Angels Free Agent Heads Back to American League East

The first baseman and former All-Star accepts a minor league contract.

C.J. Cron's return to the Angels in 2023 could not have gone much worse. 

The trade that brought the veteran first baseman to Anaheim along with outfielder Randal Grichuk failed to bridge the gap between the Angels and the final wild-card berth in the American League standings.

Adding injury to insult, Cron made two separate trips to the injured list in a two-month span. He played his final game with the Angels last year on Sept. 21 in Tampa Bay. It could be his final game with the Angels, period.

The Boston Red Sox have reportedly signed the veteran first baseman to a minor league contract:

Sources tell me and @KenRosenthal the Red Sox have a minor league deal with first baseman C.J. Cron, adding another right-handed power bat into the mix.

— Chad Jennings (@chadjennings22) March 1, 2024

Cron played 56 games last season for the Rockies and another 15 for the Angels, slashing .248/.295/.434 overall.

In 1,049 career games over parts of 10 seasons, Cron has a .260 batting average, 187 home runs and 604 RBIs. He made his only career All-Star team in 2022 with Colorado.

Given his past success, perhaps it's a bit surprising Cron had to settle for a minor league deal at a point in the baseball calendar when most players are already in camp. 

However, Cron is 34 and effectively limited to first base and DH duties. Even if he is fully recovered from the lower back inflammation that marred his time with the Angels, Cron will face questions about his ability to be an everyday player.

In 2022, his last full season, Cron hit 29 home runs and 102 while batting .257 for the Rockies.

A Fullerton native, Cron was drafted by the Angels 17th overall in 2011 and made his major league debut three years later. From 2014-17, Cron batted .262 with 59 home runs and 213 RBIs in 408 games in Anaheim. 

Now Cron returns to the American League East for the first time since 2018, Cron's lone season with the Tampa Bay Rays. His journeyman career has taken him to Minnesota and Detroit.