Angels Sign Veteran Infielder Coming Off Breakout Year as Busy Offseason Continues

Maren Angus-Coombs | 3 Hours Ago

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The Los Angeles Angels signed veteran middle infielder Kevin Newman on Thursday, coming up with a temporary fix at shortstop while Zach Neto recovers from a shoulder injury.

Newman could also provide depth across the infield at second base and third base while Luis Rengifo and Anthony Rendon recover from their own injuries.

Newman's deal was first reported by Sam Blum and Will Sammon of The Athletic and was officially announced by the club a few hours later. It's a one-year, $2.5 million deal with a club option for 2026.

The 31-year-old just wrapped up a season with the Arizona Diamondbacks, posting a .278 average and a .686 OPS. Defensively, he showed versatility, logging time at multiple positions: 55 games at shortstop, 44 at second base, 10 at first, and eight at third.

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Newman recorded 10 defensive runs saved over 754.1 innings in the infield this season, per Sports Info Solutions. For context, Neto saved 11 runs in 1,332.2 innings.

With a career batting average of .262 and a .665 OPS across seven MLB seasons, Newman spent his first five years with the Pittsburgh Pirates. His standout year was 2019, when he hit .308 with 12 home runs and an .800 OPS, marking the only season his OPS exceeded .700.

The depleted Angels infield will count on Newman to step in for their injury prone lineup.

Neto recently had shoulder surgery, and according to general manager Perry Minasian, there’s a chance he could miss part of the season’s start.

Kevin Newman filled in nicely at shortstop when Geraldo Perdomo missed time, and served a valuable utility role the rest of the year. Nice pickup for the Angels. https://t.co/30oKDw7jCu

— Jesse Friedman (@JesseNFriedman) November 14, 2024

Rendon has struggled with recurring injuries over the last four years but is projected to be healthy by spring training.

Rengifo, who missed the last two months of the season due to wrist surgery, is also anticipated to be ready for spring training.

Even if Neto’s back by Opening Day, Newman seems like a solid bench choice for an Angels roster that really lacks reliable backups. Right now, former top prospect Scott Kingery is the main bench option, while the 40-man roster only offers Eric Wagaman, who just made his big-league debut at 27, and Kyren Paris, who had a tough season across Double-A, Triple-A, and the majors. Newman brings much-needed depth and helps lift the team’s baseline with his strong defensive skills.

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