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LA Angels Free Agency Breakdown: First Base

By Vincent Page

DETROIT, MI - MAY 31: Albert Pujols #5 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim sits in the dugout during the ninth inning of a 6-2 loss to the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on May 31, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - MAY 31: Albert Pujols #5 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim sits in the dugout during the ninth inning of a 6-2 loss to the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on May 31, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) /
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ST LOUIS, MO – SEPTEMBER 12: Matt Adams #15 of the St. Louis Cardinals back hands the ball for the force out during the fifth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Busch Stadium on September 12, 2018 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Jeff Curry/Getty Images)
ST LOUIS, MO – SEPTEMBER 12: Matt Adams #15 of the St. Louis Cardinals back hands the ball for the force out during the fifth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Busch Stadium on September 12, 2018 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Jeff Curry/Getty Images) /

The Depth Piece

While Pujols was better against right-handed pitching in 2018, that was an outlier for his career. If the Angels want a platoon option, they will want a left-handed bat who can hit for power.

Look no further than Matt Adams, who is a career .279 hitter against right-handed pitching. He also has an .825 OPS. While his numbers against left-handed pitching aren’t great (unless you ask Clayton Kershaw), he would not need to do anything but start against right-handed pitchers or come off the bench which he has proven to be capable of (again ask Clayton Kershaw).

Adams, like Moustakas, is 30 years-old. Looking at his numbers by the year is uninspiring, but again it is all about the splits for the Angels. Looking at the two teams in the World Series, they are platoon heavy. If the Angels want to adopt this style of play, which I wouldn’t cancel out after new manager Brad Ausmus raved about his new knowledge of analytics, they will platoon nearly every position. The idea of playing Pujols everyday because he’s making history and making too much money is ludicrous. If the Angels want to contend, they will swallow the bullet and platoon Pujols.

And Matt Adams might just be the perfect prospect for that.

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