ANAHEIM, California. – Los Angeles Angels have acquired veteran off-field Dexter Fowler from the St. Louis Angels. Louis Cardinals for cash or a player who will be named later.
The clubs announced the deal Thursday night.
Fowler hit .233 with four homers and 15 RBIs in 23 games last season, fourth with St. Louis. Louis. The former Rockies and Cubs slugger is a .259 career hitter with 127 homers and 561 RBI.
While Fowler, 35, can play all three field positions, it’s likely a short-term solution for the Angels, who have said they’d rather give more minor league development time to Jo Adell and Brandon Marsh.
Adell, a 21-year-old who is the fullest potential of the Halos, struggled in his Major League debut last season as his right-back, beating .161 with a .478 OPS for 38 games.
Fowler is heading into his 13th major league season in the final year of a five-year, $ 82 million contract. He has a salary of $ 14.5 million in 2021 and St. Louis remains responsible for the final two $ 1 million installments of his $ 10 million signing bonus, due on July 1 and October 1.
As part of the trade, the cardinals agreed to pay the angels $ 12.75 million in 12 installments of $ 1,062,500 on the 15th and last day of each month, April through September.
Fowler won his only All-Star selection and his only World Series ring in 2016 with Chicago under current Angels manager Joe Maddon. His game-changing skills will provide a counterpart to right-handers Mike Trout, Justin Upton and Adell.
Fowler has spent just one season of his career in the American League, having played for Houston in 2014.