Angels News: A last minute major league signing, Quijada and Perdomo in limbo

The Angels are furiously making moves right now as they put their finishing touches on the Opening Day roster. So far, they have released Mickey Moniak, told Ryan Johnson he is making the team, they designated José Quijada and Angel Perdomo for assignment, and signed Nicky Lopez to a major league contract for the 2025 season.

The Angels sign Nicky Lopez

Lopez was recently granted a release by the Chicago Cubs, and is now heading to Anaheim where he will join an infield comprised of Nolan Schanuel, Kevin Newman, and Luis Rengifo. Other than those four, there have been no announcements as of yet as to who will round out the infield/utility man group.

The signing of Nicky Lopez probably indicates that Yoán Moncada is heading to the Injured List, and Tim Anderson officially will make the team (the team confirmed Anderson did make the team). Moncada is not present on the lineup card for the Angels' last spring training game against the Dodgers, and the team will likely exercise extreme with the injury-prone third baseman. If Moncada miraculously appears on the Opening Day roster alongside Lopez and Anderson, then the Angels will choose between Matthew Lugo, Ryan Noda, and Kyren Paris for their final spot on the roster. Christian Moore and J.D. Davis are likely heading to the minor leagues.

Lopez is a glove-first utility man who tore up spring training for the Cubs. He was not going to make their Opening Day roster, so he intelligently exercised a clause in his contract that granted his release. Now he will see the majors and even some playing time. The 30-year-old is a left handed hitter who only played second base and shortstop in his 124 games last season with the Chicago White Sox. He slashed .241/.312/.294/.606 last season. Lopez is also familiar with third base, where the Angels undoubtedly will pencil him in at various points early in the season.

He posted a stellar 5 OAA (outs above average) in 2024 that ranked in the 88th percentile of players, while also flashing elite bat-to-ball skills, an above average ability to stay in the strike zone, and an average arm and speed kit. He is essentially the Chuckie Robinson of utility players, as he boasts 0 pop whatsoever. The slap-hitter has 7 career home runs in his 6 MLB seasons.

José Quijada and Angel Perdomo lose their lockers -- the Angels' Opening Day Bullpen is now set

On another note, José Quijada and Angel Perdomo have lost their lockers in the Angels' clubhouse (per Sam Blum of The Athletic) so the Opening Day bullpen is now official! It will look like this:

Closer: Kenley Jansen
Closer/Set-Up: Ben Joyce
Set-Up/Middle Relief: Brock Burke*, Ryan Zeferjahn
Multi-Inning Swing: Garrett McDaniels*, Ryan Johnson
Long Relief: Reid Detmers*, Ian Anderson,
* -- left-handed pitcher

Quijada and Perdomo were a couple left-handed relievers who lost their roles of late to Johnson, McDaniels, Anderson, and Detmers. Both are out of minor league options, so they were subsequently designated for assignment. Perdomo was a lock to get DFA'd, but Quijada could have been given the Mickey Moniak route of a release rather than a DFA so the team could have his saved money in case he clears waivers. Unlike Moniak, Quijada's arbitration salary of $1.075M was likely fully guaranteed given that the two sides avoided the hearings.

Quijada has appeared with the Angels each of the past five seasons. He has thrown 98.1 innings in that span, and only 28.1 the past couple years. His career year was in 2022, where he posted 40.2 innings, a 3.85 FIP, an 11.5 K/9, and 3.98 ERA. He is known as a fun character in the locker room, and appeased fans with his constant antics on the mound when he recorded any positive results whatsoever.

Perdomo was a late flier taken by Perry Minasian to see if he could stick. Perdomo flashed solid potential for the Pirates a couple years prior, but will likely bounce around before he finds his way back to the majors.

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