Angels option 4 players to Triple-A Salt Lake

The Angels made a few more roster moves on Wednesday evening, optioning four players to Triple-A Salt Lake — pitchers Luke Bard and Ryan Buchter, outfielder Michael Hermosillo and infielder Jared Walsh.

Right-handed pitcher Taylor Cole, who was designated for assignment on Sunday, cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A. Buchter was just added to the 40-man roster on Sunday after signing this offseason as a non-roster invitee, but has two option years remaining.

Bard is no stranger to traversing between Anaheim and Salt Lake City, having been up and down seven times between the majors and minors in 2019 alone. The right-hander put up a 4.78 ERA and 4.81 FIP in 32 games with the Angels last season, with 40 strikeouts and 13 walks in 49 innings. This spring he allowed one run in four innings in Cactus League play.

Hermosillo has seen limited time in the majors the last two seasons, totaling just 108 plate appearances while hitting .183/.304/.222. Hermosillo missed the first two months of 2019 with a core muscle injury, and hit .243/.333/.471 with 15 home runs in 62 games for Salt Lake. He was 9-for-20 (.450) with two home runs and two doubles this spring.

Walsh hit .203/.276/.329 in his first major league stint last season for the Angels, with five doubles, a home run, and a triple in 31 games. He was also the Angels’ designated position player pitcher, tossing five total innings at the end of five blowouts.

There is no spring training camp at the moment, but we are still in the preseason. As such, the Angels still have 46 players on the major league roster — 23 pitchers, and 23 position players.