The 2023 Los Angeles Angels roster consists of 64 players. That’s tied for the second-highest total in club history, and with three more, they’ll break the record. This is due to the high number of injuries and the continual player turnover.
The Angels have been forced to use many players who weren’t on their initial 40-man roster. The lack of depth in the organization contributed to the team’s catastrophic collapse.
Some young players and veterans on each side see limited action and are quickly forgotten by spectators. Do you recall the three games last year that Austin Romine caught? How about the lone relief appearance by Brian Moran? Tough to keep in mind. There have been numerous instances like this throughout the current season.
In the year 2023, Chris Okey will be long forgotten by Los Angeles Angels fans.
The Angels’ starting catching duo of Logan O’Hoppe and Matt Thaiss. Even though O’Hoppe was the team’s first choice, the Angels were keen to give Thaiss a lengthy look despite the fact that he was out of alternatives.
When O’Hoppe went down with an ιnjury at the beginning of the season, Thaiss was catapulted into the starting job. The Angels were fortunate in that they already possessed a capable third catcher in AAA in the form of Chad Wallach. The issue is that there weren’t many other choices besides Wallach. The Angels would be in deep trouble if either Thaiss or Wallach was hurt.
After Wallach was placed on the concussion IL in early May, the Angels promoted Chris Okey, a minor leaguer they had signed on Opening Day. Okey played with the Reds for seven games in 2022, collecting two hits in 12 at-bats.
Even though he wasn’t signed by a team prior to Opening Day, the Angels still saw fit to have Okey catch Shohei Ohtani in his Angels debut. He was unable to get a Һit in either of his two at-bats against the Astros, and he also struggled to catch Shohei. Okey only ended up playing in two games for the Angels, the second of which was on defense. To make room on the 40-man roster, the organization designated him for assignment in July, but he was unclaimed and has since been playing for AAA Salt Lake.
2) Reyes Moronta’s 2023 season with the Los Angeles Angels is often forgotten.
Reyes Moronta was a fantastic closer for the Giants in the past. The right-hander spent four years with San Francisco, during which time he made 135 appearances and posted a 2.65 ERA. However, injuries cut his time with the Giants short.
In 2022, Moronta made 39 appearances for the Diamondbacks and the Dodgers while maintaining a 4.30 ERA. At the start of the current season, he was a member of the Rangers’ organization. However, the team cut ties with him after he was not selected for their Opening Day roster. After spending time in the Mexican League, the Angels signed Moronta to a minor league contract in the middle of May.
The Angels brought up the 30-year-old after he spent only ten days in the minors. Moronta struggled in his Angels debut, surrendering two hits and a walk before coming out of the inning unscathed thanks to two strikeouts and some defensive support. The second time he pitched, Moronta had less success, allowing two singles, two walks, and a run to score.
After Moronta’s second poor performance, he was designated for assignment (DFA), but he was unclaimed and sent to the minors.
Thirdly, LA Angels followers often fail to recall that Kevin Padlo was a member of the squad as recently as the year 2023.
You could have predicted that Anthony Rendon would be placed on the Injured List after he was Һit by a pitch in Texas. Rendon was placed on the disabled list, however the team didn’t make the announcement for a few days. Padlo took his position. As both Rendon and Gio Urshela were sidelined, Padlo stepped in to play third base for a short period of time.
Before this season, the 27-year-old has played in a total of just 23 Major League Baseball games among four different organizations. He ended up playing in just three games for the Angels. With runners on second and third and no outs, he stepped into bat against Clayton Kershaw and got the start, but he grounded out on the first pitch he saw. The Angels failed to score at that crucial juncture and went on to score zero runs.
Padlo started one final game for the Rockies and came off the bench in the 25-1 rout. Before being demoted, he managed just one Һit in eight total at-bats.
Although the Angels called up Padlo again in late July after acquiring Randal Grichuk and C.J. Cron from the Rockies, he did not play in a game and was designated for assignment the next day when Grichuk and Cron arrived. After going unclaimed off waivers, he finished the season with AAA Salt Lake.
Fans of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim seem to forget that Austin Warren was a member of the organization as recently as the year 2023.
Angels fans are likely familiar with pitcher Austin Warren, who made a total of 30 appearances in 2021 and 2022. Warren’s career-best ERA from his first season, 2021, was 1.77, but it ballooned to 5.63 in 2022. This past winter, Warren was designated for assignment (DFA) in order to make place on the 40-man roster, but after a solid spring, he was able to return to the picture.
Warren spent the first month of the season in the minors, but the Angels’ bullpen wоes meant that he was called up to the big leagues on April 21. Warren made appearances in the next two games against the Kansas City Royals and allowed one run оver 1.2 innings before being placed on the disabled list.
Austin Warren’s Tommy John surgery announcement came just two days after the Angels’ announcement that Jose Quijada would also undergo the procedure. Because of this, his season had to stop early, and it will set him back for the next year.
Warren is now on the Angels’ 60-day injured list, but he will likely be designated for assignment this offseason if they need to make room on their 40-man roster. If Warren is healthy, he will be a valuable addition to any minor league bullpen as a depth reliever.
They don’t remember Livan Soto’s 2023 season with the LA Angels, number 5
Former footballer Livan Soto is another nаme that brings back memories for fans. In 2022, Soto was a September call-up who made the most of his opportunity, batting.400 in 55 September at-bats. While the Angels enjoyed seeing Soto rack up hits, they understood he was more like the player who had unimpressive minor league stats.
Soto started the year in AAA Salt Lake and was expected to be the Angels’ first call-up in the event of an infield ιnjury, thanks to his stellar play in September. However, he failed so badly that the team sent him back to AA Rocket City.
Before being called up by the Angels to replace the injured Anthony Rendon, Soto Һit.100 (ten hits in fifty-five at-bats). Soto spent nearly a month with the team but only got into four games. Before being demoted to the minors, he managed two hits in nine at-bats and three walks.
Despite the Angels’ many injuries this year, the 23-year-old has continued to strugglе in the minors, where he has an overall.677 OPS.