Los Angeles Angels DFA A's Fan Favorite

The Los Angeles Angels have designated Ryan Noda for assignment, according to his MLB.com player page. The 29-year-old had been claimed off waivers from the Athletics in November, but was unable to crack the Angels roster in 2025, spending his time in the organization in Triple-A Salt Lake.

In his time in the minors this season he hit just .148 with a .364 OBP and a .634 OPS. His strikeout rate has always been a bit higher than the ideal, but this season it crept up to 34.4%, and he doesn't have the power profile to make that high strikeout rate work.

Noda will now be on the lookout for his next opportunity.

The first baseman was originally acquired by the Athletics from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Rule 5 Draft, and had a solid season with the A's in his rookie year of 2023. He hit .229 with a .364 on-base, 16 home runs, and a 122 wRC+, making him roughly a top-10 offensive first baseman that season.

He struggled mightily out of the gate in 2024, batting just .128 heading into May, and the A's optioned him to the minors, where he spent most of the rest of the season. Noda was called back up in September, and went 2-for-9 with two walks and five strikeouts.

During the last home series, he showed up wearing a shirt celebrating the Oakland Coliseum, and in the final game that he played there against the New York Yankees on September 22, he was brought in as a pinch-hitter and smacked a two-run double to bring the A's within a run.

The A's ended up losing that game, and Noda ended up being optioned to Double-A Midland since the RockHounds were still playing games at that point. As of right now, that is his last appearance at the big league level.

Noda has bounced around a bit, being drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays before being traded to the Dodgers, and selected by the A's in the Rule 5 Draft, and everywhere he's gone he has been beloved. He thrives on just being around the guys in the clubhouse, and the hope is that he'll get another opportunity here before long.

There are currently eight big league clubs that are putting up a wRC+ at first base that is below 70, with the Reds trailing the pack with a 40. One of those teams could take a flier on Noda and see if they can catch some lightning in a bottle.