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Angels Select Carson Fulmer, Place Mike Trout On 60-Day IL

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The Angels are calling up right-hander Carson Fulmer, as noted by Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. He’ll take the active roster spot of lefty Tyler Anderson, who was placed on the injured list yesterday with left knee soreness. A 40-man roster spot was cleared for Fulmer by placing outfielder Mike Trout on the 60-day IL, with manager Phil Nevin confirming to reporters (including Bollinger) that the veteran star’s season is over. The club also announced that infielder Mike Moustakas has been reinstated from the 10-day IL, with first baseman C.J. Cron going on the injured list to clear space on the active roster.

Fulmer was selected eighth overall in the 2015 draft by the White Sox and made his major league debut back in 2016, though he was never able to full establish himself in the majors. He posted a 6.56 ERA across 94 2/3 innings of work between 2016 and 2019 with Chicago before making brief cameos in Detroit, Baltimore, and Cincinnati over the 2020 and 2021 seasons. In those two seasons, Fulmer combined for a 6.00 ERA and 4.59 FIP in 36 innings of work.

Fulmer didn’t pitch in the majors in 2022, instead spending the season with the Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate in Oklahoma City. He posted a 2.86 ERA in 56 2/3 innings at that level last year, strong enough numbers that the Angels opted to offer him a minor league deal back in May. Things didn’t go as smoothly for Fulmer this year, however, as he posted a 5.27 ERA in 41 innings of work with the Angels’ Triple-A affiliate in Salt Lake City. Nonetheless, Fulmer will get his first taste of big league action since 2021 with the Angels as they look toward what remains of their depth to help cover innings for the season’s final stretch.

The addition of Fulmer to the roster officially brings the season to an end for Trout, who appeared in just one game after landing on the injured list with a left hamate fracture in early July. It was a relative down season for Trout when he was on the field, as the superstar slashed .263/.367/.490 in 362 trips to the plate with the Angels this year. Of course, those numbers still clock in at 34% better than league average by measure of wRC+ and really only constitute a down season by Trout’s incredibly lofty standards. Trout will look toward a return to the field in 2024, where better health hopefully awaits him after averaging just 79 games a season since the start of the 2021 campaign.

Also done for the year is Cron, who slashed a decent .260/.304/.476 in 224 trips to the plate with Colorado this year but saw his performance take a nosedive following a trade to Anaheim. In 15 games with the Angels, Cron posted a brutal .200/.259/.260 slash line that was good for a wRC+ of just 42. A pending free agent this offseason, Cron will face stiff competition from players like Rhys Hoskins, Garrett Cooper and Brandon Belt who are also primarily limited to first base defensively. Cron’s placement on the IL makes way for the return of Moustakas, who similarly posted solid numbers in Colorado before suffering a downturn in performance upon heading to Anaheim. Overall, Moustakas has slashed .252/.300/.404 in 370 trips to the plate this season.

AL West Notes: Astros, Anderson, Rendon, Murphy

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The Astros have been without outfielder Michael Brantley for most of the past week due to soreness, which according to manager Dusty Baker (as relayed by The Athletic’s Chandler Rome) is “mostly” in his surgically repaired shoulder. That’s troublesome news for Houston, as the veteran outfielder has played in just 12 games since he was shut down for shoulder surgery last summer. That Brantley’s been forced off the field by his ailing shoulder once again raises questions as the Astros gear up to defend their title as the reigning World Series champions this fall, though it’s at least somewhat encouraging that the club hasn’t yet elected to place him on the injured list.

Brantley’s absence would normally be expected to allow Yordan Alvarez to move into left field, freeing up the DH spot for a bat like rookie catcher Yainer Diaz. Things aren’t quite that simple, however, as Alvarez is dealing with injury issues of his own. The slugger told reporters, including MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart, recently that he hasn’t been able to play the field recently after “feeling something” in his elbow earlier in the month while swinging the bat. The incident has left the Astros acting cautiously with their superstar slugger, who has slashed .293/.410/.578 in 106 games with the club this year. While Rome notes that Alvarez was taking fly balls and throwing in the outfield before today’s game, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle relayed yesterday that Baker is still trying to avoid using Alvarez in the outfield during games.

