Why Are the Angels Benching Their Future?
The Los Angeles Angels are running out of time. With just 38 games left in the season after salvaging the series finale against the Athletics, the Halos sit back in the same spot, not terrible enough to write off the season just yet, but also not good enough to seriously become a real postseason threat. Their decisions continue to reflect that confusion. One specific decision has led to more questions than answers.
That decision has been to bench the Angels' number one prospect, Christian Moore, from playing every day. Since Moore’s return from the injured list on August 3rd, 2025, he has appeared in 11 games and pinch-hit in three of those 11 games. Instead, the Angels have turned to veterans Luis Rengifo and Yoan Moncada, who are filling Moore’s usual spots at second and third base. Both have outproduced the 22-year-old so far this season. Why put a worse hitter at the plate every day, instead of a guy who's struggling to get to terms with being in the majors? Why give those chances to the newcomer when he’s not the top option? Well, there’s a multitude of reasons, but some make more sense coming from Angels management as well as the front office.
The Angels have team control over Moore for about six years from now, instead of Rengifo and Moncada, both of whom will become free agents at the end of the season. The Angels might see both players walk away at the end of the season, making the front office more hesitant for Moore to take up playing time for players who are on the clock. Yes, both players are putting up better numbers than Moore, but not so much that it makes a significant difference in the Angels' chances of a postseason appearance this year. Moncada has a WAR of 0 in 55 games, Rengifo’s is 0.4 in 113 games, while Moore has a -0.1 WAR in 29 games. A player with a WAR of 0 is contributing less to the team than another readily available player.
If the production gap is minor, then the choice to bench Moore is all the more questionable. Moncada and Rengifo are both producing, but neither player is going to be a long-term building block. Moore has already outpaced his development in the minors, and with every game he sits on the bench without a bat or his glove, it's an opportunity wasted. The Angels are not a team known for their development. For example, this is a team that has done that with other players this season, like starting pitcher Jack Kochanowicz, who has been going from one start in the minors to jumping up to start in the majors, then sent back down after a horrendous start. Decisions like that can be the difference between a player gaining confidence in their development or completely throwing all of that off.
The Angels' chances of making the postseason are now at 0.9 percent, according to FanGraphs. With the playoff odds slipping away seemingly every day, winning for this year is no longer a realistic goal. At this point, the only real win the angels can gain is the future. Christian Moore should be playing every day, learning through the mistakes, and building toward the player the franchise hopes he can become. Keeping him on the bench might allow him to see the game at a slower pace, to take in and learn from. Yet, prioritizing veterans who may not be returning with the Halos in 2026 and onwards would be a very short-sighted move that speaks to the Angels’ larger identity crisis.
