10 players you forgot played for Angels

December 1st, 2021

ANAHEIM -- In an age where it's so rare for a player to spend an entire career with one team, there's bound to be memorable players known for playing with one team, only to have a short stint with another.

The Angels have had several such players over the years, and here's a look at 10 players you might have forgotten were Angels, dating back to 1991.

, 2016 Lincecum had an incredible run with the Giants, winning two Cy Young Awards and three World Series titles, but his final season in the Majors came with the Angels. He impressed scouts during throwing sessions early in the 2016 season and signed with the Angels in late May. He went on to make nine starts, but he struggled with a 9.16 ERA, 23 walks and 11 homers served up in 38 1/3 innings.

, 2014
Hill has undergone a late career renaissance, using his curveball to become a solid lefty starter for the Dodgers over the last three seasons. His stint with the Angels was incredibly brief, though, as he made just two appearances and allowed one run without recording an out, giving him an infinity ERA during his time with the club.

, 2012
Greinke is mostly thought of as a Royal, Brewer, Dodger, D-back or Astro, but it was the Angels who made the big splash for him at the 2012 Trade Deadline, acquiring him from Milwaukee in a trade that included . Greinke made 13 starts for the Angels with a 3.53 ERA, but the club missed the playoffs and Greinke signed with the rival Dodgers after the season.

Mark Teixeira, 2008 The Angels went for it in 2008, trading for Teixeira at the Trade Deadline, sending Casey Kotchman and Minor Leaguer Stephen Marek to the Braves. Teixeira hit .358/.449/.632 in 54 games with the Halos, but signed with the Yankees after the season. But it wasn't for nothing, as the Angels received a compensation pick in the 2009 Draft and selected an outfielder from New Jersey named .

Jeff Weaver, 2006
Jered Weaver had a memorable 11-year run with the Angels that included three All-Star appearances, but it's easy to forget that he pitched alongside his older brother, Jeff, in 2006. The elder Weaver made 16 starts for the Angels, but had a 6.29 ERA and was traded to the Cardinals that July. Weaver, though, made the most of the trade, as he improbably helped the Cardinals to the World Series title that year.

Andres Galarraga, 2004
The "Big Cat" finished his 19-year career with the Angels in 2004, but went through his second battle with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that forced him to be hospitalized for 23 days. But after playing at Triple-A Salt Lake, he was a September callup and played in seven games as a 43-year-old, going 3-for-10 with a homer. He also served as a mentor to future Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero.

Eddie Murray, 1997
Murray's final season of his Hall of Fame career came in 1997, and he played in 46 games with the Angels, batting .219 with three homers. He was released in August and finished his storied career with nine games with the Dodgers late in the season.

Rickey Henderson, 1997
Henderson, regarded as the all-time best leadoff hitter, played on nine teams during his 25-year career, but his stint with the Angels was a short one. He played in 32 games with Anaheim in 1997, hitting just .183 in 32 games after being acquired from the Padres in an August trade. He'd go on to play six more years in the Majors.

Bo Jackson, 1994 Jackson, the only player to ever be an All-Star in both the MLB and NFL, is mostly remembered for his time with the Royals and White Sox, but he finished his eight-year career with the Angels in 1994 before the strike shortened the season. He fared well offensively, hitting .279/.344/.507 in 75 games, but opted to retire at age 32 after the season.

Fernando Valenzuela, 1991 Valenzuela is beloved in Southern California for his time with the Dodgers from 1980-90, but few remember he had a short stint with the Angels in '91. He made just two starts and had a 12.15 ERA with the then-California Angels and didn't appear in the Majors again until '93 with the Orioles.