Angels DFA Upton with $28M remaining on deal
Los Angeles Angels outfielder Justin Upton has been designated for assignment, the team announced Saturday.
The Angels owe Upton $28 million this season, which is his last in a five-year, $106-million contract he signed ahead of the 2018 campaign.
Los Angeles has seven days to trade Upton or place him on waivers. He is expected to become a free agent, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.
The 34-year-old was playing well this spring, hitting .333/.474/.933 with three home runs and 11 RBIs in seven games.
The Angels acquired the four-time All-Star in an August 2017 trade with the Detroit Tigers. In five seasons with Los Angeles, Upton posted a .232/.322/.443 slash line with 75 homers, 203 RBIs, and 17 steals.
Upton's best campaign with the Angels came in 2018 when he recorded a .808 OPS with 30 round-trippers and 85 RBIs in 145 games.
Jo Adell, Brandon Marsh, and Taylor Ward are all expected to get significant playing time in the corner outfield spots, Angels GM Perry Minasian told the Orange County Register's Jeff Fletcher.