With Brantley unavailable and Alvarez seemingly restricted to DH, the club figures to rely on the services of Jake Meyers and Mauricio Dubon in the outfield for the time being. With Kyle Tucker entrenched in right field on an everyday bases and both Meyers and Dubon grading out as solid center fielders defensively, the unfortunate injury situation with Brantley and Alvarez has nonetheless allowed the Astros to improve their outfield defense by moving Chas McCormick into left field rather than utilizing him in center.

More from the AL West…

  • Angels left-hander Tyler Anderson saw his season come to an end today, as the club placed him on the 15-day IL with left knee soreness (as noted by MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger) following today’s game against the Twins. Anderson was poised to start tomorrow’s game for Anaheim, though no replacement starter has been announced to this point. Anderson’s first year with the Angels was a difficult one, as the lefty posted a 5.43 ERA and 4.93 FIP in 141 innings of work. Anderson signed a three-year, $39MM deal with the club early last offseason after posting a fantastic season in 2022 with the Dodgers.
  • Sticking with the Angels, Bollinger also relays that third baseman Anthony Rendon isn’t expected to return from the injured list this season, according to club manager Phil Nevin. 2023 will go down as yet another injury-marred campaign for the veteran third baseman, who has been on the shelf since early July with a shin injury and has played just 148 games since the start of the 2021 campaign. Rendon, who slashed .236/.361/.318 with a wRC+ of 95 in 183 trips to the plate this year, has three years and roughly $116MM left on his contract with the club headed into 2024.
  • The Mariners have been without catcher Tom Murphy for over a month due to a thumb fracture and was shut down from baseball activity earlier in September due to the issue. While that diagnosis put the remainder of his 2023 in doubt, it’s possible that there’s reason for optimism regarding Murphy’s ability to return this year, at least in the event that Seattle makes it to the postseason. MLB.com notes that Murphy was poised to undergo an MRI yesterday to determine whether he could resume baseball activities, though no update has been provided regarding the catcher’s status at this point. Murphy’s hit exceptionally well in a back-up role this year behind Cal Raleigh, with a .290/.335/.538 slash line in 159 trips to the plate this year. The club has recently been relying on Luis Torrens as their second catcher in Murphy’s absence.

Shohei Ohtani Undergoes Elbow Surgery

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Shohei Ohtani underwent surgery today to address the UCL tear in his right elbow, according to a statement released by his agent Nez Balelo.  The exact type of the surgery (whether a Tommy John procedure or an internal brace) wasn’t specified by Balelo or Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who performed the procedure.

“The ultimate plan after deliberation with Shohei was to repair the issue at hand and to reinforce the healthy ligament in place while adding viable tissue for the longevity of the elbow,” Dr. ElAttrache said in the statement.  “I expect full recovery and he’ll be ready to hit without any restrictions come Opening Day of 2024 and do both (hit and pitch) come 2025.”

Ohtani himself also commented on the situation via his Instagram page, in a somewhat uncharacteristic move for a player known for his relative lack of public statements.  Ohtani’s statement: “I had a procedure done on my elbow earlier this morning and everything went well.  Thank you very much for everyone’s prayers and kind words.  It was very unfortunate that I couldn’t finish out the year on the field, but I will be rooting on the boys until the end.  I will work as hard as I can and do my best to come back on the diamond stronger than ever.  Go Halos!!”

As noted by Jeff Fletcher of the Southern California News Group, ElAttrache’s description seems to imply that Ohtani opted for a brace procedure, or at least something different than a standard Tommy John surgery.  TJ procedures have a fairly set timeline of 13-15 months while brace procedures (a relatively newer type of surgery) have generally had a shorter timeline, yet ElAttrache’s statement indicates that Ohtani isn’t expected to pitch in 2024.

