Los Angeles Angels perfect landing place for Kean Wong

Kean Won could not have asked for a better landing place than the Los Angeles Angels.

On Sunday, the Tampa Bay Rays made the decision to release Kean Wong. He simply did not appear to have a future with the organization, a victim of a numbers crunch given the Rays multitude of options on their infield. However, that did not mean that Wong would not have a chance to succeed with another franchise.

That opportunity may have come on Tuesday. The Los Angeles Angels claimed Wong off of waivers, placing Griffin Canning on the 60 day Injured List to create room on the roster.

After three seasons in AAA, Wong finally got a look at the major league level this season. He did not exactly do much with those chances, with just three hits and five strikeouts in 14 plate appearances. Wong did perform well in AAA however, producing a solid .286/.350/.413 batting line with 24 homers and 73 doubles in 1425 plate appearances.

More from Call to the Pen

• Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
• Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
• Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
• Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
• 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals

The still 24 year old also provides the Angels with an intriguing utility piece. While he has spent most of his career at second and third, Wong has also played all three outfield positions and spent time at short. That versatility can be a boost for any team.

The Angels do have several similar players. Matt Thaiss has seen action at both corner infield spots, and has a bit of pop. David Fletcher may be a better comparison, as he has seen action at third, short, second, and the corner outfield spots. With Zack Cozart and Tommy La Stella both back for 2020, there may not be enough room for all three of those players on the major league roster.

Yet, the Angels are still the perfect landing spot for Wong. They have a lack of young talent in the upper levels, giving him a realistic chance to land a major league job next season. The Angels also value the type of versatility that he can bring, without having a multitude of potentially better options ahead of him. Wong could finally get his chance to prove whether or not he is a viable option at the game’s highest level.

Kean Wong has a new franchise with the Los Angeles Angels. This may be the perfect opportunity for him to get an actual look at the major league level.