The Angels announced a series of roster moves today. They have selected the contract of infielder Scott Kingery and reinstated right-hander Robert Stephenson from the 60-day injured list. To make room for those two on the active roster, left-hander Jake Eder has been optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake and infielder Tim Anderson has been designated for assignment. To open another 40-man spot, catcher Chuckie Robinson has been designated for assignment.
Anderson, 32 next month, signed a minor league deal with the Angels in the offseason. A former All-Star and batting champion, Anderson’s production tailed off in 2023 and 2024, which is why he had to settle for a minor league pact. Injuries to infielders like Zach Neto, Anthony Rendon and Yoán Moncada opened a path for him to crack the roster but he hasn’t done much with the opportunity.
Across 31 games, Anderson stepped to the plate 90 times for the Halos. His 3.3% walk rate was very low but that’s always been his style. Unfortunately, his 32.2% strikeout rate was way above both his personal track record and the league average. He had only three extra-base hits, which were all doubles. It all added up to a .205/.258/.241 line and 42 wRC+.
As mentioned, Anderson was once an All-Star and batting champion. He slashed .318/.347/.473 for a 123 wRC+ from 2019 through 2022. But from the start of 2023 to the present, he has 855 plate appearances with a .232/.269/.270 line and 49 wRC+. With other players getting healthy and/or performing better than Anderson, he’s been squeezed off the roster. He will likely be placed on waivers in the coming days but probably won’t find much interest, given his ongoing struggles. If he is passed through waivers unclaimed, he’ll have the right to elect free agency.
His playing time will seemingly be going to Kingery, who was acquired from the Phillies in the offseason but then outrighted off the 40-man. He has been excelling at Triple-A Salt Lake this year, with a .373/.418/.578 line, though those numbers need to be taken with some grains from that lake. The Bees play in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League and Kingery also has a massive .433 batting average on balls in play that he won’t be able to sustain.
Still, it’s understandable to consider him a better bet than Anderson. Kingery’s major league track record isn’t strong but he had a solid .268/.316/.488 slash and 103 wRC+ for the Phillies’ Triple-A club last year. He also stole 25 bases while playing second base, shortstop and center field. Given how bad Anderson has been struggling, Kingery doesn’t need to be a star to be an upgrade.
The return of Stephenson is a notable moment for the Angels. They signed him to a three-year, $33MM deal going into 2024 but he still hasn’t made his team debut. Some elbow issues plagued him at the start of last year and he ultimately required Tommy John surgery at the end of April. He has been rehabbing from that procedure for just over a year now.
His track record is mixed, with a 4.64 earned run average in his career, but the Angels made a bet that he had broken out just prior to the signing. A former first-round pick and top prospect, he couldn’t stick in a rotation and eventually moved to a relief role. He occasionally showed flashes of promise there before putting together an elite run in 2023.
He started that year with the Pirates and had an uninspiring 5.14 ERA when he was traded to the Rays. With Tampa, he reeled off 38 1/3 innings with a 2.35 ERA, 42.9% strikeout rate and 5.7% walk rate. In short, he was one of the best relievers on the planet for a few months.
The Angels haven’t yet received any return on their investment but Stephenson’s return could be a massive boost, as their bullpen is one of the worst in the league. Their relievers have a collective 6.31 ERA, dead last in the majors, slightly behind Washington’s 6.22 mark. Even if Stephenson doesn’t fully return to his dominant form from the second half of 2023, he should be a nice upgrade to the group. Kenley Jansen will perhaps continue in the closer’s role but Stephenson should be in line for meaningful innings one way or another.
Robinson, 30, was acquired from the White Sox in the offseason. He has been serving as Triple-A depth so far this season, hitting .272/.315/.388 for the Bees. He’ll head into DFA limbo alongside Anderson. He still has options and could perhaps appeal to a club in need of catching depth. He generally hasn’t hit much but has a decent defensive reputation. The Angels are now down to just two catchers on their 40-man roster in Logan O’Hoppe and Travis d’Arnaud.
Photo courtesy of Jonathan Hui, Imagn Images
Tim Anderson getting knocked out by Jose Ramirez is by far the best punch thrown by a baseball player in the decade of the 20s
I love how you had to specify “decade of the 20s” because Odor landing one on Bautista exists
That’s the best of the century
Odor > Ramirez, but not as good as Ray Knight v Eric Davis. Knight was a GG boxer, and to his credit, Davis took the punch better than Bautista or TA.
