The Angels have designated outfielder Peter Bourjos and righty Chris Stratton for assignment, per a club announcement. They’ll make way for a trio of newly activated players: designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, infielder Zack Cozart, and reliever Cody Allen. Infielder Luis Rengifo was optioned out for active roster space.
Notably, it sounds as though Ohtani will step in as the Angels’ everyday designated hitter, regardless of whether the team is facing a right- or left-handed starter (Twitter link via Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times), which will cut into the playing time of both Justin Bour and Albert Pujols. Ohtani is in the lineup hitting third tonight, and if he can come anywhere near last season’s .285/.361/.64 slash line, he’ll provide a massive boost.
Bourjos, 32, had a homecoming of sorts when he signed a minor league pact with the Angels this offseason. The Halos selected him in the 10th round of the 2005 draft, and he made his big league debut with the club a half decade later when he emerged in 2010. His playing time in his second stint with his original organization was sparse, however, and Bourjos ultimately hit just .091/.109/.144 in 46 trips to the plate.
Stratton, meanwhile, was acquired in Spring Training in the hopes of providing another arm in a perennially injured rotation mix, but the former Giants first-rounder has struggled enormously in his brief tenure with the Angels. In 29 1/3 innings, Stratton has been tattooed for 28 runs on 43 hits (six home runs) and 18 walks with 22 strikeouts. He’s out of minor league options, so the Angels didn’t have the choice of simply sending him to Triple-A.
The Angels will have a week to trade, release or outright Bourjos and Stratton, though the former isn’t likely to generate much trade interest. If the Angels hope to keep him in the organization in Triple-A, they can send Bourjos through outright waivers, though a veteran with his service time has the right to reject any such assignment. That’s not the case with Stratton, so if the Angels don’t find a trade partner, they could run him through outright waivers and retain him if he clears.
Stratton will get claimed by someone
Out of options, couldn’t throw strikes and when he did he got torched. I wouldn’t say that’s a lock.
Thank you Johnny Superscout
Pour Bourjos. Can’t ever seem to put it together long enough to stick.
The Rox should claim him, he would be a great late inning defensive replacement for the slow footed Blackmon or the below average Desmond
He’s too much of a liability in all other phases of the game: can’t hit, fast but can’t steal bases.
Stratton, Bourjos and Rengifo were dead weight Bour is dead weight as well.
It’s impossible not to like Bourjos, but there is nothing there.
Rengifo was dead weight? The guy played 60 games in AAA the last two years and is 22. he will certainly be back.
All I’m saying is he’s not ready. I don’t think he’ll ever be ready, but that doesn’t mean he wont be.
Regardless, their are many options at second base in the Angels system. Heck, Fletcher is an option as well. I’m not worried about second base.
I’m worried about 3rd base.
A well regarded prospect who out performed Cozart in limited time is “dead weight?”
No, Cozart is the dead weight. Old, ineffective and injured.
Yes he was dead weight. He hasn’t hit in the PCL this year, He was horrid in the big leagues this year. He didn’t hit in the PCL last year.
Right now, he’s not close. Maybe he’ll get there, maybe he wont. But right now he’s dead weight.
How is Rengifo dead weight? He has only played a handful of games in the majors
The nail in the coffin for Bourjos was claiming Brian Goodwin.
The nail in the coffin for Bourjos was hitting .091
The nail in the coffin for Bourjos was Ausmus giving up on him 11 days ago after 44 at bats. But it will be interesting to see how may runs Goodwin and Upton allow playing LF. I’m guessing they will total -30 by the end of the year.
This is all great news for Halo fans. Bour still needs to go, but it’s starting to look like an actual team.
I’m not sure getting cozart’s wet Noodle bat back in the lineup is helpful or Cody Allen’s horrendous pitching but Ohtani should at least help….
I don’t know either. But getting Bourjos, Stratton and Rengifo off the team is a good start. I’m just waiting for Bour to go and Heaney to come back.
This is the best team the Angels have fielded all year. Yes, I’m including Canning in that observation.
Don’t forget Upton!
I agree about Cozart and Allen, but at least they have track records…albeit from a season ago. And Cozy’s defense is very good.
I’m thinking Bour eventually gets DFA’d and then they bring up Thaiss to fill the same role but with youth and some future promise. That’s probably why they signed Bour in the first place. To buy time for a Thaiss.
If not for the Rengifo/Cozart swap this would be a great day.
Rengifo was not ready to play in the major leagues. I’m glad he’s not on the roster anymore.
It’s sho time.
At the end of the day, none of these moves matter to a moribund franchise. Not sure who Eppler thought he was fooling signing Harvey and Cahill to fix their rotation. Both have been predictably awful and neither has much trade value for flipping to a contender.
So you knew Cahil would be good last year and stink this year and give up more HRs in a month than he gave up all of last year.
You should be working in a major league front office somewhere.
He did have some good games last year, but he clearly was not a solution. Angels need quality top of the rotation guys, they have zero, perhaps Skaggs. Given what he had, Eppler went dumpster diving for the more affordable, but less effective Harvey and Cahill. Any idiot could see they were far below what they needed to legitimately compete.
I love having rational conversations with people, but it’s difficult because people are fans. It’s actually easy to explain to people who are on the outside looking in.
