The Angels cleared a catcher off their roster after Saturday’s game but it was not the one that was expected.
Instead of sending Jeff Mathis back to Triple-A Salt Lake to make room for pitcher Joe Saunders, the Angels traded veteran Jose Molina to the New York Yankees for Double-A reliever Jeff Kennard.
The move leaves one of the best pitching staffs in baseball to be guided by a 25-year old in Mike Napoli and a 24-year old in Mathis.
The Angels are now without a Molina for the first time since Bengie Molina caught two games in the 1998 season.
Jose Molina batted .224 with the Angels this season after going 0-for-2 on Saturday against the Minnesota Twins. He lined out to third base in the fifth inning during his last at-bat as an Angel and was replaced by pinch hitter Kendry Morales in the eighth inning.