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Angels Add Utility Player Who Was Released By Padres
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- Angels Add Utility Player Who Was Released By Padres
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
The Los Angeles Angels announced that they've signed infielder/outfielder Pablo Reyes to a minor league deal after he was released by the San Diego Padres last week, according to a report from Darragh McDonald of MLBTradeRumors.com . He'll report to Triple-A Salt Lake and should make an appearance for the Bees soon, McDonald added.
Reyes, who is 32, was having an outstanding season for Triple-A El Paso, so it's something of a mystery as to why the Padres released him. His slash line was .310/.408/.491 in 258 plate appaerances, and his strikeout and walk rates were strong at 13.6 percent and 14 percent, respectively. The Pacific Coast League is considered a hitter's league, but according to McDonald those numbers are 21 percent above league average.
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But the writer also noted that Reyes has never put up numbers like that before. He's been a part-time player for five different teams over seven seasons, and his baseline performance level is .245/.305/.342 line in 606 big-league plate appearances.
What Reyes does offer is versatility, as he can play everywhere on the diamond except catcher. The Angels have been taking flyers on players like Reyes all season, and they have had some luck with players like outfielders Jose Siri and Wade Meckler , both of whom have made occasional contributions.
Reyes also may have extra value associated with the upcoming trade deadline. The Angels are expected to be sellers, with Jorge Soler , Josh Lowe , Jo Adell and others expected to be trade candidates.
The wild card there is that we don't actually know if the Angels will be sellers or not. They've hired interim GM John Mozeliak to lead the search for a successor to Perry Minasian, who was recently fired, but Mozeliak's initial comments haven't provided any meaningful clues about the Angels' future direction--if they actually have one.
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Reyes will start his stint with the Angels as a depth option, but another issue that will affect this is the fact that he's out of options, so if he does get promoted he won't be shuffled back and forth from Anaheim to Salt Lake.
The Angels are currently going nowhere in the AL West, as they're buried in the basement with a record of 37-57. They're already playing out the string despite the fact that they're in one of the two worst divisions in baseball, but there are opportunities for players like Reyes who are looking to rejuvenate their careers.
