LA Angels: Giving letter grades for core position players in 2021

Giving letter grades for LA Angels’ core position players in 2021–Jared Walsh: A-

Jared Walsh was an All-Star this year for the LA Angels, and deserved it.

He was one of very few Angels who actually stayed healthy, playing in 144 games this season.

Walsh hit .277/.340/.509 (.850 OPS) with 29 tanks and 98 RBI. Those are solid offensive numbers and his range over at first base makes him one of the best defensive first basemen in baseball.

He’s got wheels for a first baseman too. Walsh has now had consecutive really good seasons. We didn’t get to see a ton of him last year, as he only played in 32 games. This year we finally got an extended look at him and there was so much to like.

He had a 127 wRC+, and his fWAR (2.8) was third on the Angels among position players.

He also is a good defensive player in the outfield, showcasing his versatility in the field. That’s actually where he played for the All-Star team.

About that All-Star Game, he actually saved the game for the American League.

Walsh was one of the only guys this year who protected Ohtani, and he’s going to be important for this team moving forward.