The Los Angeles Angels designated infielder Jeimer Candelario for assignment on Saturday after seven games and just two hits.
In a corresponding move, the team reinstated infielder Vaughn Grissom from the injured list.
The Angels signed Candelario as a free agent on Feb. 9 and invited him to spring training, despite two poor seasons in Cincinnati. He earned a spot on the Opening Day roster in Anaheim after hitting .235 in the Cactus League but with four home runs and 11 RBIs.
That power and productivity did not follow the 32-year-old into the regular season. In seven games with the Angels, he was 2-for-18 hitting, both doubles. He didn’t drive in any runs and struck out eight times.
Candelario, an 11-year veteran, has 110 home runs, 384 RBIs and a career .236 batting average with five teams.
Candelario was traded by the Cubs to the Tigers with Isaac Paredes for Alex Avila and Justin Wilson in 2017. He signed with the Nationals as a free agent in 2022. Candelario played in 590 games over six seasons for the Tigers.
Broken toe for Springer
Toronto designated hitter George Springer suffered a fractured left big toe when he fouled a ball off his foot in the third inning of Saturday’s home game against the Minnesota Twins.
Springer fouled a 1-0 pitch off his left foot while facing Minnesota’s Joe Ryan. Springer continued the at-bat and grounded out to third base.
Myles Straw hit for Springer in the sixth inning.
Springer had walked and scored on Dalton Varsho’s home run in the first inning.
Now in his sixth season with the Blue Jays, Springer is hitting .189 with two home runs and six RBIs in 13 games. The 36-year-old has played in at least 133 games for the Blue Jays since the 2022 season.
Mets call up Kimbrel
The New York Mets called up nine-time All-Star reliever Craig Kimbrel on Saturday.
Kimbrel, 37, signed a minor league deal with the Mets in January.
Kimbrel ranks fifth all-time with 440 career saves. He led the National League in saves in four straight seasons with the Atlanta Braves, starting with his Rookie of the Year campaign in 2011.
He tallied 39 saves for the San Diego Padres in 2015 and recorded more than 30 saves in three straight seasons for the Boston Red Sox (2016-18) before his performance started to decline.
He bounced around with seven major league teams over the past seven seasons. Last season, Kimbrel pitched in 42 minor league games for the Braves, Texas Rangers and Houston Astros organizations and made just 14 appearances in the majors, 13 coming with Houston and one with Atlanta.
Overall, he is 56-48 with a 2.58 ERA in 851 career relief appearances.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: MLB roundup: Angels designate for assignment former Tiger Jeimer Candelario
Reporting by Field Level Media, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
