The Angels added outfielder Josh Lowe in last night’s three-team trade that sent reliever Brock Burke to Cincinnati. General manager Perry Minasian held a Zoom call once the trade was finalized this morning, revealing that Lowe could compete for the center field job.
“He’s obviously had a couple of up-and-down seasons with injuries, but he’s a player we believe can play all three [outfield spots],” Minasian told reporters (including Martín Gallegos of MLB.com). The GM noted that Lowe’s left-handed bat is a good complement to a lineup that leans very heavily to the right side, especially in the outfield. Even after trading Taylor Ward early in the offseason, they’d entered the day with an all right-handed projected outfield mix of Mike Trout, Jorge Soler, Jo Adell and Bryce Teodosio. The only other lefty-hitting outfielder on the 40-man roster, Wade Meckler, was just claimed off waivers from San Francisco.
Lowe has been a right fielder for the majority of his career. He didn’t see any center field action last year and only started two games there in 2024. The Rays lifted him mid-game in both, and he tallied seven combined innings. He has 156 career innings of center field experience. That’s too small a sample on which to glean anything from defensive metrics.
The 6’4″ Lowe has long strides and is an above-average runner underway, but Statcast hasn’t been favorable on his first step reads. Outs Above Average and Defensive Runs Saved have graded him as a slightly below-average right fielder in each of the past two seasons. It’s unlikely that his metrics would improve if he were tasked with playing the outfield’s most difficult position on a regular basis.
While Lowe fits best in a corner, the Angels don’t have many alternatives. Adell started half their games in center field last season. He graded as one of the worst defensive center fielders in MLB and moved to right field for the final month of the season. Teodosio is a talented defender who has hit .193/.236/.287 in 55 career games. Meckler hasn’t made a big league appearance in two years. The Angels could get Trout some center field work again in 2026 but prefer him in a corner to keep him healthy.
Cody Bellinger would be a strong roster fit, but there’s no indication the Angels are making a serious effort to add him on a long-term deal. Harrison Bader could be a more realistic target, albeit as another right-handed bat. Lowe would otherwise probably be their best option at the position, at least until 20-year-old prospect Nelson Rada is MLB ready.
The Angels are aggressive with prospect promotions and had Rada divide his age-19 season between the top two minor league levels. He played well at both stops and could get a look early in 2026. Prospect evaluators praise Rada’s approach, speed and defense. He has minimal power and is coming off a .292/.398/.360 slash in the minors.
Lowe will be looking for a rebound season after slumping to a .220/.283/.366 slash across 435 plate appearances in his final year with Tampa Bay. He was an average hitter two years ago and showed an All-Star caliber ceiling in 2023, when he hit .292/.335/.500 with 20 homers and 32 steals in 135 games. That’s the only season in which he reached 110 games or 500 plate appearances. Lowe has been hampered by injuries, mostly oblique troubles, over the past two years.
Free Mike Trout!
Send him to the Phillies for Castellanos, Johan Rojas and Gabriel Rincones Jr. Now you don’t have to use Addel or Lowe in CF, plus you acquire a LH OF’er to go with your all RH OF. Is there any better option out there to hit cleanup after getting burned by Bo? Nope. His $35M per year looks a little more reasonable after those Bichette & Tucker overpays.
What a d*mb trade offer.
Miller, Crawford and Painter would not even get Arte’s attention. Trout will wear an Anaheim cap in the HOF. Anaheim will be a last place team this year so they might as well keep their one fan favorite, preferably as the DH to keep him healthy.
I love Trout, but I’ve never understood the “Free Trout” reference. He’s topped 450 ABs only 4 times in the last 10 seasons.
Great guy, but he’s rarely healthy and has consumed a large amount of payroll for that limited production.
I think Uncle Steve can just take his salary to NY and call it a day.
I think Lowe in LF Adell in CF and Trout/Soler in RF with Teodosio as the 4th OF is how the OF shakes out
Great…… the defense will still be subpar.
Subpar? Understatement of the year.
Lol!
I wonder who can be on the injury list longer, Trout or Lowe? Pirates are no better with what they got this offseason. It seems these players are made more and more of glass. Dodgers whole pitching staff has been often on the injury list. Somehow, they have just enough injured stars to win World Series. With all these injury prone superstars now, you have to really understand where baseball wellness and conditioning went wrong. These unorthodox training methods and eating “healthy” has to weaken the body more internally. Science brought baseball to this, science should figure out how to nourish bodies. Baseball may not seem like are hard sport on the body, but that is far from the truth. Pitchers lethal deliveries to a fielder at a stand still have to move and turn in a blink of an eye. All movements from pitchers and fielders/batters are violent to the body in their own way. Baseball needs to seriously step up their game to improve peace of mind and body nourishments after daily strenuous activity. Flights to other cities don’t help the cause either. It all plays a toll on people’s bodies.
Let him play CF, what difference does it make? Poor strategies for roster construction and prospect promotions, poor player development, 20 years of bottom Minor League rankings, poor bullpen construction, high coaching staff turnover, no progress under Minasian, 99 and 90 losses the last 2 years, etc. What viable free agent would want to sign there to improve them?
An the kinda injury prone comer guy should now take on a more taxing position. Halo gonna halo I guess
Of course they are.
A team that use to have Ken Berry, Rick Miller, Fred Lynn, Gary Pettis, Devon White, Jim Edmonds and Darin Erstad has devolved into a sham of a franchise that they even consider Joe Adell and Josh Lowe to be CFs.
It reminds me of the 77 opening day disaster of Bruce Bochtee.
Ken “The Bandit” Berry. When I saw his name in your post, a smile came across my face. I loved that guy! You really are a Halo Fan! Oh, and I agree with your post. Another sick Angel fan since 1970.
Don’t forget Luis Polonia and Mickey Rivers!
Wasn’t Polonia a LF?
Angels gonna Angel, I guess, but at least this might save what’s left of Trout’s knee cartilage for a second. They get dumped on more than is fair, but man, their fans could use a break. At some point they have to accept that bubble gum, duct tape, and aging/overpriced veterans isn’t a real plan.
Squint and pray for .500, then rinse and repeat when it fails seems to be their MO.
Typical Perry! Dang the defense and dang the offense! As long as a warm body mans a position he is happy! Moore at 3rd? NP!
Waas going to say there is no way he can play CF for the Angels and then I looked at Adell’s defensive stats last season. He can’t be any worse.
It seems like only the reds knew what they were getting in this deal
Arturo Moreno, it is clear you have no brains or even willingness to run a baseball team. Sell the team, now!
Adell Is also a poor left fielder….
He can be ok if left alone. He has been moved constantly.
Unlike his big brother, Josh has never been that much of a baseball fan. Given his druthers, Josh certainly would rather be playing for the Rams or Chargers than the Angels
The amazing thing about the Angels is that here in Orange County , they are of as little interest they are in LA county. It’s like an embarrassed hushed silence when you mention them out here when it used to be a point of pride.