The Angels announced Thursday that they’ve designated first baseman/outfielder Jared Walsh for assignment and transferred righty Ben Joyce to the 60-day injured list. That pair of transactions opens space on the roster for newly acquired right-handers Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez. Giolito will make his team debut tomorrow against Toronto, tweets Sam Blum of The Athletic. Lopez is with the Angels in Detroit and will be available out of the bullpen during today’s doubleheader, tweets Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register.
Walsh broke out with a hefty .280/.331/.531 slash and 38 home runs in 176 games from 2020-21, cementing his place on the Angels’ roster in the process. However, the now-29-year-old late bloomer has seen his production plummet in the two seasons since, due largely to alarming health issues. Walsh underwent thoracic outlet surgery last summer, ending his season after 118 games of .215/.269/.374 output at the plate.
The 2023 season has been even more concerning. Walsh was placed on the injured list early in the season due to persistent headaches and insomnia. Walsh detailed his struggles in an interview with Blum earlier in the season: “It’s been hell. Not knowing what’s going on, not understanding what’s happening with my body….And not being able to get answers, not being able to figure out why I can’t do basic tasks. It’s been pretty concerning for me.”
Walsh was thankfully at least able to return to the field, but the results have been nowhere near his peak levels. In 78 big league plate appearances, he’s batted just .119/.244/.224 while striking out in a third of his plate appearances. He’s batted .231/.394/.410 in 99 plate appearances since being optioned to Triple-A, but he’s still fanned in 30.3% of those trips to the plate.
The health troubles that have plagued Walsh are both frightening and immensely unfortunate. There’s little doubt they’ve derailed what looked to be a burgeoning big league career, and he’ll now either be traded, placed on waivers or released. He’s being paid $2.65MM this season and owed about $955K between now and season’s end.
Given the alarming nature of his health troubles and this season’s struggles, it’s far from certain that another club would trade for Walsh or place a claim if he lands on outright waivers. If Walsh clears waivers, he has enough service time to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency, but doing so would mean forfeiting the remainder of that salary. As such, he’d likely accept an outright assignment to return to Triple-A Salt Lake.
wow had high hopes for this guy, I loved watching him and was excited after his all star season. hope he does well with whoever picks him up
I wouldn’t mind the Yankees taking a flyer on this kid, since he’s a Yankee Killer. Who isn’t these days? Smh
Hey, he might flourish.
New York’s supposed to be the city that never sleeps.
Such an underrated comment! Well played.
@DCatrow……. Oh my…….. wow….. ha
Lately New York is the city that doesn’t win either.
That right field porch would help. Walsh is a great talent, but there’s a lot going on in that head. I hope the best for him.
Baseball is hard enough when everything is right. Unfortunately, everything isn’t right with Walsh. Hopefully, he can get things corrected as it is more a quality of life issue.
Yeah, Long Covid is the worst.
Poor guy!!! I feared this dude in ‘21, he raked
Philly please
Nah. Poor man’s Darick Hall.
With all the dregs pitching in relief, this is the guy the Angels designate?
Really?
Walsh had to go regardless. He’s hurting the team. Obviously this can’t be the only trade we make before next week so hopefully the bull pen is targeted next.
Exactly. Walsh might turn it around. Webb never really had it.
Agree. Not to mention wasn’t he a 2 way player for a while? Why not give him a shot as a reliever since his bat has gone silent. I can think of at least 4 pitchers on the 40 man roster that he’s probably better than.
@Halo11Fan-as your saying that comment, now I think the Yankees are definitely a match. Maybe, for Ron Marinaccio, or another minor league piece.
Yeah I don’t get it. I like Walsh but he’s most likely done. Not to many people come back from t.o.s.
Yes really. So what…….
with Angels .119/.244/.224 – striking out a third of his plate appearances
with SLC .231/.394/.410 – fanned in 30.3% trips to the plate
He won’t be claimed by another team who would then be responsible for paying him the almost $1M still due him thus ultimately it’ll be his choice if he wishes to continue efforts to get things straightened out in Triple-A or become a free agent.
