Erick

Aybar

Aybar, who has been keeping Brandon Wood out of the Texas League, is batting .285/.333/.409 in 107 games.

Aybar posted a rough .645 OPS with the Padres in 2017 and didn’t play with a major-league affiliated team this year, but he put up good numbers in the Mexican League and is currently playing winter ball in the Dominican Republic. He’ll be 35 in January and will have to settle for a minor league contract at this point in his career.

Aybar went 4-for-12 during his three weeks on the bench. The Angels shouldn’t call on him again until he’s actually needed.

The Angels must be a little concerned about Orlando Cabrera’s finger. Aybar will act as insurance at shortstop for at least the next couple of days.

Mathis joins Erick Aybar, Curtis Granderson, Robinson Cano, Dillon Gee, Ross Detwiler, Ivan Rodriguez, Michael Morse, and Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera. Two Taiwan major leaguers, Nationals right-hander Chien-Ming Wang and Dodgers left-hander Hong-Chih Kuo are expected to be part of the Tawain team that will play the MLB team in the 2011 All-Star Series.

Aybar said he hasn’t heard how much progress was made in negotiations, but it doesn’t sound like a deal is imminent. The 28-year-old shortstop is due to make $5.075 million this season before hitting free agency. He would attract quite a bit of interest on the open market.

It was his only hit of the night, but he made it count. Peter Bourjos actually got the Angels on the board first with a bases-loaded infield single, but Aybar brought them all home. Sitting atop a lineup which includes Albert Pujols and a healthy Kendrys Morales, the impending free agent could be poised for a career-year.

The deal was agreed to in principle on Wednesday, and is worth $1.5 million more than the four-year extension Howie Kendrick signed in January. It locks Aybar up through 2016, when he will be 32. It does not include no-trade protection or any option years. Coming off his best all-around campaign, Aybar is off to a brutal start, batting just .190/.227/.262 to go along with two extra-base hits, four RBI and one steal. Like the rest of the Halos’ lineup, however, he should soon get in gear.

“I’m very confident that we’ll be able to get something done,” GM Jerry Dipoto said Friday. “Erick wants to be here. It’s just a matter of winding up a deal that works for both sides. (The negotiations) have been going on since December. It’s never been contentious.” Batting .211/.250/.316 through his first 20 plate appearances, Aybar is currently set to become a free agent five days after the World Series. There’s been nothing to suggest he won’t eventually re-up with the Halos.

“I think it would be important for me to be here my whole career, because I came here from the Dominican and they’ve always supported me,” Aybar said. “But let’s see what happens. If they give me the opportunity to stay here, I’ll accept that opportunity.” Aybar’s representatives explored an extension throughout the offseason, but instead opted to avoid arbitration by agreeing to a $5.075 million contract for 2012. The Angels could look to use the extension signed by Stephen Drew last offseason as a starting point in negotiations.