The Los Angeles Angels added as much depth as possible around Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani by making a number of transactions during the previous offseason. One of their initial actions was the seemingly astute acquisition of Hunter Renfroe.
Renfroe appeared to be the ideal corner outfielder that the Angels sorely needed. He was obtained for what appeared to be not much, and he was as reliable as they came in terms of power.
The Renfroe addition, of course, was a bust. He had a fantastic start, especially at Angel Stadium, but faltered badly from May through August before the Reds eventually took him off waivers. Renfroe hit 20 home runs this season, 19 of which came in 126 games with the Angels, while having a.713 OPS.
It was difficult to predict just what kind of deal Renfroe would receive when he reached free agency. He fit the description of a guy who could be a platoon player on a stronger team or a great comeback candidate on a less successful club. Even though he wasn’t a regular player, he had the opportunity to win.
Renfroe discovered the former, which is undoubtedly better for his career. He agreed to a deal to play for the Kansas City Royals, who had become quite competitive.
Renfroe was largely unnoticeable when his team needed him, despite having occasional strong outings in the field and at the plate. In 2023, he batted.171 with a.533 OPS when there were runners in scoring position, which seems high. In crucial situations, he routinely flailed at pitches that were nowhere near the zone, costing the Angels runs that they should have scored.
Renfroe acquired two guaranteed years despite the poor season, with the option to opt out if he has a successful rookie campaign in Kansas City. That’s a huge accomplishment for him and evidence of his success prior to being acquired by the Angels. The low ball contract stems from the reality that he was a huge let down for the Angels.
Renfroe comes into a Royals club that was in dire need of reinforcements to protect stars such as Vinnie Pasquantino, Salvador Perez, and Bobby Witt Jr. Renfroe’s season was gone, and the Angels, who already had an overcrowded outfield, were never going to be able to get him back.
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