TODAY: The Angels officially announced Taylor’s release.
MARCH 20: Veteran infielder/outfielder Chris Taylor was in camp with the Angels on a minor league deal. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports that Taylor has opted out of his deal and has been informed that he will not make the club. He’ll be a free agent whenever he is officially released. He was one of several veterans who could opt out of minor league deals this week.
Taylor, 35, spent many years with the Dodgers as the league’s top super utility guy. From 2017 to 2023, he hit .256/.336/.444 while stealing 76 bases and playing every position outside of first base and the battery. But he hit just .202/.298/.300 in 2024 and was worse in 2025, getting released. He ended up with the Angels but finished the season with a combined .186/.256/.301 line.
He returned to the Angels this offseason but had to settle for a minor league deal. He had a good showing in camp, putting up a .231/.388/.410 line in 49 plate appearances, but it appears the Angels are putting more stock in his larger sample of regular season work over the past two years.
The Halos have had an open battle for their second base job this spring and the decisions appear to be coming into focus. Christian Moore was optioned a few days ago. Vaughn Grissom has a left hand injury and may start the season on the injured list.
With Taylor now out, that seemingly leaves Adam Frazier to get the job. He has hit .310/.429/.414 this spring and his left-handed bat would help to balance a lineup that otherwise skews to the right. Oswald Peraza has had a nice spring and seemingly earned a job on the bench. Switch-hitter Jeimer Candelario could also get a roster spot if Grissom does indeed hit the IL.
If Frazier and Candelario both make the team, they would need spots on the 40-man roster. One spot can easily be opened by placing Anthony Rendon on the 60-day IL, since he’s not expected to play this year. Robert Stephenson could be another 60-day IL candidate since he may have damage in the ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing elbow.
Taylor will head to the open market and to see what opportunities await him. He won’t be helped by his performance in 2024 and 2025 but his defensive versatility could help him fit with many clubs and his bat looked a bit better in camp just now, for whatever that’s worth.
Photo courtesy of Gary A. Vasquez, Imagn Images
So either Teodosio or Siri makes the roster as true 4th Outfielder.
Wonder if anyone will bite at Taylor’s defensive versatility and 50% k rate…
Hey Siri, do you make the club or Teodosio?
siri was assigned to minor league camp earlier this week; teodosio will be on the mlb club. grissom will be on the IL to start the year, and probably get all 20 days in the minors on rehab before that decision is made. frazier and candelario will need 40-man spots (rendon&stephenson), maybe hunter strickland but likelier well go with rostered players (walbert urena anyone?)
It will be Teodosio over Siri. Siri hasn’t done much to prove himself.. and if we’re “supposed” to take the team seriously about only adding players who have proved themselves, then this would be the correct decision.
Kellin… Yes… I agree.
@Kellin. I think its siri. He would’ve probably opted out today unless it’s coming soon. Teodosio needs to get regular playing time if siri flames out they can make the switch.
Carrying Siri requires making a 40 man roster move, which they also have to do to carry Frazier, and if Candelario makes the team, there’s another 40 man roster move. If Hunter Strickland makes the team, there’s yet another 40 man roster move that has to be made. Who goes?
@socalbball. Peraza, canderlario, siri, TDA is the bench. Isn’t grissom, and neto hurt they have wiggle room. Strickland probably takes Stephenson spot.
Jose Siri doesn’t have enough service time to get a guaranteed opt-out in his contract. He still has arb years left. Teodosio is making the team
@have an a1 day. Im just going off how the angels normally do it. Makes more sense to have teodosio start in triple a instead of riding the bench. At the end of day this team is very injury prone so it probably wont matter in a month.
Jose Siri was already sent back to the minors on March 19 like pohle said. Teo was already on the 40 man roster and hit during spring. Siri was not and didn’t perform. That’s basically it. They would need to cut another player to add Siri since they’re already adding Frazier and Candelario to the 40
Also extra playing time for Teo isn’t as important as it is for other guys in the system. Teo is already 26 and grades out to a 4th outfielder. You’d rather give at bats to Rada, who is the CF of the future. Teo’s defense is already MLB ready and he’s going to play most games as a defensive backup anyway. He might even platoon over Lowe against lefties.
@have an a1 day. I missed the news about siri.
Teodosio. Peter Borjous part two. Flashy fast good glove. Can’t hit high school pitching
I’ll be shocked if Siri makes the roster.
Thinking of a song. I gotta get out of this place, If it’s the last thing I ever do!
Uncle – it’s “we gotta get out of this place”.
The Animals.
Probably more fitting as I can’t believe anyone would want to stay there.
So Chris Taylor retired.
his game is done, as I find it incredible if a team would sign an over 35 year old whose game has diminished and shows no sign of change.