Okay so after watching that, I agree. Bautista took the punch like a champ but at the very least got his bell rung based on reactions. Eric Davis (who played a damn good year and a half for my O’s) was completely unaffected and incensed. Like that was a right cross to the jaw and it only pissed Davis off more. You do find yourself surprised when sports that are not supposed to be combat based i.e. baseball end up having some really good combat. Wild times.
Most times they are nothing-burgers. I do remember Strawberry throwing a punch at some punk RP (Benitez?) in the playoffs. Had that punch landed, the dude was going to the OR.
DOWN GOES ANDERSON! DOOOOWN GOES ANDERSON!
Thats definitely a classic baseball call for me lol
Kinda liked Barrett slugging Pierzynski in 06.
Barrett looked pretty weak though when AJP didn’t even go down. “Is that all you got?” was the reaction from AJ. If you are going to sucker punch someone, make it count dude.
Down goes Anderson!
I have no dog in the fight but Anderson getting knocked out is a bit of an exaggeration. Ramirez barely landed that last punch. Looked more like Anderson tripped backwards over someone’s leg behind him trying to avoid the punch.
There was no one behind him.
Stephenson finally gets to throw for the Angels!
Hoping Kingery finds some magic and becomes the player he was once projected to be! He has looked good so far this year.
This is likely the end of the most overrated players of the last 30 years.
Derek Jeter would like a word
Oh please. Derek Jeter is 6th all-time in hits and has a career .310 avg. His *defense* was notoriously overrated but let’s be real here.
It’s fun to me that Jeter happened to exist just a defensive metrics were coming around, because it’s likely that we will *never* see any player accrue that much negative defensive value ever again. There isn’t a team around today that would let someone with his lack of range stick at SS for any longer than one major league season. But because the metrics were new and the Yankees were winning enough to ignore them, he got to stay.
There’s probably dozens of guys who were similarly overrated defensively before metrics, especially catchers who couldn’t frame worth anything. But Jeter gets to be the one at the top of certain ignominious leaderboards because he was there at the right time.
The Yankees were well aware of Jeter’s lack of range. You could’ve held an Easter Egg hunt in the infield grass.
In-fighting among the Reds front office and scouting directors led to an office politics tug of war: the winner inexplicably chose Chad Mottola over Jeter, who was the choice of the Head of Scouting. If chosen, the Reds plan was to shift Jeter to CF…
You beat me to it
I’m not the biggest Jeter fan who ever lived, but seriously?
Jeter was NOT overrated. Whatever your smokin probably need to stop
Jeter was a great player, but he was/is definitely overrated. youtu.be/7Y52l8dn1T0?si=_EtoWjC4552al9fS
Over 3400 hits, most ever by a SS and led the Yankees to 4 WS championships and u call him over rated? SMH
5 WS championships
Alex Rodriguez says, jeter , hold my steroids & beer. If it wasn’t for the steroids, Rodriguez would have faded long ago
I think we found that one voter who didn’t have Jeter on his HOF ballot.
Doesn’t matter O’Hoppe is one of thier best hitters but Washington just sits him on the bench because he is obsessed with D’Arnaud. It’s like when Scioscia was obsessed with Mathis and would bench Napoli all the time.
In Jeff Mathis’s case, he was one of the very best defensive catchers and pitch framers in the game at the time.
And Scioscia was an old catcher that loved those great skills. Of course Mike could hit better than Mathis, but he was able to overlook that somehow.
D’Arnaud has 75 ABs, O’Hoppe has 166.
D’Arnaud is Hendricks’ backstop.
Hendricks has 10 starts.
No, I wouldn’t say Wash is obsessed with O’Hoppe, especially considering his offense.
Now, has Wash made some poor lineup decisions? Yes.
I’d trade Snit for Wash every day and twice on Sundays.
“O’Hoppe.best hitters..Scioscia was obsessed…Yes, I remember the Sicoscia/M.Napoli Anaheim days well. Scioscia treated Nap like he had leprosy and was stuck on the mindset that all catchers should be of the defense-first catcher model.
Managers and coaches are no different than parents, teachers and siblings; eventually they all develop and cultivate favorites, upon whom they become more personally invested. It’s just human nature actually.
