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When Opening Day right fielder Dexter Fowler went down for the year after suffering a torn ACL all the way back on April 9, the Angels were forced to use a revolving cast of different outfielders that seemingly lasted throughout the whole season. The club used a whopping 13 different players in the outfield in 2021, including some converted infielders, top prospects, wily veterans, and anything in between.
One of the players who fell into the veteran category was Jon Jay, an experienced journeyman who had a brief cameo with the 2021 Angels that lasted just five games over two separate major-league stints. Jay signed with the Halos back in February prior to the start of Spring Training, where he found himself in a competition with a host of other players for the team’s fourth outfielder spot. He was eventually beat out for that spot by Juan Lagares, but he remained in the organization on a minor-league deal once the season kicked off.
Jay’s first action in the big leagues with the Angels came shortly after Fowler’s injury when he was called up on April 13 prior to a series against the Royals. He started a pair of games in left field during this stint, going 1-8 at the plate before being DFAd and returning to the club’s Alternate Training Site. He was recalled again in early May for three more games, notching a pair of multi-hit games before once again being DFAd to make room for the returning Anthony Rendon.
Following this minor-league assignment, Jay joined the United States national team for their Olympic qualifying games in early June. He returned to Salt Lake later that month and hit well, but he was released from the organization on July 13.
2021 Statistics
5-14 with 1 RBI with the Angels
.362 AVG/.384 OBP/.464 SLG, 1 HR, 4 2B, 5 RBI in 18 games with AAA Salt Lake
Best Performance of the Year
Jay’s high point in Angel red came on May 8, when he went 2-3 off the bench and recorded his only RBI of the season.
Roster Status
Jay is still a free agent after his release from the Angels in July.