Do you know how many teams in the AL had an Expected W/L record of 500 in both 2017 and 2018…. Six. The Angels are in that group. That’s a starting point.
The last two years the Angels have been killed with injuries and were expecting to get just a little bit better. By improving just a little (no saviors) and getting relatively healthy, a competitive team was expected.
Well, this year Trout basically went down for two weeks. Skaggs went down for two weeks. Heaney and Upton went down. Othani hasn’t been here, Canning was just called up. And of course the players you have mentioned have stunk. EVEN SO, two days ago the Angels had a plus two run differential. This team is not far away at all.
Because they are going for it in 2020, they didn’t want to tie up money. In 2020 they start with a staff of Heaney, Ohtani, Canning and Skaggs and they are going hard for Cole. Adell will play RF.
IF THE ANGELS STAY SOMEWHAT HEALTHY This team is closer than most people think… The problem is they can’t stay healthy.
It’s called buying time. Eppler knew both could eat some innings and provide a bridge until the likes of Canning was ready. Btw thanks for stepping in and being that idiot.
It’s not called buying time. It’s called not mortgaging the future and hoping you get a little lucky and a little better.
It wouldn’t have taken much. It still wont. Why don’t we see where the Angels are at after this 11 game road trip.
And why Moreno thought is was a good idea to give away two home games and play in that joke of a stadium was beyond me.
You look at the Angle roster and outside of Simmons and Trout what do they have that can legitimately compete for WS? You are going to tell me they can compete with the likes of Houston, Yanks, even Twins? All teams have injuries. Part of the problem is that the organization failed to develop quality players up until a year or so ago. This organization won’t be a legit threat for another couple of years.
Rational… makes me laugh you question the rational discourse of others, yet you claims they are going after Cole, hard, for example. And you were in the GM’s room when they had that conversation? Good to know you a fan are privy to such information.
Mike Trout was out for three games. He has 2.5 WAR in 31 games.
Lol at Angels need top of the rotation guys. And those guys were who? this offseason? Corbin, who signed to be a team’s #3 would be nice I guess.. at what, $140m? And the Nationals are really excelling with this ace as a #3… The second biggest pitcher outlay was.. Nate Eovaldi? $67m? Is this the move for an ace your team should have made. Just Lol at your comment. Harvey and Cahill were both top-ten starting pitcher contracts this offseason. That’s digging the hole deep enough, at least they are free of them after one year.
Outside of? Seriously? I don’t even understand the question.
Do I think they can compete with Houston? Not this year.
Do I think they can compete with the Twins? How good were the Twins two years ago?
As far as injuries what team has lost 15 of 16 of their opening day starting rotation over a 3 year period (2016 to 2018)? The only starter to not go on the DL over the last three years was Rickey Nolasco. What team survives that?
Yes, I do have inside knowledge that most fans don’t have, however not in this case. I have no knowledge that the Angles are going after local UCLA boy Cole. They went semi-hard after Corbin. And based on my knowledge of the Angels, that is my conclusion. Just like it was my conclusion the Angels were going to resign Trout prior to negotiating the new Stadium deal.
About Cole, I could be wrong. But he’s a difference maker and I believe they are going after him hard. But I wasn’t in the room when Trout discussed with Moreno and Eppler about what this team was going to do about contending in the near future.
Good news about Ohtani and hopefully Cozart and Allen can improve from when they left. Rengifo will be back. Goodbye Peter Bourjous unfortunately. I wanted him to suddenly start hitting, but no. I agree with other poster about the addition of Brian Goodwin, who has been a great surprise. Bour has his moments. Stratton didn’t impress me, but Canning sure did. David Fletcher is a rising star. Overall, the Angels have had moments of real team chemistry with our star Mike Trout.
Fletcher is impressing me. He plays great defense and does enough other things well that he looks like he’s going to be a good player.
They were saying the exact same thing about Bourjos in 2011 that you’re saying about Fletcher.
How can Bourjos get a job in the majors for 10 years? He had one mediocre year.
A 5.0 WAR is mediocre? So what would a 1.5 WAR be in your opinion?
I remember when the Angels moved Trout off of CF to accommodate Bourjos. He’s fast, good defense decent arm……… if he could only hit! I’m not sure whose worse, him or Billy Hamilton.
Meanwhile, Cody Allen has been largely trash and still has a job and a cool $8.5M. Given the way he pitched the past two seasons, I don’t know how ANY organization thought it would be a good move to throw millions at him.
Billy is the better defender and can steal a base…when he gets on.
Billy is better than Bourjos but he’s
Not even really swiping bags as effectively nowadays. 9/13 is putrid for a him. Especially when it comes w a .536 OPS.
The Angels are looking like a solid 3rd place team, they should be able to beat out the Rangers.
So who is the second place team? DiPoto doesn’t even think it’s the Ms.
Bourjos is just awful
So is the entire pitching staff.
Dump the staff? Who you really know baseball. That’s sarcasm.
And you’re quite a moron if you think I meant dump the staff. I was simply pointing out that the Angels pitching is horrible, so it doesn’t matter how many runs they score. They won’t win with that pitching staff.
dump Stratton. give him to someone free.