The Angels are designating infielder Keston Hiura for assignment, reports Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register (X link). The move opens an active roster spot for the reinstatement of Luis Rengifo from the 10-day injured list. The Halos now have two vacancies on their 40-man roster.
Rengifo missed around three weeks with inflammation in his right wrist. It doesn’t seem all that serious. The Halos fortunately managed to get him back a week before the deadline, giving him a few games to demonstrate he’s at full health. The switch-hitting Rengifo is one of the better offensive options who should be available this summer. He’s hitting .315/.358/.442 across 269 plate appearances.
While he’s unlikely to maintain a .349 average on balls in play, Rengifo should still be an above-average hitter. He makes a ton of contact and topped 15 homers in 2022 and ’23. Over the past two and a half seasons, he owns a .275/.325/.437 line over more than 1200 trips to the plate. He has destroyed left-handed pitching while turning in league average results against righties. Rengifo isn’t a great defender anywhere, but he’s capable of bouncing around the infield and occasionally logging corner outfield reps.
Rengifo is making $4.4MM this season. He’s controllable through arbitration for one more season. MassLive reported yesterday that the Red Sox have shown some interest, though they’re likely one of many teams that’ll be in touch with the Halos. Speculatively speaking, the Yankees, Pirates and Royals are a few others that would make sense as suitors for Rengifo.
Hiura got the call in conjunction with Rengifo’s IL placement. The former #9 overall pick went 4-27 (all singles) and struck out 10 times in as many games. That was Hiura’s first major league work since 2022. Since an excellent rookie campaign five years ago, he’s a .203/.287/.384 hitter with a 38.5% strikeout rate at the MLB level.
The UC Irvine product has continued to hit well against Triple-A pitching, but he hasn’t carried that over against MLB arms. He owned a solid .270/.346/.536 slash over 68 minor league contests with the Tigers and Angels before being called up. He’s out of options, so the Halos couldn’t send him back to the minors without taking him off the 40-man roster. It’s unlikely they’ll find a trade partner, so Hiura is likely to hit the waiver wire this week. He has already cleared outright waivers once in his career and could elect free agency if he goes unclaimed again.
Yep. figured this was coming. Hiura can’t translate his AAA numbers to the MLB, and he’s the most expendable.
You only get a finite number of chances.
Hiura is AAAA
Like many players on the Angels roster this season.
At this point, I look at Keston Hiura’s stats with a sigh of disappointment. What could he have been if he lived up to his standards?
Just in tine to trade Rengifo.
coop – I hope the Red Sox stay away.
“inflammation in his right wrist, It doesn’t seem all that serious”
Doesn’t matter if he is healthy enough to play now, wrist injuries usually have a lingering negative impact on hitting.
@fpg it was from a slide didn’t look serious
Rex – Out three weeks doesn’t seem like a minor injury to me though. Even if it’s fully healed, it’s probably not as strong as it was. Let’s see how he hits up to the deadline.
@fpg I would be worried about his defense that doesn’t show up in advanced metrics.
Rex – I agree, I see he DH’ed yesterday.
@fpg now that I think about it he got hit in the hand fielding a ball, the slide a couple days later, and leaving after swings in the batting circle. It could be something more serious also i dont trust the angels medical team. Just saying as a angels fan his defense is crap really can only play third and is below average at 2nd everything else is terrible, but he can bat.
Dodgers could really use him
other team to Yankees Red Sox I think the pirates will make a play for him
@butter he is a freidman draft pick from the rays.
Hiura will be the next Braves retread attempt.
A lot of Angels news lately. That said, I’m surprised there isn’t a story regarding Trout’s setback in his rehab start tonight at SLC. I’m guessing there will be a story bright and early tomorrow.
@a&n west. I saw that but I’m sure he’s going to get shutdown at some point because it doesn’t matter.
He’s outta hiura!
Rengifo is entering his Prime. He should be offered an extension. He can hit for average, he’s got some power, he’s versatile in the field, he runs well and can steal bases. He would be very useful to a team with a deep lineup hard to beat since he can rotate through. It could be the difference in the playoffs between advancing and getting bumped out.