As the article states, due to his service time, if opts to become a free agent, he will forfeit the remaining salary still due him.
This is similar to the Fletcher situation.
Good point. Fletcher stayed and guaranteed the money. I bet Walsh does the same.
Walsh was a 39th round draft pick and this is his first year of making really good money. He won’t want to walk away from a million.
If he gets claimed, that’s a different story.
I’d be shocked if AA doesn’t put in a claim on Walsh, so we can bring him back home to GA and get him back in familiar surroundings to right him, while adding some depth at AAA, which is severely lacking.
I’d imagine there’s another team higher up that would win the claim though.
I doubt he gets that far. He’ll probably get scooped up by the A’s.
He won’t get claimed due to his health issues and salary.
I personally think he will clear waivers, guess we will see soon though!
Just thinking about this more. Couple that with Rengifo when Drury comes back and that might keep them under the cap.
They are both non tender candidates and the Ohtani pick drops substantially if the Angels are over the cap.
Rengifo’s slashing .311/.392/.689 his last 15 games. He’s not going anywhere when Drury returns.
Last 15 games? He’s a non tendered candidate and a utility infielder. If he gets the Angels under the threshold, It’s a huge difference in draft pick compensation.
The Angels are very close. If it’s the difference, he’s not close to worth it.
I’m talking about when Drury returns which should be any day. As you said “non-tender,” I guess you’re talking about the off-season.
As much as I’ve always loved Rengifo, he’s hitting better and provides power in the middle infield. I can think of about a half dozen teams where he could start and bat third in the order. He still makes mental errors on defense, but is one of the most Athletic players on the Angels.
He would be a perfect fit for the Royals. He could slot in at 3 or leadoff for them and move Witt down a spy or 2, until he becomes more patient. Witt is super talented, but his lack of patience always seems to put him in the spot as a rally killer.
All I’m saying is that if Barria and Rengifo are the difference between going over the cap and staying below it, they should think about moving them.
Why else cut Walsh lose?
To the Brewers
I could see them swapping out Tellez for him, but it might just come out as a Walsh
Rays asleep at the wheel…this would have been a great combo to bring in, and plenty of prospects that should have been made available. If the Rays FO thinks Lance Lynn will turn the tide, think again–I watched him last night, and he looks disinterested and way past his prime. People love the strikeout rate–but if you are giving up that many hits and runs? Who cares.
“Disinterested and way past his prime”?
Hey I resemble those remarks…..
Ya but your Afro has him beat
“Disinterested” because of the club he’s on. With a contender he might be more animated.
This guy is the perfect example of why people get too invested in getting “six years of control” over guys in prospect trades. Even when prospects pan out well like Walsh, their success does not always last six years. In fact, very few prospects will ever make the six year mark. I’m not saying prospects should be avoided by any means, but you have to take them with a grain of salt as well.
Prospects are suspects. Not to mention, when players like Barria, Suarez, Rengifo, (Fletcher if he wasn’t locked up), Suarez hit arbitration, they are non-tender candidates.
So even if prospects make the team, unless they starters, they are non-tender candidates.
cubs
Jerry Dipoto line 1
They should have tried trading him rather than outright waivers. We saw some struggling guys traded already (Hernandez, DeGrom). Now they may get nothing for him.
What makes you think they didn’t try?? Can’t keep a guy in your lineup when he’s been killing you for two years.
They could have, true. I just never saw something rumored. I did like Walsh, still do, but not sure what the future holds for him.
I had a feeling that was coming.
Sad
Somebody’s trading for him. 2021 is not that long ago. I can’t see the Angels just sticking him on waivers either and letting a division rival like the A’s take a no risk gamble on him reestablishing himself.
T.o.s. Took his career was a good player, not to sure if anyone trades for him if so probably a lottery ticket. He has stated he can’t sleep because of the headaches being so intense. I would imagine fielding and hitting would be a problem as well.
