Angels Add Infielder From AL West Rival

Valentina Martinez | Nov 3, 2024

Sep 22, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; Oakland Athletics infielder Ryan Noda hits a two-run double against the New York Yankees in the sixth inning at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images / Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Angels claimed infielder Ryan Noda off waivers from the Oakland Athletics Friday. It marks one of many moves that Angels general manager Perry Minasian has orchestrated in the early days of the offseason.

The Angels also acquired infielder Scott Kingery from the Philadelphia Phillies for cash considerations Friday and traded Grffin Canning for Jorge Soler from the Atlanta Braves.

Noda was added to the 40-man roster and Kingery is on a minor-league deal. Noda spent most of the 2024 season in Triple-A. Noda is a first baseman, but played 11 major league games in the outfield.

Noda, 28, is a left-handed hitter with a career .212 batting average. He also has a .713 OPS in 164 games over the last two seasons.

In 2023, Noda hit 16 homers with a .364 on-base percentage and a .770 OPS in 495 plate appearances. He spent the entire 2023 campaign on the A's roster.

In his rookie showing, he hit 16 home runs but his strike out percentage was unnervingly high at 34.3 percent.

Noda was a Rule 5 pick out of the Los Angeles Dodgers organization in 2022. Minasian is hoping the offseason is one of the organization's best to date. Bringing players like Noda to Los Angeles helps add depth to the Halos' roster.

Following the poor performance from the Angels in 2024, Minasian pleaded with fans to stick with the team. He insinuated that the 2025 season would be better.

“For our fans, the ones that have been following us over the last three years and have gone through what we’ve gone through the last three years, I wouldn’t jump off the bandwagon now,” he toldJeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register.“This team is going to improve. It’s going to be an exciting team to watch going forward. Again, I wouldn’t jump off a bandwagon now.”

“As far as the season goes, very frustrating from a small-picture standpoint,” Minasian said. “Big picture, there are a lot of things to be excited about. I believe this is the type of year that we’ll look back at a year from now, two years from now, and say that was huge.”

Thus far, Minasian has made good on his promise to fans as he's been one of the most aggressive general managers in the early stages of the offseason. Angels fans are anxious to see what other tricks Minasian has up his sleeve.