How Angels' big offseason trade acquisition is fitting in during spring training

The Angels made one giant splash via trade this offseason, and it is working out as well as possible in spring training. When the Angels acquired Jorge Soler for Griffin Canning, it seemed like an absolute fleecing by Perry Minasian against his beloved former organization. The Braves were looking to offload his salary and free up their DH spot, and Minasian was happy to oblige them. The Angels, who desperately needed more power hitting and pitching, are getting exactly what they wanted from that trade.

Soler is right at the top of the Angels leaderboards in essentially every offensive statistic during spring training. Soler is slugging a whopping .444/.545/.833. In his 22 plate appearances, Soler has 8 hits, 15 total bases (leads the Angels thus far in camp), 2 home runs, 5 runs scored, 6 RBIs, and an 8:3 K:BB. He was obviously acquired for his slugging abilities, and so far everything is going according to plan.

Many people are saying that Mike Trout should be a full-time DH at this point in his career, given the Angels' dire need of his availability over the course of a 162 game season. Soler's presence disallows Trout from slotting into the DH spot, as Soler is a minus-minus defender whose value is maximized in a DH role. It did not appear to be the best fit at first glance, despite the massive need for his bat.

Trout will be playing predominantly right field in 2025 and beyond in an effort to preserve his health, but getting him off his feet as much as possible is a measure that was not considered when the team got Soler. Angels insiders presume that Trout is a restless person who would be swinging in the cages non-stop if he was a full-time DH -- swinging the bat is the cause for his back and hamate bone injuries from 2022 and 2023. While it feels like that could be easily monitored by coaches, the team decided simply to move him off centerfield i.e. what they did with Torii Hunter a decade ago. Thus opening the door for slotting in Soler.

In addition to the positive spring training results, Minasian cited Soler's makeup as a major reason for adding him. The Angels' GM is quoted as saying: "Great human being, A-plus clubhouse guy, somebody that our manager has familiarity with. Just felt like it was a really clean fit, really good fit for us and somebody that could help change our lineup." Adding Soler was the first, and possibly best, example of Minasian wanting to acquire veteran players to add more "professionality" in the clubhouse.

Soler clearly inspires awe in the Angels' prospects: just look at some of their faces in the dugout after he clubbed his first home run against the Giants (specifically Dario Laverde's). His mammoth home runs and intimidation factor at the plate will be much appreciated by fans during his Angels tenure. While there's a case to be made that he, not Taylor Ward, should be hitting leadoff, Soler's fit as the Angels' cleanup hitter is looking to be a match made in heaven.

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