First baseman and outfielder Trey Mancini is a free agent once again after declining a minor league assignment from the Los Angeles Angels on Monday.
The Angels had designated Mancini for assignment last week, and after clearing waivers, he was sent back to Triple-A Salt Lake — the same place he started the season. Rather than accept that assignment, the veteran opted to pursue free agency.
Mancini had not appeared in a major league game since July 2023 until the Angels called him up from Salt Lake on June 8. He made an immediate impact in his first start, going 3-for-4 against Houston and driving in a run during his very first at-bat back in the big leagues.
Over five games and three starts with the injury-depleted Angels, Mancini went 4-for-13 with a triple and four RBIs. His final appearance came on June 14 before the team decided to designate him for assignment.
The 34-year-old has a remarkable story beyond baseball. He missed the entire 2020 season while successfully fighting Stage 3 colon cancer, then returned to the field in 2021. Across 836 career major league games, Mancini carries a .263 batting average along with 129 home runs and 404 RBIs, having played for the Baltimore Orioles from 2016 through 2022, the Houston Astros in 2022, the Chicago Cubs in 2023, and most recently the Angels.
In related roster moves, the Angels brought designated hitter and outfielder Jorge Soler back from the injured list. Soler had been sidelined with an oblique strain since June 3 and was hitting .220 with nine home runs and 33 RBIs in 58 games before going down.
To make room, the Angels designated infielder Nick Madrigal for assignment. Madrigal batted .273 in 15 appearances for Los Angeles this season. It marked his first time in the majors since playing with the Cubs in 2024.
