Angels insider believes "Marcell Ozuna taking DH spot, Ronald Acuna Jr. coming back" as reasons behind Braves swapping Jorge Soler for Griffin Canning
Jorge Soler was always the odd man out due to Marcell Ozuna's exceptional performances and Ronald Acuna Jr.'s potentially looking for some time in the designated hitter role to ease through his rehab in the upcoming season.
As such, Angels insider Jon Frisch believes the move by the Braves to trade Soler for Griffin Canning was motivated by this reason. He said as much on the "Locked on Angels" podcast on Friday:
"Atlanta needed to make space in the lineup with Marcell Ozuna taking the designated hitter spot full-time," Frisch said [15:54]. "Ronald Acuna Jr. is coming back; he’s, of course, going to play the outfield. This also cleared up salary for the Braves in turning Soler over to the Angels."
Frisch also sees the possibility of the Braves flipping Canning to another team, saving money. The insider cited Atlanta's previous instances of flipping acquired players as an example.
"So, remember last year they took on David Fletcher and Max Stassi from the Angels? They got Evan White from the Mariners, but then they flipped him to the Angels shortly after they flipped Stassi to the White Sox," Frisch said. [16:18]
Many believe the trade will hurt the Angels, particularly as Mike Trout will be looking to play some games in the DH spot. However, Frisch believes Soler will add a much-needed slugging spark.
However, Marcell Ozuna's standout 2024 season, in which he finished second in batting average at .302, belted 39 home runs, and drove in 104 RBIs, left Jorge Soler without a spot in the Braves' lineup.
Insider explains why Jorge Soler in the lineup could benefit the Angels
Contrary to popular opinion, Frisch believes Jorge Soler could play a big part for the Halos. As history suggests, Mike Trout's injury and the cold streaks of Jo Adell and Taylor Ward are to be expected. Frisch believes that Soler could come in handy in this scenario.
Even though youngsters like Zach Neto and Logan O'Hoppe are good contact hitters and base stealers, they are not on the same slugging level as Jorge Soler. Therefore, the insider likes the move by the Angels.
Nevertheless, it remains to be seen how well Soler will perform for the Angels, where he won't get the same freedom as he did at the Braves. Mike Trout and an in-form Jo Adell could certainly help.