February 16, 2025 2:17 PM : Angels manager Ron Washington said Friday that he expects Soler, Mike Trout and Taylor Ward to be the top three batters in the lineup, though not necessarily in that order, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Soler is no stranger to the top of the lineup, as he was primarily slotted in the first third -- including 41 times he batted leadoff -- during his stints with San Francisco and Atlanta last season. Though he batted just .241 overall, the veteran slugger reached base at a .338 clip with the help of a career-best 12.1 percent walk rate. It's not yet clear the exact spot Soler will occupy in the Angels' lineup, and Washington added that it's possible one of the three players he mentioned could instead hit cleanup, but Soler could benefit in terms of run-scoring or run-producing opportunities with a place near Trout if the latter can remain healthy.