The Los Angeles Angels’ offseason haul continues to look like the cast of “The Expendables 5.”
Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported on Thursday that the Angels have signed free agent infielder Yoan Moncada in free agency. Moncada is getting a one-year deal worth $5 million from the Angels, Heyman adds.
The 29-year-old Moncada, a switch hitter, had spent the last eight seasons with the Chicago White Sox. He peaked in the 2019 campaign when he hit .315 with 25 home runs and 79 RBIs in 132 games. But Moncada has been ravaged by injuries in more recent years and appeared in just 12 games last season after suffering a severe left adductor strain while running the bases (video here). Moncada did hit .275 in those 12 games however and batted .260 the season before that.
On a very inexpensive one-year deal, Moncada and his .756 career OPS provide some upside. He does have a tendency to strike out a lot but brings positional utility too as he can play both second and third base. The Angels have been doing a lot of dart-throwing this offseason, in part on forgotten power bats who can slot in at multiple infield positions for them (like this other recent signing). With the human injury machine known as Anthony Rendon still signed for the next two seasons, the team is probably wise to collect as many veteran bodies as possible.
