The Angels have sent infielder Kevin Padlo outright to Triple-A Salt Lake, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. He had been designated for assignment a week ago in order to make room on the roster for Mike Moustakas.
Padlo, 26, signed a minor league deal with the Halos this winter. He hit .266/.383/.532 through 149 plate appearances in the minors for a 116 wRC+. That showing got him added to the club’s roster just over a week ago as they were dealing with injuries to Gio Urshela, Zach Neto and Anthony Rendon. With Padlo’s ability to play the three non-shortstop infield positions, he could have provided them with valuable versatility in covering for those injuries.
However, the Angels quickly pivoted to players with more major league experience, acquiring both Moustakas and Eduardo Escobar in quick succession. Padlo was bumped off the roster less than a week after being selected, garnering just eight plate appearances in three games.
That brings his total major league experience to 26 games, as he also got brief looks in the past two years with the Rays, Mariners, Giants and Pirates. He’s hit just .111/.158/.167 in those sporadic stints in the big leagues but has continually drawn interest based on his versatility and minor league track record. He has a combined .250/.340/.477 line in Triple-A over four different seasons.
The fact that he has been outrighted means that he cleared waivers. As a player with a previous career outright, he has the right to reject this assignment and elect free agency, though it’s not yet clear whether he has chosen to do so.
More must-reads: