4 Angels players they should consider bringing back in 2026

Chris Taylor

Taylor arrived after a significant fall from grace just up the freeway, sliding from a key part of the 2020 World Series-winning Dodgers, to a DFA in May. His time in Anaheim was marred by injury, including a recurring left-hand fracture, and he only hit .173 in the 29 games he did manage to play. However, Taylor’s calling card has always been his defensive versatility, and even in his short time with the Angels covered all three outfield spots, 2nd base and shortstop. With Luis Rengifo almost certainly having played his way out of a new contract and ongoing confusion around who will be playing where in the outfield, offering Taylor a short, affordable deal could be a win-win for both player and team. For the 35-year-old Taylor, he would have a chance to prove he can get healthy again and cover the field the way he always has. For the Angels, they would have a backup option in place while they decide how confident they really are in young players like Kyren Paris and Christian Moore. Even if they let Taylor go at the end of Spring Training, or kept him only as a bench piece, it’s at least as good an idea as their usual pattern of signing yet another veteran bounce-back candidate who is a couple of years removed from any significant playing time.