The Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday agreed to acquire second baseman Ian Kinsler from the Detroit Tigers, according to a source who requested anonymity because the deal has not yet been announced.
In exchange, the Angels will send two prospects to Detroit: 18-year-old right-hander Wilkel Hernandez and 23-year-old outfielder Troy Montgomery. Neither man ranked among the team's top prospects. Hernandez was signed for $125,000 out of Venezuela and has not yet reached Class-A ball. Montgomery, an eighth-round pick in last year's draft, performed well in the low minors and reached double A for 20 games in 2017.
Kinsler, 35, has a long history of offensive success, though his 2017 season was the worst of his career. He hit .236 with a .313 on-base percentage and .412 slugging mark, each metric below his norms. He turns 36 in June, but major league talent evaluators say his defense has held up well as he has aged.
The Angels made acquiring a second baseman a focus this offseason, exploring trades with a number of teams. The Tigers had motivation to deal away Kinsler with most of their veterans long gone and a long-awaited rebuild in motion.
On Aug. 31, the Angels played a role in that rebuild by acquiring slugging left fielder Justin Upton from the Tigers. And, in November, the Angels re-signed Upton to a five-year, $106 million contract. Over two years in Michigan, Kinsler and Upton built a favorable relationship.
Kinsler possesses a no-trade clause, and he reportedly listed the Angels on his list of teams to which he could not be dealt without his permission. But he waived the clause to allow the trade.
He is due $11 million in 2018 in the final season of an extension he signed two years ago.
