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Potential Angels Outfielder Exercises His Option Clause
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- Potential Angels Outfielder Exercises His Option Clause
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
Outfielder Cade Marlowe has exercised the opt-out clause in his minor league deal with the Los Angeles Angels, according to a report from Anthony Franco of MLBTradeRumors.com that referenced reporting from Ari Alexander of Boston7 News. The move means the Angels will either have to promote him to the 40-man roster or grant him his release.
Marlowe has split time this season between minor league contracts with the Angels and the Athletics . He's put up big numbers in the Pacific Coast League, per Franco, with a slash line of .313/.389/.508 with 11 home runs across 453 plate appearances.
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That's an above averge number even in the hitter-friendly PCL, although his numbers did dip slightly with the Angels' Triple-A team in Salt Lake. His respective minor league slash lines with the A's and Angesl were 317/.394/.521 with a 20% strikeout rate versus .296/.370/.457 showing and 28% strikeout percentage in 23 games with Salt Lake.
That would seem to rate a call-up, but few things are as they seem when it comes to the Angels. Mike Trout is locked into center field, of course, and Jose Siri has been playing well in a corner outfield slot, although his numbers have dropped significantly in August, per Franco.
What's inexplicable about this is that the Angels seem committed to getting every last bit of value from outfielder Josh Lowe , who's been awful, and the trade to get him has to be one of the worst in baseball from this past offseason. Lowe is hitting .214/.273/.361 over 277 plate appearances on the season, but it's part of the Arte Moreno Way to never admit a mistake and get maximum value, no matter how bad it is.
The 29-year old Marlowe has 42 games of big-league experience under his belt, per Franco, with all of them coming for the Seattle Mariners . He's a career .240/.330/.406 hitter with 34 strikeouts in 109 plate appearances. Marlowe is a good athlete who can cover all three outfield spots. You'd think that would be more than enough to get a tryout in Anaheim, although Marlowe's high strikeout rate is probably part of the logic in not bringing him up.
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The outfielder is now forcing the Halos' hand, and it remains to be seen if John Mozeliak will authorize the move to give him a chance. The Angels are playing out the string, and Marlowe could simply be looking for a better opportunity.
