In what has to be considered a pretty shocking move, the Los Angeles Angels announced on Friday that they have designated two-time All-Star catcher Jonathan Lucroy for assignment.
Despite some overall struggles at the plate in 2019, this has to be seen as a major surprise. A veteran of 10 MLB season, Lucroy handled the young Angels pitching staff extremely well.
It’s not like Los Angeles is getting an upgrade from the plate, either. The team acquired Max Stassi from the Houston Astros during the trade deadline. Stassi is hitting .218 with a .298 OBP in parts of seven MLB seasons.
Even with his struggles at the plate this season, Lucroy has been much better from that perspective. He’s hitting .241 with a .310 OBP.
The Angels head into this weekend’s action with a 56-54 record and 6.5 games out of the final wild card spot in the AL.