The Angels designated Valbuena for assignment Sunday, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

With the Angels needing to clear a roster spot for their starting pitcher Sunday against the Indians (Deck McGuire), Valbuena was the chosen casualty in light of his season-long struggles at the dish. Though the lefty-hitting corner man has been an asset against right-handed pitching for most of his career, Valbuena has delivered a porous .196/.246/.330 batting line (54 wRC+) in those matchups this season. It seems unlikely that any team would be willing to trade for Valbuena or put in a waiver claim for him with the 32-year-old carrying an $8 million base salary for 2018, so it's expected that he'll remain with the Angels organization and accept a minor-league assignment in order to collect the remaining money he's owed.