Another victim of Thoracic Outlet surgery. That surgery is a career killer, much like microfracture surgery was last decade.
He has a health issue that is currently thought to not be from the TOS. Until its factually found to be the cause, why spread disinformation?
Wow, what a fall from grace. Here’s hoping he can get it back on track wherever he lands but as others here have already pointed out, TOS tends to be a career killer, especially for hitters.
I’m rooting for Walsh to get picked up by a team and he returns to what he was in 2021. Rockies might be a good spot. Once they trade seeing eye single Cron
Looking at this lineup, and wondering why they don’t have adell in the outfield, and ward at 1st or 3rd heck even catcher. Sucks when you have three automatic outs at this point who cares about defense.
Adell is on the injured list
Adell went on the DL with an oblique strain. Let’s see what the Angels get for Tucker Davidson, who will definitely be claimed.
For me the Joyce news is the bigger headline. It started as good news that it wasn’t a ligament. He was supposed to be back soon. And now his season is over. He was supposed to be a big part of the future. Another rookie goes down to injury. Another mysterious Angel injury
The reporter at the game said his season isn’t over, and drury should be back in a couple days, and trout has been swinging the bat
They always say that. I’m guessing he’s out for the season. Drury was supposed to be back after the AllStar break. Rendon was only supposed to be out a few days. Neto was supposed to be back 3 days ago.Every player was supposed to be back sooner than they do. Whatever timeframe they give I take with a grain of salt. They’re like a lousy mechanic or whoever that leads on a customer that it’ll be ready in a few days and then there’s a delay in parts or whatever excuse and the runaround goes on.
Neto is on the roster nevin is easing him, but I agree it’s usually a longer timeframe. Also they say elbow soreness, and two weeks later it’s a torn ucl.
Has anyone came back from thoracic outlet surgery the same or better? Feel like it’s a career derailer for everyone that gets it
I only know of strasburg, and zunino. Doesn’t look promising
Sad. I thought he was the most clutch player on the Angels just a couple of years ago. Hope he gets better and can make a comeback
I’ll never forget his grand slam in Yankee Stadium in the top of the ninth in a comeback win for the Angels.
Walsh looks like someone Milwaukee would put on their roster. I hope not!
where is dumpster diving theo when we need him the most??
COVID took its toll. He never recovered. Long COVID symptoms of migraines, vertigo, and extreme insomnia have made it pretty much impossible for him to hit. Really sad to see.
He crashed against the outfield wall back in 2021, I was at that game and he was going full speed and hit the part of the wall that is actually a huge door to let vehicles in the field. He had a concussion and shortly after the Thoracic Outlet surgery and he’s never been the same since.
Called it yesterday.
Savings on tax. Fletch 2.0
Wow he had a lonely PRIME year – he really rose and fell fast.
Now with health issues – Angels keep him off the team – they couldn’t do a Dodger thing to keep him on the insurance like they are doing with Toles – or I guess they hope he gets on another team
Just like someone said fletcher 2.0, he needs to accept the assignment, and go on the dl. It does come off as classless, and I’m sure it’s penny pinching arte
It’s not classless or penny pitching…..slots on the 40-man roster are premium and with all the call-ups required throughout the season you can’t assign one of those to someone who is not is not in a position to help the big league club. if needed. The Angels medical staff know a lot more about the depth of Jared’s health issues than do any of the commenters on here including me. Also, Arte doesn’t save a dime if Walsh doesn’t declare for free agency instead accepting his release or continued stay in Triple-A.
Baseball is a business period. The Angels will finally be playing meaningful games in August and hopefully on into September as they chase a playoff spot and the front office has a responsibility to the players and fans to do whatever they can to help that effort. Both the Walsh and Fletcher moves are part of that.
I didn’t read it right thought he was just under the service time Like fletcher.
Shame. This guy was fun to watch when he played in San Bernarghetto.
That team had him, Joe Adell, Luis Rengifo, and Griffin Canning, among others.
The damn “safe & effective” shot.
The “safe & effective” shot?