Dodgers Rumors: Brandon Drury Signs With Angels
Another one bites the dust! The Dodgers continue with the theme of this offseason as one more intriguing free agent who had been linked to LA signs with another team. On Tuesday, ESPN’s Jeff Passan was among those to report that utility star Brandon Drury is heading to the Angels on a two year deal.
Utilityman Brandon Drury and the Los Angeles Angels are in agreement on a two-year, $17 million contract, sources familiar with the deal tell ESPN. Drury, 30, won the Silver Slugger at the utility position last year and is the third bat the Angels have acquired this winter.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 21, 2022
Considering the 2022 Silver Slugger award winner signed for two years and just $17 million, it’s a little disheartening to see the swing and miss by the boys in blue.
Rumors had swirled that the Dodgers were engaged with the infielder/outfielder, but chances are high that he opted for the Angels for more guaranteed playing time. With the Dodgers, Drury would have been a luxury akin to the era Kiké Hernandez was with the team. Hernandez alongside Chris Taylor had to bounce all around the field just to get into the lineup regularly.
Where Drury would have really helped in LA is as a true backup at third base which, after losing Justin Turner to the Red Sox over the weekend, now only has Max Muncy and Miguel Vargas (who has been working out mostly at second base this offseason) on the depth chart at the position.
With the Angels, Drury potentially slots in as their every day first baseman who sees some time at third base, second and in the outfield.
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Didn’t want him anyway.
Vargas is working out at 2B to allow him to get more AB’s. He has slow feet and projects as a 3B or LF. Working out at second will help him be a better third baseman however.
Since MLB “brilliantly” banned the shift (something that has long time been part of baseball, BTW) teams now have to be more careful about who they play at SS and 2B.