The Los Angeles Angels have made some puzzling roster decisions in recent years, but their latest move might be one of the most questionable.
After years of frustration with Anthony Rendon’s inability to stay healthy, the team seemingly addressed the issue by signing Yoan Moncada — another player with a lengthy injury history. Before the 2025 season has even begun, Moncada is already dealing with a thumb injury that could land him on the injured list.
This raises an obvious question: What exactly were the Angels thinking?
Rendon’s tenure in Los Angeles has been a disaster. After signing a seven-year, $245 million contract in 2020, he has played in just 200 games across four seasons. His injuries include hip, hamstring, groin, wrist and shin issues, all of which have prevented him from being the offensive force the Angels expected. The Angels needed a replacement when Rendon went down again this spring with a hip injury that will likely sideline him for the entire 2025 season.
Enter Moncada, another player who has spent more time on the injured list than on the field in recent years. In 2024, he played just 12 games for the White Sox due to persistent back issues. The two seasons before weren’t much better — he managed only 92 games in 2023 and 104 in 2022, dealing with various lower-body strains and other nagging injuries. Despite his once-promising potential, Moncada’s production has steadily declined, making him a risky option for a team struggling with durability.
The Angels’ decision to bring in Moncada feels like a desperate attempt to plug a hole without considering the likelihood that he, too, would end up injured. If Rendon’s frequent IL stints were a significant problem for the team, why would it bank on someone with an equally troubling injury history?
Even beyond health concerns, Moncada’s offensive production has dropped significantly. His last standout season was in 2019 when he hit .315 with 25 home runs. Since then, his numbers have steadily declined, with his power fading and his batting average plummeting. Over the past three seasons, he has combined for just 25 home runs and struggled to maintain a league-average OPS.
This move is another example of the Angels’ long-standing problem: a lack of clear direction in roster construction. After finishing last in the AL West in 2024, they made several veteran additions — Moncada, Tim Anderson, Yusei Kikuchi, Kyle Hendricks, Jorge Soler and Kenley Jansen. Still, it’s unclear if these moves make them a true contender.
Instead of committing to a complete rebuild or a decisive playoff push, the Angels seem stuck in a cycle of patchwork fixes. Banking on Moncada to stay healthy after watching Rendon struggle with the same issue is emblematic of this flawed approach. Now, with both potentially out, the team finds itself scrambling for answers again.
If the Angels want to escape mediocrity, they need to start making more thoughtful, long-term roster decisions. Replacing one injury-prone player with another isn’t the solution.
