Angels News: Halos Veteran Is Starting to Look Like His Old Self in Triple-A
The Los Angeles Angels made a surprising move in mid-April when they decided to send veteran David Fletcher down to Triple-A and promoted their 2022 first-round draft pick, Zach Neto, to take his place. Fletcher was struggling at the plate, with a dismal slash line of .125/.125/.125 and a .250 OPS in eight games and 16 at-bats. It seemed like there was little hope for the 29-year-old, leading to the unexpected decision.
However, recently, Fletcher has shown significant improvement during his time with the Salt Lake Bees in Triple-A. He has been performing well, slashing .347/.410/.417 with an impressive .827 OPS. He has also hit one home run, driven in 21 runs, and accumulated 50 hits in 35 games and 144 at-bats. This resurgence from Fletcher has taken everyone by surprise, although it was not entirely unexpected considering Fletcher's previous accomplishments.
Outside of the 2023 season, Fletcher had been a consistent player for the Los Angeles Angels, spending six seasons with the team, including the current one. Throughout his time as a Halo, he maintained a batting average of .277, and in 2021, he secured a five-year contract worth $26 million. Despite his recent struggles, Fletcher had proven himself in the past.
If the 29-year-old can continue his outstanding play, he will make it difficult for the front office and coaching staff to bring him back up and call down someone else. We'll see how that plays out, but we're ecstatic David is finding himself and looking better than ever. It remains to be seen how this situation will unfold and how it will ultimately impact the team.