Major League Baseball

Angels designate 1B/OF Navarro for assignment after Alburquerque signing

Published Jan. 20, 2016 1:19 p.m. ET

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Shawn Ramsey

The Los Angeles Angels announced the signing of bullpen arm Al Alburquerque, according to MLB.com. In order to create a spot on the 40-man roster for the newly signed power right-hander, the Angels designated first baseman/outfielder Efren Navarro for assignment.

Alburquerque is signed for a base salary of $1.1 million on a non-guaranteed contract for up to two seasons. Should the Angels cut the reliever before Opening Day, they would only be responsible for up to a quarter of his 2016 earnings.  

Likely signed as a middle reliever to bridge setup man Joe Smith and closer Huston Street, Alburquerque, 29, had his best season in 2014 posting a 2.51 ERA with a 1.17 WHIP while striking out 63 batters in 57.1 innings. In 2015, the pitcher struggled as his ERA rose to 4.21 and WHIP jumped to 1.55. He was non-tendered by the Detroit Tigers in December. 

With Navarro designated for assignment, his tenure with the Angels organization is likely over. He saw little playing time in his four years in Los Angeles with just 280 plate appearances batting .246/.303/.324 in the stretch. Navarro showed promise in the minors with an elite glove and on-base abilities, making him a likely waiver claim by another team. 

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