The Angels announced today that they have selected the contract of infielder Chad Stevens. He’ll take the active roster spot of infielder Christian Moore, who has been placed on the 10-day injured list due to a left thumb sprain. The 40-man roster already had a vacancy due to right-hander Héctor Neris being designated for assignment recently. The Halos also announced today that Neris has been released.
Moore just got his first big league call a few weeks ago. He has taken 64 plate appearances thus far. He has struck out in 31.3% of them but also drawn walks at a 12.5% pace and hit three home runs. He tells Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register that he hopes he’s only out of action for a couple of weeks. If that comes to pass, he might not actually miss too many games, with the All-Star break just over a week away.
For now, Stevens will draw into the club’s infield mix. Now 26, Stevens was an 11th-round pick of the Astros in 2021. He was released in May of last year and signed with the Angels. He’s never really been a top prospect but is having a good season. In 72 games for Triple-A Salt Lake this year, he has 14 home runs and a .307/.383/.542 batting line. Even in the inflated offensive environment of the Pacific Coast League, that translates to a 125 wRC+. In addition to that offense, Stevens has swiped nine bags and has lined up defensively at all four infield spots and left field.
In addition to Moore, the Angels also have Yoán Moncada, Anthony Rendon and Chris Taylor on the injured list. Zach Neto has been banged up a bit and Jorge Soler just came off the IL. Neto is playing shortstop with Luis Rengifo at third and Nolan Schanuel at first. The Halos have Stevens at second tonight and perhaps he’ll get some run there for a while, though Kevin Newman is another possibility.
As for Neris, once he was designated for assignment, it was basically assured that he would hit the open market. He has a 7.80 earned run average this year, meaning there wouldn’t be much trade interest. As a veteran with years of experience, he has the right to reject outright assignments. The Halos have skipped that formality and sent him more directly to free agency.
Saw Moore’s injury I hope he won’t need surgery it was quite gruesome. He is such a electric young player speedy recovery!
Angels IF is so bad. Why can’t they develop a competent 2B or 3B?
Your take is so bad, why can’t you develop a better one.
Why is it wrong?
Moore was not very good this year, and who was the last competent second baseman or third baseman drafted and developed.
Glaus and Kendrick? We are not talking good, just competent.
The Angels have not drafted a replacement level 2b or 3B this century.
His take is 100% accurate. .
I’m optimistic about Neto and Moore up the middle… give it time
I’m happy with that. Moore has some tools. I like tools. It’s why I liked Adell.
What’s your take on Adell now? Has he finally figured it out?
Adell was rushed. I’ve never seen a player as mishandled as Adell.
I’m the wrong person to ask. I’ve always liked Adell. My opinion has a lot of bias in it.
He wasn’t rushed. He was destroying the minors in 2019 and since there was no 2020 MiLB season it was either MLB or nothing.
Fan, don’t respond to me if you won’t allow me to reply.
He didn’t play minor league ball and never played in a double deck park. He had 131 AAA ABs, with a sub 700 OPS+
I don’t need to go on….no wonder you block my reply, Your comments are idiotic.
Didn’t realize I had muted you. Let’s Talk.
What are you even going on about? Adell played at all 3 levels that summer (would you like the BB Ref or MiLB link?) and you’re trying to judge him on 131 abs while being 6 years younger the than the avg competition he face.
Try again but stop cherry picking stats and trying to make points on small sample sizes.
I thought that Kyren Paris would be called up to replace Moore.
We are developing a good 2b right now. We just put him on the IL. This kid was taking at bats at the college World Series year ago.
Now look at him. There are 29 teams that would love to have a prospect like this
Maybe. He clearly wasn’t ready.
189 ave 31% KRate. Poor arm, but better with the glove than I thought he would be.
And I would hope EVERY team in baseball would love to have the number 8 pick in the Amateur Draft for nothing.
It’s the Angels highest pick this century.
You’re making that determination on 67 at-bats…
Okay then.
I gotta make the obligatory comment, even as an Angels fan. Who?
Apparently they’ve only been working Paris in CF in AAA (or mostly)
Stevens changed his stance and approach at the plate and its paying off with a much lower SO rate than he had in the upper minors in 2023-2024. Hopefully he can continue to hit for power for us until Moore comes off the IL.
Angels gave up on Kingery too quickly.
Chad Steven’s looks good