Angels fans – Yoán Moncada’s struggles on both offense and defense are front and center after a costly hesitation helped swing momentum in the Angels’ 1-0 win over the Athletics. With the team stuck near the bottom of the American League standings, fans point to Triple-A De
For Los Angeles Angels fans, it wasn’t the score that made Monday’s 1-0 win over the Athletics sting. It was what happened in the top of the third inning at third base—one small, hesitant half-second from Yoán Moncada that turned a routine play into a safe first for the A’s.
Shea Langeliers sent a chopper down the third base line. It was the kind of ball that usually ends quickly—two hands, a throw, an out. But Moncada hesitated on the throw. Langeliers’ pace didn’t make the difference; the hesitation did. The Athletics catcher reached first base safely.
That moment felt like a snapshot of a season that has already been painful for anyone watching Moncada closely. This year, his batting line sits at .191/.310/.300. On defense at his position, his impact has been among the worst in all of baseball, with -3 defensive runs saved.
And the timing matters. The Angels have options—and they don’t require waiting for the next offseason to see a different look on the field.
Christian Moore has been seen as the natural successor, but Denzer Guzman is putting up numbers that demand attention. Through 41 games with Triple-A Salt Lake Bees this season, Guzman is hitting .309/.389/.497 with seven home runs and 38 RBI. He also has five stolen bases and a 119 wRC+. His approach shows up in the strikeout and walk rates as well: he’s drawing walks at a 12.1% clip and striking out 18.4% of the time.
Moore would be a fine replacement, but the argument for Guzman isn’t just “he’s good.” It’s that his production suggests he could do more than fill space. If he’s the better fit, fans want the Angels to stop treating Moncada like the default answer.
The preferred solution among supporters is simple: make the change sooner than later. Moncada can be replaced at the hot corner by Oswald Peraza. From there, the rest of the roster can shift. Guzman—or Moore—could slide over to play second base. and since Guzman is a right-handed hitter. he could potentially share time at second with Adam Frazier. who is a left-handed hitter. The idea would be to ease a young prospect into the lineup without throwing him into the deep end.
It’s hard to ignore the broader reason the impatience has grown: the Angels have fallen to the bottom of the American League standings. In that reality, trotting out an aging veteran who isn’t part of the next contending group doesn’t feel like patience—it feels like delay.
Old baseball slogans used to say, “Let the kids play.” This is the kind of season where that message lands differently—not as a cliché, but as a challenge to decisions that keep stretching on longer than they should.
Los Angeles Angels Yoán Moncada Denzer Guzman Christian Moore Oswald Peraza Adam Frazier Kurt Suzuki Shea Langeliers Athletics Triple-A Salt Lake defensive runs saved