3 Angels players who won't be on the roster by September 1
The Angels roster will look different when September rolls around
The Los Angeles Angels roster looks quite different now than it did in the month of July. The Angels acquired a slew of players in trades. Chase Silseth is a member of the rotation now and pitching well, Logan O'Hoppe is back, and Nolan Schanuel shocked the world by getting his call-up.
The Angels are healthier now than they've been in a while even if they haven't played well as a team, and will continue to get reinforcements with Mike Trout expected back fairly soon.
By the time September comes around, the Angels roster will once again look different. They should be even healthier than they are now, and even if they aren't competing for a playoff spot, games should be more interesting with some young guys surrounded by Trout and Ohtani. Here're some players you can expect to be sent down or DFA'd before September 1.
1) LA Angels outfielder Jordyn Adams has proven he's not MLB-ready
Jordyn Adams looked like another Angels first round pick who wasn't going to develop into anything as he didn't hit much in the minors through the 2022 season. Adams then had a really solid spring training and good offensive numbers in the minors which helped earn him a call-up in August.
Adams had much-improved offensive numbers which put himself on the Angels radar, but make no mistake. The 23-year-old was called up because of his glove and his legs. Adams came up with the reputation of being a really strong outfielder with blazing speed. Unfortunately, those skills haven't shown themselves.
Adams had a rough debut in Atlanta defensively, and his error against the Rays opened the door to a big inning from them in the second game of the doubleheader against Tampa Bay. Adams did record two hits in that game which is good, but those are his only hits in 14 at-bats with six strikeouts overall which is less good.
The outfielder could find himself back up at some point this season or next, but it's pretty clear he has some things to work on. He'll go down when Trout comes back and I'd recommend doing it now and bring up a guy like Brett Phillips who can defend and run at a high level.
2) LA Angels infielder Andrew Velazquez has struggled in areas he's supposed to excel in
Like Adams, Andrew Velazquez is a player who is here for his speed and his defense. We all know that his bat is well below average, but in a reserve role he's fine as long as he doesn't have to start games. Injuries have forced him into the lineup, and the increased playing time has shown he's simply not the same guy.
Velazquez has committed five errors already in just 31 appearances. For comparison, the infielder committed eight errors in 124 appearances last season. Velazquez has been worth -2 OAA in the field and -4 DRS. He's gone from an elite defender to below-average at best this season.
His speed has also taken a turn for the worst. Velazquez ranked in the 93rd percentile in sprint speed last season and is now in the 57th percentile according to baseball savant. He's gone from a guy who has elite speed to marginally above average. This hasn't impacted his stolen base ability as Squid has swiped ten bags this season, but he's still not as valuable of a pinch running option as he once was.
If he's not a good defender and he's not an elite baserunner anymore, what is he? The Angels have other infield options they can turn to who I'm sure can be more productive either in the field or on the base paths if not both areas than Velazquez.
3) LA Angels pitcher Jaime Barria has pitched his way out of a role
Jaime Barria was an important part of the first half for the Angels, providing value in the rotation and especially the bullpen. When the Angels needed him in either role he really stepped up and helped the Halos win some games they might've lost if he wasn't there. Boy, has that changed in the second half.
Barria's downfall began that Sunday night game against the Astros. Tasked with earning a save, the notoriously shaky in big spots Barria struggled mightily and coughed up not only that game, but the series against the team the Angels were chasing. Barria allowed four runs in that inning of work to blow the save.
Since the All-Star break, Barria has posted a whopping 11.88 ERA in ten appearances after allowing nine runs in 2.2 frames against the Rays. Barria allowed three home runs in that outing and has allowed six since the All-Star break. He ended the first half with a 3.20 ERA. In a little over a month he's seen that number balloon to 5.32 in just ten appearances. To say he's struggling would be an understatement.
To add to this list of reasons why Barria should be gone, the Angels have seven starters. This means Griffin Canning has been working out of the bullpen as the primary long man. This also means Barria literally has no role except if Canning isn't available and the team needs length. The Angels are better off just DFA'ing him and bringing up an arm who can help not only this season but in the future.