Kyle

Kubitza

Kubitza passed through waivers unclaimed and will continue to provide depth in the minor leagues, though he’s no longer on the 40-man roster. The 26-year-old is hitting just .215/.319/.341 with six homers and 38 RBI in 455 plate appearances at Triple-A this season.

Kubitza is now back with the organization that drafted him. The third baseman has struggled in his brief time in the majors and has hit only .220/.322/.354 in 2016 at the Triple-A level.

The Angels added A.J. Achter and Al Alburquerque to their bullpen on Monday, so Kubitza got the boot from the 40-man roster. It comes as a bit of a surprise, as the Angels had high hopes for Kubitza when they acquired him from the Braves for left-hander Ricardo Sanchez in January of 2015. Of course, that move was with a previous regime. The 25-year-old was batting .253/.349/.366 with two homers and 19 RBI through 54 games in Triple-A this season.

The Rangers picked up Kubitza in a trade with the Angels back on June 21. He struggled mightily at Triple-A Round Rock prior to being designated for assignment on Wednesday, managing just a .182 batting average through 44 games.

Kubitza was designated for assignment by the Angels eight days ago after batting just .253/.349/.366 with two homers and 19 RBI through 54 games with Triple-A Salt Lake. He has been optioned to Triple-A Round Rock.

Acquired over the winter from the Braves, Kubitza has hit .287/.362/.452 with three homers and 28 RBI at Salt Lake this season. He’ll see playing time at the hot corner with David Freese (hamstring) banged up.

He’ll head to Arizona on Monday to visit a specialist. The Angels are really hurting for outfield depth. Infielders Taylor Featherston and Kyle Kubitza worked out in left field before Saturday’s game.

Freese was held out of the lineup Wednesday after leaving Tuesday’s game with tightness in his right hamstring. He was able to pinch-hit on Wednesday night, which is a good indication the injury isn’t too serious. Kyle Kubitza is starting at third base Thursday in the Angels’ series finale against the Rays.

The 24-year-old struggled in his limited time with the Angels, slashing .214/.267/.214 with one RBI and a 12/2 K/BB ratio in 28 at-bats. He should be back when rosters expand in September.

Kubitza was a shortstop in college but has never played either middle infield spot during his time as a pro. The 25-year-old has shown modest power in the minors, so his bat is certainly a better fit at second rather than third base if he can prove capable of making the transition. “He’s going to work out at second and we’ll see where it leads long term,” manager Mike Scioscia said. “We still view him as a candidate to be an everyday third baseman, but it’s not going to hurt if he can play second.”