragh McDonald | July 30, 2024 at 2:10pm CDT

2:10pm: The Angels announced that they have acquired Baumann from the Giants for cash considerations.

2:00pm: The Angels are acquiring right-hander Mike Baumann from the Giants, reports Robert Murray of FanSided on X. The righty was designated for assignment by the Giants a few days ago. It’s unclear what that club is receiving in return. The Angels have open 40-man spots and won’t need to make a corresponding move.

Baumann, 28, spent his entire professional career with the Orioles prior to 2024 but has spent the year bouncing around the league. He exhausted his final option year in 2023 and has therefore found himself on the transaction logs many times. He was designated for assignment by the O’s in May and has since gone to the Mariners, Giants and now Angels in small trades after DFAs.

Pitching for three different clubs this year, he has a 4.84 earned run average in 35 1/3 innings. His 20.8% strikeout rate, 10.7% walk rate and 40.2% ground ball rate are each a bit worse than league average.

But he seemed to be a solid bullpen piece as recently as last year. He tossed 64 2/3 innings for Baltimore with a 3.76 ERA, 22.3% strikeout rate and 42% ground ball rate, though the 12.1% walk rate was on the high side.

The Angels traded away Carlos Estévez recently and could make further subtractions from their pitching staff. Tyler Anderson and Griffin Canning are each controlled through 2025 and could be moved today. Guys like Matt Moore and Hunter Strickland are impending free agents. Bauman will finish this year with over two years of service time, meaning he could be retained for four further seasons if he continues to hang onto a roster spot.

Yankees Interested In Luis Rengifo, Kyle Finnegan, Lucas Erceg

By Darragh McDonald | July 30, 2024 at 11:53am CDT

11:53am: Jorge Castillo of ESPN reports that the Yanks are more focused on pitching and acquiring Díaz is unlikely, which could perhaps apply to Rengifo as well.

11:49am: The trade deadline is just a few hours away now but teams are still scouring the market for upgrades. Per Jon Heyman of The New York Post on X, the Yankees have infielders Yandy Díaz and Luis Rengifo on their radar, as well as relievers Tanner Scott, Pete Fairbanks, Kyle Finnegan and Lucas Erceg. He adds that they could also look to add a starting pitching but might not meet the asking prices.

Some of those guys have already been connected to the Yankees in rumors. The connections with Rengifo, Finnegan and Erceg are new but also in line with their previously-reported pursuits. Even after adding Jazz Chisholm Jr. to the roster, they have seemingly still been looking for more infield help, which Rengifo could certainly help with.

The 27-year-old is in his third straight above-average offensive season. Since the start of the 2022 campaign, he’s hit .272/.323/.433 for a wRC+ of 110. He’s also stolen 35 bases in that time while bouncing to all three outfield spots and three infield positions to the left of first base. He’s not considered a strong defender at any one position but the ability to move all around is certainly attractive.

The Yanks are still trying to figure out their best alignment at the moment. Chisholm’s first game as a Yankee was in center field, where he has been spending most of his time in recent years. But then the Yanks moved him to third base last night, a position he had never played before. Now that Giancarlo Stanton is back and in the designated hitter slot, Aaron Judge moved to center field, flanked by Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo. Acquiring another infielder could result in Chisholm moving to second and bumping out Gleyber Torres, or perhaps Verdugo will get nudged out of the outfield mix.

Rengifo is making a modest $4.4MM this year, with roughly $1.5MM left to be paid out. That’s likely attractive to the Yankees as they are slated to be a third-time payor of the competitive balance tax and well above the top tier, meaning they will pay a 110% tax on anything they add to the ledger. He can also be retained via arbitration for 2025 and could perhaps slide into next year’s second base job with Torres slated for free agency after the current season. Verdugo is also an impending free agent, so perhaps Chisholm could be in the outfield with Rengifo on the infield. There’s also the looming Soto free agency to consider, though the Yanks are expected to be aggressive in trying to re-sign him. Rengifo has also been connected to clubs such as the Red Sox, Dodgers and Royals in recent weeks.

The extra year of control means that the Angels don’t have to move on from Rengifo but there would be logic in doing so as they haven’t been meaningfully competitive for quite some time. Now that Shohei Ohtani is gone and Mike Trout is having annual trouble staying on the field, the odds of them turning things around between now and the end of 2025 seem long.

Bullpen adds are generally on the radar of all contending teams and the Yanks are surely exploring all options there. Finnegan has been the Nationals’ closer for quite some time but is nearing the end of his window of club control, with one year remaining after this one. The Nats have already traded Hunter Harvey and Lane Thomas, two players that were also controllable through 2025, and Finnegan seems likely to move today as well.

He has a career 3.52 earned run average in 272 appearances. He has struck out 23.9% of batters faced, given out walks at a 9.4% rate and kept the ball on the ground at a 46.8% clip. That includes racking up 28 saves this year with a 3.48 ERA, 24.6% strikeout rate, 7.8% walk rate and 40.5% ground ball rate. He’s making $5.1MM this year.

Erceg can still be retained by the Athletics for five seasons beyond this one, but he’s a late bloomer who is now 29 years old despite his limited experience, which could tempt them to sell high. He has a 3.68 ERA this year, 26.3% strikeout rate, 8.3% walk rate and 50.5% ground ball rate. The fact that he’s pre-arbitration and therefore making a modest salary is surely appealing to the Yankees but the cost might be high. Even rental relievers are netting big returns at this year’s deadline so getting Erceg might take an uncomfortable haul.

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