Kurt Suzuki would provide an offensive boost for the Los Angeles Angels.
The market after Yadier Molina is pretty sparse, but there are a few bounce-back candidates or defensive-first options who can help out the Los Angeles Angels pitching staff.
Kurt Suzuki has recently been linked to the Angels and while his defense leaves a lot to be desired, the Angels could be attracted to his offensive production.
Suzuki played in 33 games for the Nationals last season, slashing .270/.349/.396 and an 8.5% walk rate. His 101 wRC+ is well-above the league-average mark for catchers and was the fourth-straight season he’s produced a wRC+ over 100.
As recently as 2019, Suzuki hit 17 home runs in eight games, with 11 doubles and a minuscule 11.7% strikeout rate.
Max Stassi had a breakout offensive year in 2020 (139 wRC+, .886 OPS) but can he keep up that sort of offensive production across a full season? Platooning Stassi and Suzuki together could produce a notable amount of offense from the catching position for the Angels.
And on a moderate one-year deal, Suzuki likely falls within the price range the Angels could be looking to spend as they devote resources allocated for McCann elsewhere now that he’s in New York.