It is possible more information on Ohtani’s pitching status might develop as he continues to rehab, though Balelo said “the final decision and type of procedure was made with a heavy emphasis on the big picture.  Shohei wanted to make sure the direction taken gave him every opportunity to hit and pitch for many years to come.”  With this caution in mind, it seems possible that Ohtani isn’t planning to pitch in 2024 whatsoever, especially since he already had a Tommy John surgery in late 2018 that limited him to DH-only duty in 2019.

Ohtani still hit a very solid .286/.343/.505 with 18 homers over 425 plate appearances in 2019, with his season debut held off until May 7 due to the TJ rehab process.  He then pitched only 1 2/3 innings in 2020 due to a flexor strain and also struggled at the plate during the abbreviated 60-game season, but Ohtani has subsequently rebounded with three of the most uniquely superb seasons in baseball history.

Since Opening Day 2021, Ohtani has a 2.84 ERA over 428 1/3 innings pitched, while hitting .277/.379/.585 with 124 home runs over 1904 PA.  This two-way excellence earned him AL MVP honors in 2021, a runner-up MVP finish in 2022, and very likely another MVP trophy this season, even though his year has been cut short by injury.  The UCL tear meant that Ohtani’s last start came on August 23, and while he attempted to keep going as a hitter, he hasn’t played since September 3 due to an oblique strain.  The Angels announced over the weekend that Ohtani had officially been placed on the 10-day injured list, and wouldn’t play again in 2023.

Attention now turns to Ohtani’s next decision, as he’ll enter free agency with a resume unlike any other player to ever reach the open market.  It remains to be seen how Ohtani’s surgery will impact his market, though even if he is unable to pitch in 2024, most pundits feel he’ll still land a record-setting deal, perhaps topping the $500MM threshold.

It is quite possible that the marketing opportunities and extra revenues available to the team that signs Ohtani will offset the extra risk of his elbow problems, as even if there is some natural long-term question about Ohtani’s arm health, he provides plenty of value even if he “only” an elite hitter.  Interested clubs will obviously want as much information as possible on Ohtani’s health and rehab status before making their decision on a major contract offer, though waiting too long to deliberate might also cost a team a chance at making the signing.

There has been much speculation that Ohtani has already played his last game in an Angels uniform.  Los Angeles has shown a willingness to pay big money for star talent, yet since Ohtani has been vocal about his desire to play for a winner, the Angels’ string of eight consecutive losing seasons might get him looking elsewhere, no matter what ownership might offer in a new contract.  Ohtani’s free agency will be the key storyline of the 2023-24 offseason, and it isn’t a reach to say that much of the winter business around the sport might be held up to some extent until Ohtani chooses his next team.

Angels Outright Gerardo Reyes

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The Angels have sent right-handed pitcher Gerardo Reyes outright to the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees. This is the second career outright for Reyes, giving him the option to reject the assignment in favor of free agency, although it is unclear if he plans to do so. With only six games remaining on the Triple-A schedule, he might prefer to play out the rest of the year, hoping to get in one or two more games before electing minor league free agency in the offseason.

Reyes has been in the Angels organization since August 2020. He appeared in two games for the big league club in 2022 and eight this season, posting a 6.94 ERA across a total of 11 2/3 innings pitched. Unfortunately for the 30-year-old, he didn’t look much better in the minors this year, pitching 36 innings and giving up 25 earned runs. His high strikeout rate is impressive, but he walks far too many batters and has had trouble keeping the ball in the yard. The righty was recalled and then optioned five times this year – the maximum number – before he was designated for assignment on September 14.

Still just 30 years old with a fastball in the 96-97 mph range, Reyes should have interested suitors once he elects free agency, whenever that may be. Prior to his time with the Angels, he spent time in the Rays and Padres organizations.

