The Los Angeles Angels are having trouble finding an everyday player at second base. The Halos acquired veteran infielder Danny Espinosa over the off-season, but that hasn’t panned out like the organization thought it would. Is it time to look for other options to try to find some production?
This season Espinosa is hitting .138 with three home runs and 13 RBI in 33 games. He’s been almost unbearable to watch at the plate this season. Luckily for the Halos, Espinosa is on a one-year deal, and isn’t tied to the organization long-term.
The next option was veteran Cliff Pennington, but he hasn’t been playing much better this season. He’s hitting just .235 with four RBI in 18 games. Pennington has six walks with ten strikeouts, and has put together some quality at-bats.
The Angels don’t believe Pennington can be the everyday starter, and didn’t bring him in to do that. He signed a two-year deal with the Halos this off-season, but is better used as a utility infielder off the bench rather than an everyday starter at second.
Well, that leaves one more easy option, and that would be to call up Dustin Ackley from Triple-A. The former 1st rounder has played in 28 games in the minors this season and is hitting pretty well. He’s hitting .287 with one home run and 18 RBI with 13 walks in Triple-A.
The 29-year-old could be the Halos next best option to fill in at second base. The Espinosa experiment needs to end, and it’s time to give Ackley a shot to earn a spot on the roster.