LA Angels DFA Former All-Star, League-Leading Slugger

This isn't exactly how he thought his 2026 season would turn out. Just three years removed from an All-Star campaign with 36 home runs, slugger Jorge Soler was hoping to bounce back after missing 80 games last year due to a bad back. 

But in wrapping up his three-year, $42 million contract, Soler has provided the Angels with just 12 homers, a .203 average, and a career-worst .664 OPS. They have now designated him for assignment. 

The Angels have designated Jorge Soler for assignment, per @FrancysRomero and @mikedeportes

Soler is hitting .203 with 12 home runs and 49 RBI while posting a .664 OPS this season. pic.twitter.com/ev0B2u8Ned

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) August 4, 2026

It's the first DFA for Soler in his 13-year major league career. He has certainly had his ups and downs throughout that time, with the high point being his 48-HR season in 2019 with the Kansas City Royals. That was good enough to lead the entire American League. He also led the AL in strikeouts that year, however, with 178.

This season, Soler has struck out a whopping 118 times in just 86 games. 

The Angels were active at the trade deadline, moving five other significant players. They tried in vain to move Soler as well. But with about $4M still to go on his deal this season, they found no takers. Perhaps as a free agent, he can find a team to latch on with for the rest of the year. 

If he does find a new home, it will be his 4th team in the last two years. He was with the San Francisco Giants, who signed him to that big contract, in 2024. They traded him to the Atlanta Braves in July of that year, before Atlanta dealt him to the Angels after the '24 season. 

For his career, Soler has batted .238 with a .777 OPS and a 110 OPS+ (10% above league average), while launching 215 homers with a .451 slugging pct.