Angels Need to Play Kyren Paris Every Day
The Angels need to play Kyren Paris every day. That’s it. That’s the article.
Paris has been the Angels’ best performer through the first ten games of the 2025 season. If not for a Logan O'Hoppe heater—where he's homered in four straight games—it might not be that close. The 23-year-old Paris struggled mightily during his short stints with the Angels in 2023 and 2024, but as mentioned in our season preview, he made an off-season swing change with Aaron Judge's hitting coach. So far, it has produced incredible results.
The question on the mind of every Angels fan is, why isn't Paris playing every day? Even Paris agrees he should play more.
Kyren Paris Has Been on Fire to Start the Season
The Angels won their first series with strong starting pitching. After Paris entered for an injured Jo Adell in game two, Paris started the next couple of games and immediately made his presence felt. He hit an eighth-inning home run that was the deciding run in the Angels’ victory over the Chicago White Sox.
The next day, Paris played hero again. His seventh-inning triple tied the game against the St. Louis Cardinals. He filled out his stat line in that game with a stolen base and an outfield assist. Paris returned to the bench the next game before being inserted as a pinch runner in the tenth inning for Jorge Soler. In two innings, he scored two runs, had an RBI-single, and stole a base. Shockingly, he did not play in the series finale against the Cardinals, which the Angels lost 12-5.
In the Angels’ first game in Cleveland, second baseman Luis Rengifo left the game in the fourth inning with an injury to his hamstring. Once again, Paris picked up where he had left off. He was hit by a pitch and had two singles, scoring one run. After his first poor outing of the season in game two, Paris returned to top form in the rubber match. He went 2-4, with his second home run of the season, scoring two runs and stealing another base.
In game one against the Tampa Bay Rays, Paris remained in the starting lineup at second base. He went 1-3, with a walk, and his third home run of the season, while driving in two runs as the Angels won 4-3. Even though the Angels have only played ten games this season, it's clear that Paris should be in the lineup every day. But where?
Where Should Kyren Paris Play?
Paris only played in the middle infield in the minor leagues, with 214 games at shortstop and 102 games at second base. He has played centerfield for five games with the Angels. Luis Rengifo is the Angels’ regular starter at second base, with Yoan Moncada playing the hot corner. Kevin Newman and Tim Anderson have played shortstop as the team waits for young star shortstop Zach Net,o who is rehabbing in Triple-A with the Salt Lake Bees. Basically, the infield seems locked down for the 2025 season.
The Angels starting center fielder is Jo Adell. He came up in 2020 and was absolutely terrible. I'm talking four-base error terrible. I'm talking worst fWAR (-1.4) in baseball, terrible. He was the worst hitter in the pandemic-shortened season with a .478 OPS. And he might have been worse on defense. Yet, even if we take out his atrocious debut season, Adell has been a subpar major leaguer. From 2021-2025, the former first-round pick is slashing .217/.276/.392/.668, good for a OPS+ of 85, which is 15% worse than the league average. He's stolen 22 bases but has been caught 13 times. He's struck out in 298 of 888 at-bats and only walked 60 times. His defense has slowly improved, but a .644 career OPS in 1100 plate appearances means it's time to try someone else.
It's impossible to know what level of defense Kyren Paris provides in center field because there's not enough data to come to a conclusion. Yet, the Angels do think enough of him to play him out there despite having zero experience in the minor leagues. While a return to center field for Mike Trout seems highly unlikely, the team needs to find a way to get Paris into the lineup every day. Obviously, no one expects him to maintain his absurd pace to begin the year, but his skillset is something the Angels could desperately use. If it signals the end of the Jo Adell era, I will be saddened by that news, but Adell has had all the opportunity in the world. He just doesn't appear to be as talented as Kyren Paris.
The Angels need talent to win. Right now, Paris is showing he has it in spades.
News & Notes
• Speaking of Neto, he should return soon, as he just began playing shortstop after starting as a designated hitter in the first few games. Oh, he's also posted a 1.212 OPS in those seven games, including three home runs. Angels fans are certainly hoping that Neto keeps his hot bat alive upon his return to Anaheim. The team has yet to say when they expect that to be.
• The Angels continue to earn terrible headlines with the release of right-hander Hans Crouse. The team needed to make room for Michael Darrell-Hicks to be added to the 40-man roster, so they released Crouse after he left his last outing with an injury. Now, it appears the injury is severe, and the timing of the Angels' release once again shows the tone-deafness with which their front office operates.
• Top hitting prospect Christian Moore has gotten off to a slow start in Double-A. After three games played, the 22-year-old second baseman has just one hit in 11 at-bats. Angels fans were hoping a fast start would propel Moore to the majors, much in the same way Zach Neto, Nolan Schanuel, and Chase Silseth made their debuts quickly. Luckily, the team can give Moore extra time with the emergence of Kyren Paris.