It only took 1 game to see that an Angels free agent signee will have a major impact

The Angels have a massive amount of money tied up in players who they view as elite, and have a multitude of players who could develop into stars that they need to save up for. Everybody knows about guys like Mike Trout, Zach Neto, and Ben Joyce, but the Angels might have signed someone who could actually round out their roster nicely for once. A 36-year-old backup catcher, who is making $6 million each of the next two seasons, could be their most impactful player in 2025.

d'Arnaud made his Angels debut in their third spring training game. If he can handle the entire pitching staff like he handled Kyle Hendricks' two innings pitched, then fans could see a stark difference in the amount of runs scored on the Angels in 2025.

Hendricks was flawless in his outing, and he attributed his obscure pitch mix to d'Arnaud's savvy pitch calling: “I don’t think I’ve ever tripled up on a curveball,” Hendricks said. “He’s forcing me to get out of my comfort zone, but that’s a good thing to make me more unpredictable.” A pitcher like Hendricks, who relies heavily on unpredictability and painting corners, benefitted and will continue to benefit from Travis d'Arnaud. The catcher excels at telling pitchers what and where to throw, stealing strikes, and blocking balls in the dirt -- all vital aspects of the sport that will reap tons of rewards out of the pitching staff.

Travis d'Arnaud is bringing an element to the game that the Angels have lacked for a long time now. Everybody blames the Angels' pitching staff and defense for poor run prevention, but a stabilizing veteran catcher is a roster piece they have lacked in recent years. d'Arnaud and his high baseball IQ behind the plate can turn everything around for this franchise. Even though he will make less in 2025 than guys like Mike Trout, Anthony Rendon, Yusei Kikuchi, Tyler Anderson, Robert Stephenson, Jorge Soler, Kenley Jansen, and Taylor Ward, d'Arnaud's ability to bolster both the pitching staff and lineup could make him the team's X-factor.

"Travis just really stuck out for us -- someone that can not only play at a high level, but the makeup is off the charts," Perry Minasian said after he signed the catcher. "He's a winner. He's played on a ton of winning teams. He knows what winning teams do. He's got the ability to affect the locker room in as positive of a way as anybody I've ever been around. He's great with young pitching. He's great with coaching staffs. He's great with managers. He's just an awesome guy."

It's one thing to say that, but it's another for fans to see it in action. He clearly plays loose and has fun, but with a know-how that very few will reach in their careers. Once d'Arnaud gets his legs under him and starts catching guys like José Soriano, Reid Detmers, Jack Kochanowicz, etc., then perhaps he can help lead them to their ceiling sooner rather than later. Or perhaps he will predominantly catch the veterans in Hendricks, Tyler Anderson, and Yusei Kikuchi? Either way, he has the ability to unlock guys on the mound when he is paired up with them.

d'Arnaud's presence will impact Logan O'Hoppe in a major way as well. O'Hoppe is already a leader in the clubhouse, and d'Arnaud will help him lead the pitching staff and the locker room. d'Arnaud's game planning abilities, and continuity with Sal Fasano, could allow O'Hoppe to view the game in an entirely new way.

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