Angels News: Signing made after Mike Trout injury, former star signs with White Sox
Well, it's better than nothing.
To say the Los Angeles Angels 2024 season is in trouble would be a drastic understatement. As if the Halos' win-loss record wasn't bad enough, Mike Trout will miss a good chunk of time. The Angels superstar outfielder suffered a knee injury that will require surgery.
Though the injury isn't expected to keep Trout on the shelf for the rest of the season, it's the latest in a series of gut punches to Ron Washington's ball club. A quiet offseason that saw the team's best player exit stage right has snowballed and turned into a disastrous start to the new campaign.
The Halos haven't won a series since taking two of three from the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field last month and have lost 10 of their last 12 games. The wheels are coming off and the calendar just flipped to May.
LA Angels News: Kevin Pillar signed to offset loss of Mike Trout
With Trout headed to the IL for the next several weeks and the Angels having already parted ways with former New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Hicks, LA needed reinforcements. Perry Minasian and Co. decided to sign veteran outfielder Kevin Pillar to help bring some stability to the Angels' outfield.
Pillar was a casualty of the Chicago White Sox roster shuffle when the South Siders added Tommy Pham. Pillar was designated for assignment just last week. The veteran played in 17 games for the White Sox this season but his batting average is sitting below the Mendoza line and the 35-year-old owns a meager .650 OPS on the year. This addition will hardly help to offset the loss of Trout, but it's better than nothing.
LA Angels News: Former star Jared Walsh signs with White Sox
Former Angels' All-Star Jared Walsh has a new home. Walsh had initially signed with the Angels' AL West rival, the Texas Rangers, but was DFA'd earlier this season after failing to produce at the plate. Walsh hit just .226/.317/.321 while occupying a spot on the Rangers roster.
Walsh spent five seasons in LA, received some Rookie of the Year votes in 2020, and earned an appearances in the Midsummer Classic in 2021. But an injury-riddled campaign in 2023 resulted in Walsh's dismissal from the Angels roster. The first baseman will now try his hand with the White Sox who are one of the worst teams in Major League Baseball this season.
Angels fans surely wish Walsh all the best with his new team, except when the Halos make a visit to the Windy City later this season.