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The Los Angeles Angels entered the offseason with one of the most obvious unanswered questions on the roster: third base. That uncertainty is now gone. Yoán Moncada has officially re-signed with the Angels on a one-year, $4 million deal, a move that quietly but decisively settles a position the club could no longer afford to leave unresolved.
Moncada’s return doesn’t generate headlines, but it brings clarity—and for this version of the Angels, clarity carries weight.
The 31-year-old switch-hitter returns after a season defined by limited availability but real offensive value. In 84 games last year, Moncada hit .234 with 12 home runs, 35 RBIs, and a .783 OPS, performing especially well at Angel Stadium and in run-producing situations. Injuries to his right knee and right thumb kept him off the field for nearly half the season, yet when healthy, he remained one of the Angels’ more dependable bats against right-handed pitching.
More importantly, Moncada’s re-signing reflects a reality the organization formally acknowledged months earlier.
Anthony Rendon Is No Longer Part Of the Equation
Any lingering ambiguity surrounding the Angels’ third-base plans effectively ended in December, when the club and Anthony Rendon agreed to restructure the remainder of his contract, according to ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez. Rendon was due $38 million in 2026, the final year of the seven-year, $245 million deal he earned following his starring role in Washington’s 2019 championship run.
Instead, the Angels and Rendon agreed to spread those payments out over multiple years—an arrangement that all but confirmed his on-field tenure in Anaheim is over. Rendon will not officially retire, but he is not expected to play in 2026 and will continue rehabbing from his home in Houston after missing all of last season due to hip surgery. While he will technically remain on the roster, the Angels can place him on the 60-day injured list to free up a spot.
The restructure closes the book on one of the most disappointing contracts in franchise history. Rendon appeared in just 205 of a possible 648 games with the Angels, producing 3.7 FanGraphs WAR and never playing more than 58 games in a season. His last home run with the team came in July 2023.
With Rendon no longer a realistic option, third base became a vacancy rather than a debate.
Why Moncada Fits the Angels’ Current Reality
Last season, Moncada and Luis Rengifo split time at third base, with Moncada receiving the bulk of the starts when healthy. Rengifo is now a free agent, leaving the Angels with limited internal alternatives and little incentive to gamble on an unproven solution.
At $4 million, Moncada represents a low-risk commitment that aligns with the Angels’ broader, cost-conscious approach this offseason. The club has avoided long-term deals and instead prioritized flexibility, and Moncada fits squarely within that philosophy. Even with defensive concerns lingering after knee surgery, he provides stability at a position that has been anything but stable for years.
Moncada doesn’t need to be the player he once was with the Chicago White Sox. He simply needs to be available, competent, and productive enough to justify every day at-bats. Given the circumstances, his return is less of a gamble and more of a practical solution.
For an Angels team trying to stabilize its roster and move forward from past missteps, resolving third base with Moncada is a quiet step toward order—and one they could not afford to delay.
Alvin Garcia Born in Puerto Rico, Alvin Garcia is a sports writer for Heavy.com who focuses on MLB. His work has appeared on FanSided, LWOS, NewsBreak, Athlon Sports, and Yardbarker, covering mostly baseball. More about Alvin Garcia
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