LA Angels: 3 players who could be DFA’d or traded after Albert Pujols release

This tough stretch of Angels baseball has featured a lot of losing (5-12, last 17 games), multiple injuries resulting in IL stints, and the release of future first-ballot Hall of Famer Albert Pujols.

The DFA of Pujols came on Thursday in the midst of the Halos’ four-game losing streak, and one day after he was reportedly upset about the front office’s decision to keep him out of the lineup in the previous game. The three-time MVP had career-lows across the board, slashing .198/.250/.372 with five home runs and 12 RBIs through 24 games this season.

Pujols has underperformed for the better part of the last five seasons, with his highest batting average being .245 in 2016, his highest OPS of .734 in 2019, and his highest WAR of 0.3 in 2018. His remaining $30 million salary and beliefs of starting everyday were in the way of other players like Jared Walsh getting game-to-game starts at first base while performing at a high level.

In my opinion this was a necessary move of what’s best for the Angels, but it was handled terribly by the organization. It was growing obvious after last summer that Walsh would be the first baseman of the future and you knew he would more than likely need everyday starts to max his full potential in 2021. Pujols’ sharply declining lack of production was also staring ownership and management directly in the face for years. This is a move that should’ve happened in the past offseason at the latest, not one month into a fresh season.

The release of Albert Pujols could be the start of the Angels restructuring the team.

That being said, if Pujols didn’t get any special treatment, there should be no excuses for anyone else on the roster. You’d have to think owner Arte Moreno and general manager Perry Minasian are not messing around when it comes to getting the best talent within the organization onto the field.

If a player is not producing at a high level and a lack of effort is not there, they should be replaced by someone who could bring more value to the team’s future. With the way this roster was structured of mostly one-year deals, there are plenty of expendable pieces.

Veteran catcher Kurt Suzuki was signed to be a calming presence for the Angels behind the plate and provide some decent offensive production for his spot starts. It’s been a rough go for Suzuki thus far.

He’s seen a little more playing time than anticipated with Max Stassi getting two stints on the injured list, but Suzuki has been struggling as of late. In has last 10 games, Suzuki has gone 5-for-28 (.179 BA) with one home run and two RBIs. His overall slash line for the season sits at .212/.300/.308 with one homer and four RBIs in 61 plate appearances.

It hasn’t been any prettier defensively. The Angels lead the majors with 32 errors and lead the error total from the catcher position with eight this season. Suzuki is tied for the most errors among major-league catchers with four in his 18 games in 2021.

Angels: Kurt Suzuki has performed poorly on offense and defense this season.

It’s hard to find a big-league catcher who is dominant on both sides of the ball. Usually if they are solid defensively they can be weaker on offense and vice versa. It’s not a good sign to be struggling in both departments which is what’s happening with Suzuki right now.

The Angels traded for former Rangers catcher Drew Butera in exchange for cash considerations on Friday. The move was made as a part of some insurance with Stassi hitting in the IL due to a concussion on Thursday.

In one game with the Halos, Butera went 1-for-4 with a double and a run scored. If Butera begins to produce and Suzuki struggles, I think it might be time to consider parting ways with Suzuki once Stassi returns.

There would be little to no financial loss, as Suzuki signed a one-year deal worth $1.5 million for the 2021 season.

His leash might be a little longer given he’s a 37-year-old veteran and he did post a .270 average and a .745 OPS in 2020. If the Angels aren’t competing, Suzuki could be kept around in hopes he begins producing to increase his trade value around the July 30 deadline.

This next scenario might be a bit of a stretch, but if the Angels fall out of contention I do not see Justin Upton on the team after July.

I say this for a few reasons, the first being the young outfielders who will eventually need big-league repetitions and they could be ready around that time. Similar to Pujols clogging everyday starts for Jared Walsh, Upton will do the same for the remainder of this season and 2022 if the Angels want to give others opportunities.

Jo Adell and No.1 prospect Brandon Marsh will need time in the minor-leagues, but one would think they will be added to the MLB roster at some point this season as long as they show no regression.

The tricky parts to an Upton trade scenario are his salary and a no-trade clause which he would need to approve. Upton is currently in the final two-years, $52.7 million of his contract with the Angels.

It would likely mean the Halos taking on a significant portion of that figure for Upton to play elsewhere. This would be a salary dump similar to the trades for Dexter Fowler and Alex Cobb. If the Angels will pay $30 million for Pujols not to be on the roster, how much would they pay to lose Upton in favor of the future assets getting playing time?

Angels: Justin Upton could bring trade value this season if he performs well.

However, the amount the Angels would pay in an Upton trade could also change depending on how well he plays. In 107 plate appearances, Upton has posted a slash line of .221/.299/.432 with six home runs and 13 RBIs this season. He also has a 0.1 WAR and 106 wRC+ in 27 games played.

There’s no question this Angels offense is better with Upton playing at a high level, but him being 33-years old and at the backend of a 15-year career gives reason to keep an eye towards the future. Even if he’s playing well and the Halos fall out of contention, they need to find a way to get the most from Upton from a return-value standpoint.

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While the decision to cut ties with Pujols was due in part to both parties having different views on his playing time, I think it inadvertently sends a message to the team that no one is safe. If not then it should, because now there is no excuse for Minasian and Moreno letting the poor play continue without finding solutions for the team’s issues.

If the losing continues, it’s a bigger slap in the face to Pujols and makes the product of the ownership and front office look worse.