Brendan Ryan to Angels: Latest Trade Details, Comments, Reaction

The Los Angeles Angels have acquired infielder Brendan Ryan in a trade with the Washington Nationals, the team announced on Tuesday. 

The Nationals will receive cash considerations in return, per MASNsports.com's Mark Zuckerman. 

Ryan has spent nine years in the majors, most recently with the New York Yankees where he appeared in 106 games in two seasons. 

He signed a minor league deal with the Nationals in the offseason and had not appeared with the big club in the first 32 games. 

With a career .234 batting average and 19 home runs in almost 3,000 plate appearances, Ryan isn't the kind of player that can make much of an offensive impact within a lineup. 

But the Angels are desperate for a shortstop after Andrelton Simmons tore the full thickness in his left thumb, which will require surgery. According to Pedro Moura of the Los Angeles Times, Simmons is expected to be out until "probably" July. 

He's just the latest Angel to hit the disabled list as pitchers Garrett Richards, Andrew Heaney, C.J. Wilson and Huston Street are all dealing with injuries. 

That left just Cliff Pennington, a shortstop who has played in just 55 games over the past two seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays and Angels, as the full-time option. Third baseman Yunel Escobar, who did play shortstop throughout his career, is not an option to cycle in at the position, per Moura.

Ryan will provide some much-needed depth at the position and will be in uniform for Tuesday night's game against the St. Louis Cardinals, a team he spent the first four years of his career with. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com