2 important Angels additions you might have forgotten they made this offseason

Kevin Newman adds much-needed depth to the Angels infield

Injuries and poor performance plagued the Angels infield last season. The team had counted on Brandon Drury as a starter, and he was an unmitigated disaster posting a -2.1 fWAR on the season. Anthony Rendon went homerless in yet another injury-plagued and ineffective campaign. Luis Rengifo was supposed to be the utility infielder extraordinaire, but he ultimately succumbed to his own injuries. The Angels cycled through a laundry list of uninspiring infielders in a desperate attempt to cover second, third, and shortstop with something resembling competent play to no avail.

The Halos plucked Kevin Newman from free agency, adding a very valuable player in the process. A shortstop by trade, Newman has extensive experience playing all over the infield and has even logged a couple of games in left field for his career.

The value the 31-year-old brings to the Halos this season is two-fold. Long term, he looks to fill the role of first man off the bench across the infield. He can provide days off for the regulars and serve as a defensive replacement late in close games. In the immediate term, he'll serve as the Angels starting shortstop while rising star Zach Neto recovers from shoulder surgery.

Like most utility infielders, Newman is a glove-first player. Last season he posted a sterling 10 defensive runs saved and posted a 6.5 defensive WAR according to FanGraphs.

He's not a complete non-factor with the bat either. He won't hit for much power, but contact skills are a strength, and his .278/.311/.375 line played well in conjunction with his stellar defense and above-average base running. That performance was worth a wRC+ of 89, which while not spectacular is better than most defensive-minded utility infielders.

In those two roles, temporary starting shortstop and primary utility infielder, Newman is a tremendous value for one year and $2.5 million, and the Angels also hold a club option for 2026 to keep him in Anaheim for another season at the same rate should they choose to exercise it.

A rash of injuries again in the infield would create a dilemma that Newman alone couldn't solve, however, if the Halos' luck with health returns to normal levels they have a solid player to turn to who will also serve as a short-term starter while one of their best players is on the mend.

These aren't the kind of additions that get fans jumping for joy, but they are the type of moves that can push a team from just outside the playoff picture to a Wild-Card berth and should not be overlooked.

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