Second base has been a dark hole for the LA Angels since the trade in December 2014 that sent Howie Kendrick to the Dodgers for Andrew Heaney. In 2017, offensively, the position was an absolute nightmare. Team rankings last season had the Angels’ second base position at 28th in AVG, 29th in OBP, and 30th in SLG as well as OPS.
The only player on the roster capable of becoming the starter at second base is Kaleb Cowart, but he disappointed for the 3rd consecutive season after getting called up. Also, the trade that brought Brandon Phillips over gave the sense that Billy Eppler does not see Cowart as a future starter for the team.