Wrong. He didn’t retire. He’s never done
He didn’t retire. He just wants to play for a real baseball team. Any other team.
He wants to play for a real baseball team. You should try rooting for one what do you think about those oil prices? How do you like me now?
Really don’t think about you-Ever. And I don’t drive much anymore so I give a crap.
You say you don’t think about me? Perfect we’re even. I don’t think about you either. That means you don’t have no skin in the game. Let the youth clean up behind you remember one thing George Bailey says it’s a wonderful life Mr. Potter
Johnny Bravo
…what do you think about those oil prices?
====================
Did you wager on oil prices?
Hey Bravo, and you goal is to write a real post. Neither you or Taylor will ever get their wish again.
CT3 was one of my favorite players. Wasn’t a star by any means, but he was super valuable to those teams that he was on. A leader in that clubhouse from all accounts. He’s made nearly 76 million dollars playing baseball. I can see why a local team makes sense, but not a minor league deal. And I don’t see any team in California really having a need. I think the writing is on the wall. He can go surf Malibu all summer and be retired at 35. Not a bad life by any means. Dude has two rings, and he’ll probably get voted into a 3rd from last year.
I don’t know that Taylor meets the usual definition of clubhouse leader. I believe he had the reputation of being one of the quietest members of the team. As for whether he gets his third ring, that’s up to the Dodgers. I think he does. Kind of doubt he gets another chance to play baseball, though.
Yeah, I think he fit into that team first mentality that Doc always talks about. Played wherever they put him, and went out and grinded. Definitely one of the quieter guys, he let his actions and attitude do the talking for him. He had some big hits in big spots.
They will have to pry the bat out of his hands.
Salt Lake City just ain’t his kind of town.
I wonder if the Twins have scouted him. Their infield utility options are awful, to the point that if Taylor could put together a .600 OPS he might be their best option.
If you can’t make the Angels you might consider it a career.
Nah. Its just that this off-season they added a bunch of guys on minor league contracts and several have several that have performed better than CT3.
Maybe Tampa Bay?
That’s three time World Series champion Chris Taylor.
… and 2021 National League All Star.
And 2017 NLCS co-MVP.
For guys like CT3 and Austin Barnes, I feel like the rings they’ll receive for 2025 make up for being cheated out of rings in 2017.
I don’t think anything will make up for 2017. Not to the players anyways.
Winning three titles in six years did it for me. I’ll never be fully over 2017, and %@$& the Astros until every one of those cheaters is out of the game. But I’m at an acceptable peace with it as a Dodger fan.
I put up with 1967 Bob f’ing Gibson, 1975 Big Red Machine, 1978, 1986 game 6. I’m at peace. I donated my 1986 game 6 ticket and program to my kid’s school. It felt like closure.
It’s over. Let it go.
If he wants to play he should chase it till there are no options left for him. I could see for sure a minor league contract with an opt date. For the right team / franchise he could be really useful
If you can’t make this team, move on.
He’s great guy who will probably make a solid coach some day. Does plenty of charity work too.
There are teams with worse rosters than the Angels. Not a lot. But some.
Defensively though, this team is about as bad as it gets.
This offseason Minasian’s moves seem to have been designed to make a bad defensive team even worse. I don’t get it at all.
Love this guy as a Dodger, but maybe it’s time for him to hang up the cleats. Too bad LA has too many outfielders – could bring him back on a renaissance tour.
Why? He cant hit anymore. Did you forget how painful his last 2 years were in a Dodgers uniform? He was a guaranteed strikeout. I liked him too, but no thanks
the padres will take a flier on him
If he were a starter but already at risk of losing quality pen guys due to no room and no options.
Smelling a late ST trade coming.
I’ve followed him from being a Mariner on. Really nice career with excellent versatility. Dodger fans will remember him fondly, I’m sure. Best of luck Chris Taylor.
Like an American submarine off the coast of Iran, Taylor will resurface
Remember the two thousand and two, Anaheim angels. Luck surrounds the angels!!!! 😇😇😇
Madrigal optioned to the minors, its an opportunity for at-bats, but the Angels dont seem to prioritize him at second base. Unsure if he has opt outs and its a tough spot to be in if he does, no guarantee that he picks up with a team.
I think the Angels are letting a good opportunity slide away if they cant keep Madrigal in the mix for starts at 2B this season. Id roster Madrigal and Siri over Candelario and Teodisio and it isnt even close.
@no abs. Yeah I would keep it grissom, siri, madrigal. I think grissom might go on the IL. So it’s probably canderlario, siri, peraza. Not sure if they really need canderlario or peraza. if they need a no hit SS we have Paris. Wouldn’t surprise me if madrigal could play there in a pinch or grissom.