Angels Reinstate Jo Adell, Place Kyren Paris On 60-Day IL

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The Angels have reinstated outfielder Jo Adell from the 60-day injured list, the team announced. Utility player Kyren Paris has been placed on the 60-day IL himself, freeing up space on both the active and 40-man rosters. In other news, the Angels have optioned Jordyn Adams and recalled Michael Stefanic from Triple-A.

Adell had been on the IL with an oblique strain since the All-Star break. After a particularly disappointing 2022 season, the former top prospect spent the first half of the 2023 campaign at Triple-A, where he posted a .956 OPS and a 121 wRC+. He earned the call back to the big leagues in early July following Mike Trout’s hamate fracture, but he only managed to play four games before landing on the IL himself. With 12 games left on the schedule, he will have a brief opportunity to impress the Angels brass before the offseason.

Paris felt soreness in his left thumb ahead of Sunday’s matchup against the Tigers, and it has since been diagnosed as a torn ligament. With so little time remaining in the season, his placement on the 60-day IL is hardly more than a formality; the Angels will have to add him back to the 40-man roster during the offseason.

However, the season-ending injury comes as particularly disappointing news for Paris, who was enjoying his first taste of big league action at just 21 years old. Selected out of high school in the second round of the 2019 draft, he has quickly risen through the ranks in the Angels system. After a strong 2023 campaign at Double-A with the Rocket City Trash Pandas, he bypassed Triple-A and earned a major league call-up when rosters expanded on September 1. While the youngster struggled to adjust to big league pitching (he slashed .100/.200/.100 in 15 games), he showed off his versatility across the diamond, taking reps at shortstop, second base, and center field. Paris currently ranks as the no. 5 prospect in the organization, per MLB Pipeline. He will retain his prospect status next season. 

Adams, the Angels no. 15 prospect according MLB Pipeline, has appeared in 17 games at the MLB level, slashing .128/.125/.128 in 40 trips to the plate. He will be replaced on the active roster by Stefanic, who has been on fire this season at Triple-A, posting a .930 OPS and a 139 wRC+. With Adell returning and Paris headed to the IL, it’s no surprise the Angels have swapped out Adams, an outfielder, for Stefanic, an infielder.

Shohei Ohtani Out For Season With Oblique Strain

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8:19PM: Minasian told ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez and other reporters that Ohtani underwent an MRI on Friday that showed continued oblique irritation, so the decision was made to shut him down for the remainder of 2023.  “I don’t have details on [Ohtani’s upcoming elbow] procedure, but obviously he wants to get that as quick as he can and start getting ready for ’24,” Minasian said.  In regards to Ohtani’s early locker clearout, Minasian explained that “I think in his mind he thought there was a possibility for a procedure today, and that’s why he packed.”  Largely sidestepping a question about the Angels’ chances of re-signing Ohtani, Minasian said media would have to ask the player himself, adding that “it’s been a pleasure to get to know him these last three years and hopefully he’s here for a long time.”

2:03PM: The Angels have placed Shohei Ohtani on the injured list with an oblique strain, the team announced to reporters, including Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times. This marks the end of both his 2023 season, and quite possibly his tenure with the Angels.

Ohtani was in the midst of the best season of his already remarkable career when a UCL tear stopped him in his tracks in mid-August. While he might have opted to address the injury immediately (increasing his chances of making a quick return in 2024) he chose instead to play out the rest of the year as a designated hitter. Unfortunately, he suffered a second injury just ten days later, hurting his oblique during batting practice. At the time, the team believed the injury to be minor, but Ohtani would go on to sit out the next several games. On Friday, after he missed his 11th game in a row, reporters noticed his locker at Angel Stadium had been cleared out, inviting speculation that Ohtani was being shut down.

General manager Perry Minasian is expected to provide further information later today. So could Ohtani himself, who is expected to be at the ballpark when the Angels take on the Tigers for the second game of the weekend series.

