Los Angeles Angels: Albert Pujols to platoon at first

With his Hall of Fame career coming to an end, Los Angeles Angels first basemen Albert Pujols will see his time in the field dwindle with prospect Jared Walsh taking over the lion’s share of playing time.

Jared Walsh, a 39th round pick in the 2015 draft, has proven he is ready for a full season in the majors. In a small sample size last year (108 plate appearances), Walsh slashed .293/.324/.971 on his way to smashing 9 home runs, 4 doubles, and 2 triples.

From Walsh’s rookie season with the Los Angeles Angels in 2019 to his second season in 2020, his advanced metrics dramatically improved. Walsh’s homerun percentage rose from a measly 1.2% to 8.3%. Further, and most importantly, the lefty stopped striking out at such an alarming rate. In 2019, Walsh was striking out in 40% of his plate appearances. By comparison, in 2020, Walsh only struck out in 14% of his plate appearances; a 26% drop.

The 27-year-old mashed in five minor league seasons compiling a line of .301/.375/.913 while smashing 85 home runs in 1,952 plate appearances. The kid can hit.

As MLB.com reporter Rhett Bollinger wrote:

But either way, Walsh figures to be in a critical spot in the order and will get most of the starts against right-handed pitching, while Pujols will serve as his backup and likely see most of his time at first base when there’s a lefty on the mound.

Walsh has clearly earned a spot in the starting lineup while Albert Pujols will handle duties at first against lefties. It is unclear how long this will last as Walsh’s slash lines against LHP are similar to his career numbers against RHP. We may not see Walsh garner many plate appearances against lefties during Pujols’ final season of his 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels but in 2022, Walsh’s playing time will increase even more.

With an aging and deteriorating body, this is the best possible scenario for Pujols. He still maintains his plate appearances while continuing to work on keeping his legs fresh for the entirety of a season by keeping his time in the field to a minimum. Sitting at 5th all-time in home runs with 662, Pujols does not have a chance to catch the next man up; Alex Rodriguez who sits at 696 career home runs.

In essence, this was the plan all along for the Los Angeles Angels. They are able to give Albert Pujols his playing time while maintaining a competitive team. Jared Walsh has made this possible with his emergence for both the organization and future Hall of Famer. It is time for Pujols to hand over the torch.