Former AL West slugger could fall right into Angels' lap

Much has been made of the Angels' young first baseman Nolan Schanuel. Despite being the best first baseman in the American League West this season, critics point to his lack of power that first basemen traditionally possess. And sure, a 20 home run season would be lofty expectations for Schanuel, but he has been the best bat in Anaheim this year and his starting spot is written in pen.

Behind him, however, there are very few first base options for interim manager Ray Montgomery. He has been forced to keep Lamonte Wade Jr. on the active roster as Yoán Moncada continues in his rehab. However, the Angels may have just been gifted an instant upgrade over Wade Jr. in the form of a former Houston Astros slugger.

Trey Mancini made his mark in Baltimore for the Orioles from 2016-2021. He was one of the best power hitting corner outfielder in baseball, and has since bounced around the league as he tries to find his footing elsewhere in 2025. The Arizona Diamondbacks gave him a shot this season, but despite Mancini raking in the minor leagues, they have yet to give him a shot in the big leagues.

As such, Mancini opted out of his deal with the Diamondbacks on Tuesday, electing free agency rather than continuing to waste away in the minors. To his credit, he has hit .308 with 16 doubles and 16 home runs so far this season. He has absolutely earned his chance to return to the majors for the first time since 2023, and the Angels should be jumping to give him the chance.

While he would not be starting at first base, there are definitely at-bats available for Mancini. Wade Jr. has given the Angels negative value since being acquired from the San Francisco Giants nearly a month ago, and there is little chance Mancini provides less production if given a chance to back up Schanuel.

As the Angels continue fighting for relevancy in the American League Wild Card race, they need to continue churning the backend of their roster over as they search for the right players to come off of the bench. While Moncada could eventually return and provide support at first, the Angels can no longer rely on him to stay healthy and they know they can't rely on Wade Jr. for, well, anything. Mancini is healthy, has been dominating in the minors, and is available for the league minimum. It makes too much sense for Perry Minasian to bring the slugger to Anaheim and see if he can give this offense another jolt at the bottom of the lineup.

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