While this clearly isn’t the outcome Ohtani or the Angels were hoping for, an early end to his season could give the two-way star a chance to address his torn UCL as soon as possible. Earlier this month, his agent Nez Balelo revealed that some sort of procedure to repair his elbow was “inevitable.” It is not clear what type of procedure (such as Tommy John surgery or an internal bracing procedure) Ohtani might face, but any kind of elbow repair comes with recovery time. Ohtani has no timetable for his return to the mound, but the sooner he seeks treatment, the sooner he can begin the rehabilitation process.

Ohtani is set to become a free agent following the season, and his impending free agency has been the talk of the sport throughout the year. Before his injury issues popped up, many thought he could command upwards of $500MM on the open market, and even now, Ohtani still seems likely to sign the largest free agent deal in MLB history. His durability is a legitimate cause for concern, but when he’s on the field, Ohtani’s two-way ability naturally creates a bigger impact than any of his peers. Over the past three years, he has hit 124 home runs with a .964 OPS and a 2.84 ERA. That level of performance will net him an enormous payday, even if Ohtani doesn’t step onto a mound during the first year of his next contract.

Whether that enormous payday comes from the Angels or another club, however, remains to be seen. Right now, it’s hard to imagine Ohtani is all that optimistic about the direction in which his team is headed; Los Angeles is two losses away from its eighth straight losing season, despite an MVP-caliber effort from their best player. Ohtani will have no shortage of suitors, and he has previously suggested that he wants to play for a winning team. Thus, it’s quite possible he has already played his last game in an Angels uniform – a 10-6 loss to the Athletics in which he went 0-for-3 with two walks, so hardly a storybook ending.

On the bright side, Ohtani still has a chance to go out on a high note when awards season rolls around. He seems like a lock to win his second AL MVP, even though his injury gives other contenders (i.e. Corey Seager, Marcus Semien, and Julio Rodriguez) a slight chance to catch up. Currently, Ohtani leads the AL with 44 home runs, a .412 on-base percentage, and 325 total bases, to go along with his 3.14 ERA in 23 starts. He also leads the second-place Seager by 2.6 FanGraphs WAR and 3.1 Baseball Reference WAR, which is a cavernous gap to close with just 15 games remaining on the schedule.

Shohei Ohtani’s Locker Cleared Out, Update Expected Later Today

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As reported by numerous sources (including Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register), most of Shohei Ohtani’s belongings were removed from the superstar’s locker at Angel Stadium last night. The Angels are expected to provide an update on Ohtani’s status later today.

Following Friday night’s 11-2 loss to the Tigers, Angels reporters noticed many of Ohtani’s possessions either packed up or missing entirely. Team staff declined to provide answers, other than to state that more information would be made available on Saturday.

The AL MVP frontrunner has not pitched in a game since August 23 nor taken a plate appearance since September 3. He is dealing with a tear in his right UCL, which prematurely ended his season as a pitcher, and inflammation in his right oblique, which has kept him out entirely for the past 11 games.

When Ohtani initially suffered his oblique injury, manager Phil Nevin told reporters (including Alden Gonzalez of ESPN) that it was “just a tiny bit of inflammation,” and he did not expect Ohtani to require a stint on the injured list. However, he also acknowledged that oblique injuries “can be finicky at times,” so the Angels would take things day-to-day with their star player and not rush him back onto the field. It’s possible that the issue has turned into something more than just “minor” inflammation.

Earlier this month, Ohtani’s agent Nez Balelo said it was “inevitable” his client would require an elbow procedure to repair his UCL this offseason. Given the uncertainty surrounding Ohtani’s oblique injury, perhaps he and the Angels have decided to get an early start on such a procedure. The two-way star has made it clear on several occasions that he wants to play out the 2023 season. Still, the Angels are all but eliminated from postseason contention, and the sooner he addresses his elbow concerns, the more appealing he’ll be to potential suitors in free agency. If his oblique injury could keep him on the shelf for the rest of the season anyway, he might be wise to get his UCL fixed sooner rather than later.

