Jeimer

Candelario

Candelario unsurprisingly passed through waivers unclaimed following his removal from Los Angeles’ 40-man roster over the weekend. The 32-year-old journeyman hit .111 (2-for-18) during a seven-game stint with the club. He figures to elect free agency but could wind up sticking around as emergency depth at Triple-A.

Los Angeles has decided to pull the plug on the Candelario reclamation project after he hit .111 (2-for-18) with eight strikeouts in seven games this season. It’s a bit of a small sample, but the 32-year-old veteran was going to have to make the most of his limited chances if he wanted to stick around.

What’s supposed to be the upside here? Candelario showed some pop in hitting four homers this spring, but as a 32-year-old who has had one good season in four years and has never been a bench guy, he just seems highly unlikely to make a real contribution. The Angels have started him at third base and first base the last two days, giving Yoán Moncada and Nolan Schanuel breaks they just didn’t need ahead of Thursday’s off day. There’s not going to be much reason to keep him on the roster once Vaughn Grissom comes off the IL.

This is the first time that the Angels have faced a left-handed starter this season, and both Nolan Schanuel and Josh Lowe are on the bench. That will be something to monitor as the season goes on. Jeimer Candelario will start at first base and bat seventh, while Bryce Teodosio will play left field and bat ninth.

Candelario, who spent parts of three seasons with the Cubs earlier in his career, draws his first start of the year with Yoán Moncada on the bench following a mental mistake at the hot corner during Monday’s series-opening loss. The 32-year-old veteran made Los Angeles’ season-opening roster in a bench role as a non-roster invitee in spring training. He can be safely ignored in all fantasy formats for the moment but it’s worth noting that he’ll get chances at a couple different spots with the Angels.

Candelario has officially made Los Angeles’ season-opening roster after entering camp as a non-roster invitee. The 32-year-old reclamation project showed enough in Cactus League action to convince the Angels to carry him as a backup infielder. He’s no longer a fantasy-relevant option at this point in his career but the fact that he’s back in the big leagues is notable since he looked finished by the end of last year.

It’s fair to assume that Candelario is going to wind up with a spot on Los Angeles’ season-opening roster as a bench infielder. The 32-year-old reclamation project took Brewers upstart lefty Kyle Harrison deep in the second inning for his fourth long ball of the spring. He won’t carry any fantasy relevance but Candelario’s unexpected resurgence is a fascinating development for the Angels.

The unexpected Candelario renaissance as a non-roster invitee in Angels camp has been one of the more compelling minor storylines in the Cactus League this spring as he continues to build a real case for a utility role. The 32-year-old infielder took journeyman reliever John Brebbia deep in this one for his second big fly of the spring. He’s spent time at several spots this spring and could be an option between second and third base in a reserve role off the bench.

Candelario has been primarily a first baseman or third baseman in his career, so this could help him win a job as a backup infielder on the Angels. The 32-year-old struggled the last two seasons after being traded to Cincinnati, but he’s gone 8-for-24 (.333) this spring with five runs scored, four RBI, and a 56 percent hard-hit rate. Perhaps he gets another chance in 2026, and it would be fitting if it comes with the Angels, who also have Adam Frazier, Trey Mancini, Yoan Moncada, Alek Manoah, Chris Taylor, Nick Madrigal, and Jose Siri in camp.

Candelario is in Angels camp as a non-roster invitee and will have to beat out someone like Adam Frazier or Vaughn Grissom for a bench role. That seems unlikely given his lack of defensive versatility, but stranger things have happened in the past.