Mar 25, 2025, 01:54 PM ET

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Los Angeles Angels released outfielder Mickey Moniak on Tuesday.

Moniak hit .219 with 14 homers and 49 RBIs last season for the Angels, who acquired the 2016 No. 1 overall pick from Philadelphia in August 2022 in a trade for pitcher Noah Syndergaard. In 2½ seasons with Los Angeles, Moniak batted .242 with 100 RBIs and a .709 OPS.

Moniak was expected to share the Angels’ starting job in center field this season with Jo Adell, making his release a surprising development two days before the start of the regular season.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports that Moniak gets around $480,000 of the $2 million salary he was awarded in arbitration over the winter.

Moniak’s release appears to open a roster spot for Matthew Lugo, the 23-year-old outfielder acquired from Boston at last year’s trade deadline in a deal for reliever Luis García. Lugo has never played in the majors.

Los Angeles also will have an open spot on its 40-man roster that could be used for infielder Tim Anderson, a two-time All-Star and former AL batting champion.

The Angels open the season Thursday on the road against the Chicago White Sox. Los Angeles has the majors’ longest active streaks of nine straight losing seasons and 10 straight non-playoff seasons.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.