That said, it remains unclear if Ohtani’s empty locker has anything to do with his oblique or his UCL; there could be an entirely unrelated explanation. However, considering the announcement expected later today, it feels safe to presume this is more than just routine clubhouse cleaning.

Luis Rengifo Undergoes Biceps Surgery

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Angels infielder Luis Rengifo underwent surgery to repair a torn left biceps, manager Phil Nevin informed reporters after tonight’s loss to the Tigers (relayed by Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com). The expectation remains that he’ll be ready for Spring Training.

Rengifo, 26, suffered the freak injury last week while taking practice swings in the on-deck circle. The Halos initially announced the issue as a tendon rupture, though Nevin said it was a full biceps tear. He was quickly ruled out for the season and placed on the 60-day injured list. It wasn’t clear until tonight that he’d require surgical repair.

It’s a sour end to what had been a strong season for the switch-hitting infielder. Rengifo had been one of the few bright spots in a dismal second half. While he carried a .219/.312/.326 line into the All-Star Break, he raked at a .318/.374/.587 clip from the Midsummer Classic on. That brought his season slash to an above-average .264/.339/.444 mark with 16 home runs through 445 trips to the plate. He almost certainly would’ve surpassed last year’s personal-high 17 longballs were it not for the injury, while he walked at a respectable 9.2% clip after drawing free passes just 3.3% of the time a season ago.

Rengifo has bounced around the diamond. He’s primarily a second baseman but handled regular shortstop duty while Zach Neto was on the injured list. Rengifo can cover third and was playing in the corner outfield upon Neto’s return until his own injury. While public defensive marks haven’t been enamored with his glove anywhere, his versatility and solid offense made him one of the Halos’ more effective position players.

In February, Rengifo won a $2.3MM salary at an arbitration hearing. He’ll earn a raise going into 2024 and is eligible for that process through ’25. He’s on track to hit free agency in advance of his age-29 season.

Latest On Anthony Rendon’s Injury

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Anthony Rendon has not played since July 4. The Angels third baseman fouled a ball off his left leg and was diagnosed with a shin contusion. 10 days later, the Halos finally placed him on the injured list. A month thereafter, he was transferred to the 60-day IL.

While neither Rendon nor the team had been particularly forthcoming with updates, the 11-year veteran met with reporters this afternoon. Rendon told the Halos beat he’d been diagnosed with a fractured tibia last month (relayed by Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register). Questioned why the Angels had continued to refer to his injury as a bone bruise, he told reporters to ask team personnel.

The Angels have not released a statement on Rendon’s comments, nor have they confirmed the fracture. However, manager Phil Nevin indicated the rehab process for a shin contusion and a fracture were not different — suggesting the difference in diagnosis is immaterial. A source close to the team tells Alden González of ESPN that Rendon had initially met with four doctors, two apiece chosen by the team and by the player’s camp. After those four evaluations diagnosed a bone bruise, a fifth doctor (chosen by Rendon) called the injury a fracture.

It’s the continuation of a bizarre sequence of events, although both Rendon and agent Scott Boras told reporters there’s no ill will towards the organization. “The treatment plan the Angels were giving and what he was to do was synonymous with what the doctors had recommended,” Boras said.

There’s still not a ton of clarity on Rendon’s overall prognosis. He’s eligible to return from the IL at any point and left open the possibility of coming back this season, although that’d seem a long shot with only two weeks remaining. If he doesn’t make it back, his year will conclude with a .236/.361/.318 showing with two homers across 183 plate appearances.

Rendon has hit just 857 times in four seasons since signing a seven-year, $245MM free agent deal. He got into 52 of 60 games during the shortened 2020 campaign but has appeared in only 148 contests over the three subsequent seasons. If he doesn’t return this year, he’ll have gotten into slightly more than 30% of the Angels’ games from 2021-23.

