Former Angels First Baseman Signs With American League Contender

Maren Angus-Coombs | Jan 2, 2025

Sep 21, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Angels first baseman Mike Ford (36) puts out Texas Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien (2) at first base during the fifth inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Twins have signed former Los Angeles Angels first baseman Mike Ford to a minor-league contract with an invitation to major league spring training, according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi.

Ford appeared in 28 games with the Angels during the 2022 season, hitting .231 with four doubles, three home runs, and five runs batted in.

The 32-year-old made his MLB debut with the New York Yankees in 2019 and made an immediate impact in 50 games. He posted a solid .259/.350/.559 line with 12 home runs in just 163 plate appearances.

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This strong start earned him more opportunities with the Yankees over the next two seasons, but he struggled to build on his early success, slashing just .134/.250/.276 in 156 plate appearances across 2020 and 2021. Ultimately, the Yankees traded Ford to the Tampa Bay Rays in a cash deal midway through the 2021 season.

Ford never suited up for the Rays in a big league game and bounced around the league quite a bit after the 2021 season.

#MNTwins are excited to watch Mike Ford compete in spring training for time at 1B. Minor league deal, invite to big league camp. @jonmorosi first. Ford has bounced around a ton, even playing in Japan for a stretch last summer. pic.twitter.com/ygvt1VeX0M

— Darren Wolfson (@DWolfsonKSTP) January 2, 2025

Two months after being acquired by the Rays, Ford was claimed off waivers by the Washington Nationals. Following the 2021 season, he was non-tendered by Washington but soon signed by the Seattle Mariners and added to their 40-man roster for the 2022 season.

However, before making his debut with Seattle, Ford was traded to the San Francisco Giants in a cash deal. His time in San Francisco was brief, lasting only one game before he was traded back to the Mariners. Ford then appeared in 16 games for Seattle before being designated for assignment and claimed off waivers by the Atlanta Braves. After playing five games in Atlanta, he was traded to Anaheim, where he finished the 2022 season, appearing in 28 games for the Angels.

Ford's 2022 season was disappointing after being traded between four teams, hitting just .206/.302/.313 in 149 plate appearances. He returned to free agency and signed a minor league deal with Seattle, where he rebounded in 2023.

Ford had a breakout year, slashing .228/.323/.475 with 16 home runs in 84 games, though he struggled with strikeouts. Despite his power, the Mariners non-tendered him after the season. Ford then signed a minor league deal with the Cincinnati Reds in 202,4 but struggled in 17 games with a .150/.177/.233 line.

After being released, he briefly played for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in Japan before returning to free agency. Now, he's found his next home with the Twins.

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