The hot stove of the MLB offseason is heating up as the Los Angeles Angels signed All-Star Catcher Travis d’Arnaud. After another solid season, d’Arnaud will go to his fifth team in his 13th season. The Angels are having another rebuild and are depending on the veteran championship presence of d’Arnaud.
Los Angeles signed the veteran to help the team’s catching depth and potential designated hitter depth for the roster. While the move is surprising for a team like the Angels, it could be a placeholder move during the upcoming season as a trade piece for prospects from other teams. The Los Angeles Angels signing d’Arnaud to a two-year deal could help the team get a veteran presence and a bat for the offense.
Travis d’Arnaud Career Statistics
With the MLB offseason off to a slow start in free agency, the Los Angeles Angels signed veteran Catcher Travis d’Arnaud to a two-year deal. The deal is a shocker due to the Angels’ disastrous 2024 season with a franchise high in losses and injuries. This deal could do well for d’Arnaud who was not re-signed to a contract with the Braves after another solid season.
d’Arnaud in the 2024 season had another good season with 15 home runs and 48 RBI while the Braves were dealing with injuries. The former All-Star had a tremendous tenure with the Braves winning a championship in 2021 against the Astros. This move proves that the Braves will be going all-in on Sean Murphy who they traded and signed before the 2024 season.
Los Angeles Angels Add Veteran Presence To a Struggling Team
While the Los Angeles Angels signing d’Arnaud doesn’t make them contenders, it could make them better in 2025. The former All-Star could be a great mentor to the Angels’ up-and-coming star Logan O’Hoppe. O’Hoppe had a solid season with the Angels and could be a star for the team in the future. The Angels in the 2024 season had a disaster of a season, with a franchise high of losses.
Los Angeles had a litany of injuries during the season, including losing Mike Trout for the remainder of the season. Trout has not been fully healthy for the past two seasons, and could be in his twilight. Signing d’Arnuad while not a game-changer, could do well in supporting Trout for the hitting depth. There is also a chance that the Angels could also use d’Arnaud as a trade chip for the upcoming season. The Angels will not be doing anything this season due to the star power of the American League. There are also their cross-town rivals in the Dodgers winning a World Series and could get overshadowed again.
Even with this signing, the Angels could get prospects for d’Arnaud if he stays healthy this coming season. Los Angeles could get a solid deal for d’Arnaud this coming due to his veteran bat and power from the right side. d’Arnaud could benefit from the designated hitter role of the team due to his age and sub-par catching ability.
Final Thoughts
The Los Angeles Angels signing d’Arnaud, while seemingly insignificant, could help them have a better season for the team. Los Angeles signing a veteran bat could do well in inspiring the team after a dreadful 2024 season. While the team might not go anywhere this season, having a veteran bat could help the younger hitters. O’Hoppe could benefit from having d’Arnaud be a mentor in his young career.
There is also a chance that if the season doesn’t go well for the Angels, d’Arnaud could get a nice trade package. Even with the potential of another weak season, the Angels could use their veterans as trade pieces for a better future. While the Los Angeles Angels signing d’Arnaud seems like a simple move it could start the long offseason. MLB teams will be signing players soon and this could be the first domino of the hot stove.