There are three years remaining on that deal, which was backloaded. Rendon is due $38MM annually through 2026. The Angels have used Eduardo Escobar and Mike Moustakas — both of whom are impending free agents — as their third base tandem in the second half.

Angels Select David Fletcher, Jared Walsh

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The Angels announced a series of roster moves today, selecting infielders David Fletcher and Jared Walsh. To open active roster spots for those two, the club optioned outfielder Jordyn Adams and infielder Kyren Paris. To open spots on the 40-man roster, they transferred infielder/outfielder Luis Rengifo to the 60-day injured list and designated right-hander Gerardo Reyes for assignment.

Both Walsh and Fletcher looked like potential building blocks for the club not too long ago, but both of fallen off considerably in recent years. Walsh hit 38 home runs in 176 games over 2020 and 2021, slashing .280/.338/.531 for a wRC+ of 130. Unfortunately, significant health issues have prevented a significant obstacle to him since then. He underwent thoracic outlet syndrome surgery last year and has been dealing with headaches and insomnia this year, hitting just .202/.265/.353 over the past two seasons. He was outrighted in August and has a batting line of .217/.360/.375 in Triple-A this year.

Despite those struggles, he’ll get a chance to play out the string over the final weeks of the season with the Halos out of contention. He’s making a salary of $2.65MM this year and would be eligible for arbitration again this winter, though the Angels may not tender him a contract unless they have reason to expect he can get back to the form he showed in 2020-2021.

Fletcher hit .319/.376/.425 in the shortened 2020 season, wRC+ of 121, which was enough for the Angels to give him a contract extension going into the following year. In April of 2021, he and the club agreed to a five-year deal with a $26MM guarantee, though his production fell off immediately. He’s hit just .258/.292/.325 since the start of 2021 for a wRC+ of 69.

Twice this year, the club has passed Fletcher through waivers and outrighted him to Triple-A Salt Lake. Since he has over three years of major league service time, he could have rejected either of those assignments and elected free agency. However, since he’s still shy of five years of service, doing so would mean forfeiting what’s left of his contract, which runs through 2025. Naturally, he decided to accept in both instances.

He will still be shy of that five-year mark at season’s end, meaning the Halos could outright him again this winter and keep him around as depth without him taking up a roster spot. In the minors this year, he has a batting line of .330/.382/.428 that looks good at first glance but is par in the Pacific Coast League, translating to a wRC+ of 100. He’s generally considered a strong defender, so he could be valuable even with average offense at the big league level, though he’s been well beneath that in recent years.

Reyes signed a minor league deal with the club in the offseason and had his contract selected in June. He has an earned run average of 7.45 in his eight major league appearances and 6.25 in his 33 Triple-A appearances. He’ll be out of options next year, giving him less roster flexibility going forward.

As for Rengifo, it was reported last week that he won’t be able to return this year due to a bicep tendon rupture, making today’s transfer an inevitable formality.

It’s possible there are luxury tax implications to these moves, as it was reported earlier this month that the club remained narrowly above the lowest threshold of the competitive balance tax. Since then, they have tried to further cut their CBT number by putting catcher Max Stassi on the restricted list and putting outfielder Randal Grichuk on waivers a second time. Fletcher and Walsh each already had their salaries for this year locked in, so bringing them back up doesn’t add any payroll. But Adams and Paris will no longer be receiving major league pay after being optioned, which will trim a small amount of spending from the club’s ledger.

Getting under the CBT line could have implications for the club since the compensatory draft pick they would receive in the event Shohei Ohtani signs elsewhere after rejecting a qualifying offer would be significantly better. There are also compounding penalties for paying the tax in consecutive years, meaning that ducking under now would lessen their penalties if they were to go over again next year.

Whether the club pays the tax or not won’t be officially known until later in the year. Roster Resource estimates the Angels’ tax number at $229MM whereas Cot’s Baseball Contracts pegs it at $237MM. The lowest threshold of the CBT is $233MM this year.

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