One of the moves that the Los Angeles Angels made over the course of the season was to bring in infielder Mike Moustakas. He was brought in to help stabilize the infield for the Halos and has had an up-and-down stint with the team.
The veteran is hitting .241 with eight home runs and 27 runs batted in over 50 games with the team. He provides a decent source of power to their lineup but also isn’t the most efficient batter at the plate.
So what does his future hold with the Halos? Angels insider Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register provided some thoughts on a possible reunion for next year.
“I asked Moustakas if he’d like to come back and I asked Minasian if he’d like to bring Moustakas back, and both were noncommittal, saying it was something to address after the season. That being said, a reunion does make some sense.”
The team could do a lot worse than Moustakas, but with the Halos looking at another year of missing the postseason, they need to start thinking long-term. He can provide them with a nice-stop gap type of player, but does he want to return?
At this point in his career, he probably wants to play for a winning team, and right now, the Angels don’t fit that mold. But he also may not want to start over somewhere else and could return to the Angels due to guaranteed playing time as well.
“Moustakas can play third and first, which are two spots the Angels need covered. He’s also developed into a clubhouse favorite, providing some leadership. The fact that Moustakas was not among the players placed on waivers is noteworthy.”
No matter what happens this offseason, if they can bring him back on a short-term deal, they should. He brings experience to the table and gives them a decent bat each night out.
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