Who Should The Angels Use as Their DH Next Season?

It's not who you think it is.

As the Angels look to improve in 2024, they have to fill a Shohei Ohtani-sized hole at the designated hitter spot. Ohtani has occupied that position since 2018, and outside of a few games in the outfield, never let it go.

Reports have come out that the Angels are taking a look at all their options, including veteran J.D. Martinez. 

However, the team could greatly benefit from a philosophical change in that position.

The Change

Injuries have plagued the Angels at key positions. Both Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon have struggled to stay on the field consistently for the team. So, to compete next year, both of these players need to be healthy throughout 162 games. 

The solution is simple, use a rotating designated hitter to keep guys off their feet and act as a pseudo "day off." The club already has most of the pieces on the roster to pull this off, so they would not need to spend big to do it.

By rotating different position players into the spot, the Angels could keep Trout's bat in the lineup while minimizing his risk of injury in the field. The same goes for Rendon and Mickey Moniak.

If the Angels can keep all three of these players healthy, that alone should increase their win total next year.

How to pull it off

The Angels already have enough positional versatility on their roster to help execute this strategy. Brandon Drury plays all over the infield. He can be an everyday infielder while also giving Rendon a breath at third base here and there.

Taylor Ward not only played every single outfield position last year, but was drafted as a catcher and converted to third base as a minor leaguer. If general manager Perry Minasian signed a solid outfield bat, Ward could conceivably slide to third base to spell Rendon, and play center when Trout needs to DH.

Instead of spending big on someone like Martinez or Teoscar Hernandez, who project to make $20 million in 2024, Minasian could bring in a utility player for less money and focus his free agent budget elsewhere. There are potentially less expensive free agent outfielders and third basemen available to make this idea work.

Veteran Jean Segura, who debuted with the Angels in 2012, should not command a lot of money, but can play on the left side of the infield. A career .281 hitter, Segura would not need to be an everyday bat but could fill in when needed. 

When the National League instituted the designated hitter for the 2020 season, the Dodgers employed a rotation of DHs around a flexible roster. Joc Pederson, Justin Turner and Kiké Hernandez all provided depth in the field and only rotated in at DH when the matchup dictated. All three are currently free agents.

Of those three players, Hernandez plays everywhere besides catcher and would likely not command a large raise (if any) on his $10 million base salary from last season. He could rotate from right field to center field to third base, and give his teammates at each of those positions a day off their feet.

Turner, 39, earned a base salary of $8.3 million in 2023, his only season with the Boston Red Sox. He batted .276 with 23 home runs and 96 RBIs while seeing time at first base, second base and third base.

A rotating designated hitter approach does not have the appeal of penciling an everyday hitter into the spot — particularly with Martinez looming as a free agent after another productive season in Los Angeles. 

However, in an attempt to compete in the AL West, the Angels should look to this method to keep their best players available late in the year.