Angels Free Agent Drawing Interest From 3 Other Teams
Gio Urshela's Angels tenure mirrored that of the 2023 club: started strong, then fell flat.
The awkward fall that fractured Urshela's pelvis last June 15 could prove to be his final moment in an Angels uniform. According to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, Urshela is drawing interest from three teams in free agency.
Update: Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports the Angels have now submitted an offer to Urshela, as well:
Urshela, 33, batted .299 in 62 games last season with the Angels. He might prefer a reunion with the Yankees after his breakout 2019 season in the Bronx, during which he slashed .314/.355/.534 as the team's primary third baseman.
In every season since then, Urshela's power numbers have declined. He had only 11 extra-base hits among the 64 he collected before his season-ending injury last season.
In addition to re-establishing his power stroke, Urshela needs to re-establish his health. He was officially added to Licey's Dominican Winter League roster in January, but did not appear in a game.
The Angels have ostensibly moved on from Urshela with a new group of infielders for 2024. They invited veterans Miguel Sano and Hunter Dozier, both corner infielders, to spring training on minor league contracts. Anthony Rendon and Nolan Schanuel are expected to start at third base and first base, respectively.
The Angels' current group of middle infielders includes Zach Neto, Luis Rengifo, Kyren Paris and Michael Stefanic. Brandon Drury can also play some second base when he is not handling first base or designated hitter.
Signed as a utility infielder with the ability to fill in at multiple positions, Urshela made $8.4 million in his only season with the Angels. SNY reports that he would likely fill a similar role with either New York team.
