Angels miss out on low-risk third base addition to the lowly White Sox

It never feels great to miss out on a player who would undoubtedly help fix a team that is in dire need of improvement. It feels even worse when that player signs with a club in a far-worse position than your favorite team. For Angels fans, they cannot feel too good about the White Sox swooping in and signing infielder Josh Rojas to a one-year deal.

Rojas was a low-risk opportunity for the Angels to replace Anthony Rendon at third base, who has been dreadful on and off the field for Halos fans. Rojas was an everyday player in 2024 for the Mariners and was one of the best defensive third basemen in the game, which are two things that Rendon is not.

Angels miss out on low-risk third base addition to the lowly White Sox

Rojas slashed .225/.304/.336 last season with 29 extra-base hits and 10 stolen bases. While those offensive numbers are not the strongest, they outshine Rendon's output in 2024, who had zero home runs and a .218 average. Rojas also would have cost much less than him, so this was a missed chance at ending the toxic relationship with Rendon.

Rojas signing with the White Sox, of all organizations, makes this sting even more for Angels fans. What could Los Angeles have done to make an offer that shined brighter than Chicago's? The White Sox won 41 games last year and they just traded away their best player in Garrett Crochet. Chicago barely has a leg to stand on this winter, yet their lack of attraction to the team still managed to ink a deal with a player who the Angels really should have targeted.

If Rendon does not play third base in 2025, what other options do the Angels have? The logical answer is Luis Rengifo, even if second base is a better spot for him. However, the Halos could send Kevin Newman to the hot corner, who has 36 career games logged there. However, he is expected to handle shortstop while Zach Neto recovers from shoulder surgery. Los Angeles may need to keep looking for a new third baseman, because if they don't, they will be in a very difficult position to succeed. They have been busy this winter, so fans would hope that there's a chance that the front office continues to add players to the active roster. Josh Rojas would not have been the Angels' savior, but adding him to the team would have been a step in a positive direction. Hopefully the Angels make up for this soon.

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