LA Angels 2025 Opening Day Roster Projection 2.0: Is Christian Moore in or out?

Catchers (2) - Logan O'Hoppe & Travis d'Arnaud

Infielders (6) - Nolan Schanuel, Luis Rengifo, Kevin Newman, Yoán Moncada, Tim Anderson, Ryan Noda

MiLB: Christian Moore, Scott Kingery, Kyren Paris, J.D. Davis, Niko Kavadas, David Mershon, Chuckie Robinson, Juan Flores

Injured List: Zach Neto, Anthony Rendon

The pick for second base is Tim Anderson over Christian Moore. Moore has replaced Anderson as a substitute in games enough times to comfortably call the matchup for Anderson. Even though the Angels could have kept Luis Rengifo in a third base platoon with Moncada and Moore as the every-day second baseman, Anderson's ability to play both shortstop and second base looks to be the reason the Angels are starting him in nearly every spring training game. The notion of keeping Kevin Newman as your only shortstop on your Opening Day is definitely absurd, and it appears the Angels are acknowledging that at Moore's expense. Newman's a nice player, but he needs help.

Well, why can't Kyren Paris make the team over Anderson -- the Angels would have to make room on the 40-man roster to add Anderson but not for Paris? Bachman could easily be sent to the 60-day injured list and they have an obvious DFA candidate in Hans Crouse. When one of those transactions occurs, the corresponding move will undoubtedly be to move T.A. to the 40-man.

There might be some doubt out there, but it looks very likely that Rengifo will avoid the injured list because of his hamstring soreness. He is playing in games, albeit not the major league games. There is still plenty of time left in spring training for Rengifo to get game reps, while still making sure he does not further tweak his hamstring. When the Angels get to Opening Day, they can still monitor Rengifo's workload as he can be platooned with both Moncada at third base (ideally Moncada plays vs. RHPs, and Rengifo plays against LHPs) and Anderson at second base. Keeping him on the active roster about two weeks from now is not pushing it with him, despite him being incredible injury-prone.

Ryan Noda will assuredly be used more than Scott Kingery, and is less positionally redundant that adding Paris. They are trying Noda out in right field so he would not exclusively back up Schanuel at first, maybe also be a defensive replacement for him, and appear as a pinch hitter. He can't be that much worse than Jorge Soler in the outfield!