It seems that the Los Angeles Angels are looking all around for help across their roster. With new manager Ron Washington in the mix, the team believes that they have a chance to make things happen next season.
MLB insider Bob Nightengale of USA Today is reporting that the Halos are interested in bringing in former Houston Astros catcher Martin Maldonado this winter. The veteran has spent the last few seasons with the Astros before hitting the free-agent market now.
"Free-agent catcher Martin Maldonado is drawing interest from five teams: The Angels, Astros, Padres, White Sox and Marlins."
Maldonado has been a key component in the Astros success of late and the Angels like the idea of having a more veteran presence within their catching staff. He has been around the game for a long time and could help out the young players on the Angels team.
Last season with the Astros, Maldonado hit .191 with 15 home runs and 36 runs batted in. He was more of a calming presence for the Astros pitching staff and could provide the same for the Angels.
They have Logan O'Hoppe, Max Stassi and Matt Thaiss behind the plate, but all have their issues. The Angels likely see O'Hoppe as their franchise guy, so having Maldonado teach him more of the ropes could make sense.
He also has already played for the Angels organization back in the 2017-2018 season, so he is familiar with the team. And bringing in Maldonado could allow the Angels to move off at least one, if not two, of their catchers on the trade market.
This is one potential move for the Halos this offseason, and they have competition from multiple teams. The Astros badly want Maldonado back as well, so the Angels may need to pay a solid price to pull him away.
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