Mathis was an excellent defensive catcher.
Mike Napoli stopped being a catcher and move to 1B/DH aged 30 and retired aged 35.
Jeff Mathis played catcher all the way throughout his career until aged 38.
Could Mathis hit? No. Did he make pitchers better? Yes. At Texas in 2019, Mike Minor had a career year and received Cy Young votes with Mathis catching for him. Mike Minor!
Mathis was just as bad as now former Dodger Austin Barnes. Neither guy should have been in the big leagues for a long as they were.
“Mathis was just as bad as now former Dodger Austin Barnes. Neither guy should have been in the big leagues for a long as they were.”
Says the guy replying on MLBTR and never played in the majors.
The length of their careers & multi millions in earnings says differently but go ahead and claim to know what makes a mlb player.
Bro, OHoppe got in the head with a bat a game ago and has played almost every game this year. You gotta chill.
O’Hoppe strike out rate of 34% is not sustainable.
Something gotta give.
His strikeout rate is sustainable, but not acceptable.
Sorry Halo11Fan. I had to mock that one. I know what you meant.
O’Hoppe has played in 48 of 54 games. Y’all need to check the stats before you post.
How many are as a pinch hitter?
Fair point. 7 PH appearances. But as a catcher, his usage seems like any other catcher.
TA was never the same after admitting to fathering an out of wedlock child with his mistress
True that!
Come on someone give Jackie another chance!
He would look pretty good Colorado Purple. I mean, why not?! We are talking worst of all time. This is so Timmy.
Anderson is a day late and a dollar short since they just signed an underperforming SS in Orlando Arcia. But what does COL have to lose?
The isotopes already have a dancing homer. Those antics may play well in the sticks, but this is capitol city. In other word, an independent league.
Tim needs to go to Japan…
He can’t dodge a punch what makes you think he’ll be able to avoid a spinning roundhouse kick?
That was Hella funny. Just remember, when the PC Police arrive, I’ve never seen you before and really don’t know you at all.
In fact I myself was getting a little suspicious of you.
Man, you guys sure love to whine.
Didn’t think avoiding spinning kicks was a requirement since Chan Ho Park retired.
At 32 it might be a little late for that, but if they’re the only ones calling he’ll have to take it.
If you can’t play for the Angels, you can’t play.
The Rockies would like a word…
No, you have it backwards – If you can’t play, you play for the Rockies
It’s an ex-White Sox apocalypse.
TA’s done. He was absolutely exciting to watch at his peak. He was a guy though who made up for flaws in his game with his astonishing athletic abilities. Injuries sapped those abilities. He’s not legging out infield hits anymore or ranging quickly to get hard to field balls.
He’s had enough time to try to reinvent himself and it’s just not going to happen.
Shipped out are Anderson, Paris, many in the bullpen and next will be Adell.
In this yankee series Jo Adell has 3 hits a walk and an rbi,he has been getting his AB’s taken by kyren Paris , then lugo , both have cooled off , Jo might be warming up
Small sample. Has a .627 OPS this year and .646 lifetime. He’s a AAAA player. Trout coming back next week could force their hand. He’s not improving.
Adell would be claimed in a second.
Says no contenting team ever. Adell would go to an also ran in a heartbeat but no serious contender would touch this overrated bum.
@Dodger Jr
I am not an Adell fan whatsoever, but really, a bum?
He has not lived up to expectations, but that can be said about 70% of the “hyped” players out there. For one reason or another it doesn’t pan out.
A bum??? grow up!
Is he out of options? That’s really all that matters.
So. If you want to lose Adell, send him to AAA. He’d be claimed.
And there are contending teams that would claim him, but he’d never make it that far.
And if he’s claimed? No loss. After 1100 PA he’s nothing more than a AAAA player.
The only contender I could see giving Adell a go would be the Padres who still need OF help. He’d have to hit the ground running, though, which would be a first for him.
Dodgers would take Adell over Conforto
That’s fine. Just saying.
Royals. Indians. But the White Sox or Rockies would claim him.
The Indianapolis Indians?
How many ABs have you given to Jones and Thomas?
How’s Manzardo doing. They Angels coaching is horrible, a new voice might do wonders.
Sorry, To me,they will always be the Indians.
Will the angels always be LA then?
I have no issue with someone calling them the Halos, Los Angels, California, Anaheim.
Bye, Jackie.
He didn’t do enough. He played good defense but didn’t hit and didn’t do the little things, like move runners.
That influencer sucked all his talent away.
The one he fathered a child with while married to his wife?
Yes, that one!
quick poll…………
Trout will be back soon (hopefully): Who gets sent down or cut from the roster?
A) Lugo
B) Adell
C) Newman
D) Chris Taylor
I say
A) Lugo
But I wish B) Adell
Lugo because he has options and his stunk since that first wild week.
Lugo hit 212 with a sub 300 OBP at AAA.
If Taylor continues to play like he has so far as an Angel, 0-6 with 4 So, then he should go.
Taylor is 1 for 9 with 5 SO. A nicely balanced .111/.111/.111/.222 slashline.
Taylor Ward has always been a streaky hitter. Every year he goes through prolonged slumps for a couple months where he cannot hit anything. At the end of the year, he will have slightly better than average numbers. This year will probably be no different.
Without those 2 month long slumps that he has every year, he would be an all star
Taylor won’t make it past end of June unless he turns it around quickly. I’d rather have kids like Paris or Lugo on the big league roster than Taylor.
Chris Taylor is 1 for 11 with 6 SO as an Angel .091/.091/.091/.182 after his last game. Haven’t seen what he did today if anything.
Lugo
Anderson sure lost his bat speed. Kingery was tearing up the minors. Hopefully it translates to the show.
Artie – Please extend Neito & Ohoppe!
Arte
Neto
O’Hoppe
Jackie is cooked…
Rangers his bat is better than Semien right now.
He hasn’t been the same since Jose Ramirez literally knocked him out cold.
Actually he was having a rough year when Jose decked him. I’m glad Jose got a punch in but it wasn’t all that. It just looked good because Anderson lost his balance and fell over. Anderson’s problems definitely have to be mental because he’s only 31 years old.
One of the more perplexing talent crashes considering his age. No fade. Just good one day, then bad. It’s like he sold his soul to hit a HR in the Field of Dreams game, then collapsed. Time to walk off into the cornfield, Tim.
He wouldn’t be invited. He’d be sent across a baseline to vanish into obscurity.
The DeRosa Effect. Named to team USA. Career crashed after that.
He wasn’t that good. He had three years of incredibly high BABIPs. Once he reverted, so did everything else. A 278/47 K/W over three years is just unsustainable.
Chicago had a divided toxic locker room bc of Tim. And then the White Sox tried to tell you that TA and Tony La Russa got along with each other. It’d be hard to find two more opposite people on the same team.
The excuses were many in Chicago at that time, and every one of them proved to be farts in the wind.
@ lollar2112
You are about an hour late and at least 6 commenters behind what was going to be the most obvious reply to ANY Tim Anderson story.
Anderson’s wRC+ of 42 is 600% greater than Kevin Newman’s wRC+ of 7.
Tim’s not good, but Newman is atrocious.
7. OMG.
Yes, Newman is awful and should’ve been DFA’d before Anderson.
There are plenty of DFA candidates on the team, which one goes first is kinda irrelevant.
And that’s the last time Jackie will ever sniff the major leagues. Good riddance.
Took them long enough.
A .460 OPS usually doesn’t get that much of a leash.
Padres could use him in left field.
:p
Sad.
Too bad. I was pulling for ya, Timmy. Hope you land somewhere and your bat comes back.
Josh Donaldson nods in approval
Crash and burn short stops, there have been many. Andres Thomas, andrelton Simmons, Gordon beckman. Some better than others but past 30 is downhill, rarely uphill
I’m just stunned the White Sox found someone to unload all their junk on. Lots of ex-CWS organization names in this article.
Adell is actually hitting the ball better than a lot of Angel fans realize.
His .194/.261/.361/.622 slashline is awesome.
/s
His .194/.261/.361/.622 slashline is awesome.
====================
.811 OPS since the end of April. You need to look past the back of a baseball card for your stats.
.194 and .622 is what matters, although his little hot streak has raised it to 215/.283/.430/.714 in 5 days. He has a 1.518 OPS in June and that is about as relevant as his OPS in May. In other words, because of the small sample size not at all.
The modern day Jackie Robinson has not really performed up to his namesake.