LA Angels have some good pieces for 2020, but need to fill holes

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LA Angels Zack Cozart can't seem to get healthy

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 22: Zack Cozart #7 is attended to at second base by a trainer and head coach Brad Ausmus of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim after being injured at second base during the twelfth inning of a game against the New York Yankees at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on April 22, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

Third Base – When the Angels signed third baseman Zack Cozart to a a three-year 38 million dollar deal in the winter of 2017 they thought they had solved their third base issue. Unfortunately that was not in the cards. Cozart has played a total of 96 games in two seasons hitting five homers and 20 RBIs with a .175 batting average. Not the kind of return they were hoping for from him.

Luckily David Fletcher has stepped up and filled in admirably and this year he has had some help from La Stella, Luis Rengifo, and more recently Matt Thaiss. Fletcher is kind of a jack of all trades and manager Brad Ausmus has the luxury of plugging the Cypress High graduate into as many as five different positions (2B, 3B, SS, RF, and LF).

Rengifo has also proved his versatility playing second, third, and shortstop this season and Matt Thaiss has also been in the third base mix as well as playing first base. Between the four of them they have filled the void at third. The question becomes who will be there in 2020?

Even though Cozart is supposed to make a full recovery by the Spring, my bet is that David Fletcher will get the majority of playing time at third base especially if the Angels decide to keep Tommy La Stella. Thaiss may also see some time there in 2020.

Cozart unless he has a tremendous Spring I think he will be a back-up at second and third. We will see what happens, but this is definitely a question mark for next season, but one that has multiple solutions already in place.

Grade: – B-

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