Angels Release Longtime MLB Veteran Infielder

Maren Angus-Coombs | Jun 5, 2024

Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports

Veteran utilityman Hunter Dozier was released by the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday, per the transaction tracker on MLB.com.

Dozier signed a minor league deal with the Halos in January but will now return to the open market in search of his next job. However, he’s still being paid by the Kansas City Royals as part of the extension he signed in 2021.

Apparently there wasn't much the Angels liked about Dozier except the free labor. He spent the entire season with Triple-A Salt Lake, batting .222/.268/.394 with 44 hits, including 11 doubles, one triple, seven home runs, 22 runs scored and and 28 RBIs.

History!

Hunter Dozier has set a new Salt Lake franchise record with his NINTH RBI of the day! pic.twitter.com/9smMFnkKQi

— Salt Lake Bees (@SaltLakeBees) May 8, 2024

Dozier saw playing time at first base, third base, right field and left field, but struck out 64 times. His 29.9 percent strikeout rate was extremely high and he only collected 12 free passes.

Dozier was on an upward trajectory when the Royals decided to invest in him. In 2019, he hit 26 home runs and slashed .279/.348/.522. His numbers began to drop off in 2020 with six homers in 44 games. He hit 16 in 2021, 12 in 2022, and two last season.

While Dozier hasn’t been able to replicate his 2019, the Royals are still paying him for the rest of the year. Perhaps another club will follow the Angels’ lead and give him a minor league deal with another team footing the bill.