MLB free agency kicks off with Angels acquiring Jorge Soler

The Angels, fresh off another bruising season and still reeling from Shohei Ohtani’s departure, don’t wait long to make their first big move in the offseason. They swing a deal with Atlanta, acquiring Jorge Soler in exchange for right-hander Griffin Canning. The 32-year-old slugger from Havana, known for his explosive power, seems to be just what Anaheim’s looking for to inject some muscle into a lineup that, frankly, has gone a bit quiet.

Soler’s power at the plate is undeniable. In 11 seasons, he’s tallied 191 career home runs, including a jaw-dropping 48 homers back in 2019 with Kansas City. His more recent work with the Marlins last year saw him hit 36 home runs, earning an All-Star nod, before moving briefly to the Braves at the trade deadline. In a combined season between San Francisco and Atlanta, Soler hit .241/.338/.442 with 21 homers and 34 doubles across 142 games. Those numbers offer a glimpse of his ability to shift the momentum of a game with a single swing.

Angels general manager Perry Minasian doesn’t mince words about the acquisition: “We felt like we needed to make this move sooner than later. We spent the last three weeks looking at our club - the strengths and weaknesses. We identified Jorge as somebody that would really fit. It’s right-handed power. It’s somebody that can change a game with one swing of the bat.”

To Minasian, this move is a way to address some of the team’s deep-seated struggles. The Angels finished with the third-worst slugging percentage in baseball last season - a worrying stat for a club that once boasted Ohtani’s heroics and has Mike Trout on its roster. Trout’s recurrent injuries have made reliable power hitting all the more crucial, and Soler could be the right piece to bring back the club’s edge.

And it isn’t just his power at the plate that makes Soler a strong acquisition. He’s a two-time World Series champion and a proven postseason performer. Atlanta manager Ron Washington, who was the Braves’ third-base coach during their 2021 championship run, watched Soler earn the World Series MVP title that year. “I had a great relationship with him,” Washington says, and he’s sure the dynamic will carry over into Anaheim. For Soler, that trust and familiarity mean he’s hitting the ground running. “I expect we’ll continue that relationship during my time with the Angels,” Soler says through an interpreter.

The contract details are also straightforward: Soler has two years left on a three-year, $42 million deal he signed with San Francisco, with the Angels assuming his $13 million annual salary. While that’s not cheap, Minasian appears ready to invest in a more competitive team. “We’re going to be aggressive,” he says. “We have a lot of areas where we can improve. This is move number one and we expect there to be more moves.”

Canning, meanwhile, heads to Atlanta with some impressive stats of his own—though not always for the right reasons. He led the American League in earned runs allowed last year with a 5.19 ERA over 171.2 innings. Despite his rough season, Canning’s ability to make all his scheduled starts has value. He’s eligible for arbitration, with free agency looming in 2025, and a fresh start in Atlanta might be what he needs. Minasian calls the decision to part with Canning a hard one, as they’re now more motivated than ever to explore options in both the free-agent and trade markets for starting pitching.

As for Soler’s role with the Angels, Minasian is open to possibilities. Soler is most comfortable as a designated hitter - his defense has never been his strong suit - but he’s willing to step into left or right field if needed. “I have no issues wherever they put me,” Soler says. “I’m going to be ready for whatever the team wants from me.” He joins a crowded outfield that includes Taylor Ward, Jo Adell, Mickey Moniak, and Trout. For now, Minasian is keeping options open, saying, “We’ll see where it goes.”

For an Angels team that has endured more than its fair share of disappointments, acquiring a player like Soler is a way of signaling that they’re not backing down. Whether or not Soler’s power and postseason chops can get the team back into contention is anybody’s guess, but the Angels seem ready to find out.