Kevin Pillar says Angels’ keeping him at the deadline was ‘a mutual decision’

Pillar, 35, could have been traded at this week's deadline, but he said he and the Angels decided him staying was better than the potential return. Pillar said if he'd really wanted to be traded, the Angels would have "accommodated" him.

ANAHEIM — Kevin Pillar was one of the stars of the Angels’ victory on Saturday night, prompting many around the Angels to point out that they were surprised — or even disappointed — that he was still there.

Pillar is enjoying a renaissance, apparent from games like Saturday, when he made a spectacular catch and drove in a run with two outs.

That’s precisely why some figured the Angels would be able to trade him to a contender at the deadline, in turn adding another prospect to a system that needs them.

Pillar, however, said he “wasn’t surprised” that he wasn’t traded, and he said that was partly because of his own wishes.

“I think it was mutual,” Pillar said on Sunday morning. “I think if it would have fit this organization, long-term, in terms of a player that was being returned in a trade who would have impacted this franchise in the near future, I would have been all for it. I think (the Angels) would have been all for it.

“But weighing the cost of an A-ball player that’s a gamble vs. me continuing to be here for these guys and really doing what I was called to do coming here, it was a bit of a mutual decision.

“At the end of the day, if I really said I wanted to go somewhere else, I think they would have been accommodating to that. But I’m enjoying my time here.”

Pillar, who began the season with the Chicago White Sox, also said “a third move this year would have been really challenging for my wife and kids (ages 6 and 4).”

Pillar, a 35-year-old veteran of 12 big league seasons, also said he’s not 100% certain that this will be his last year, despite suggestions to that effect as recently as last month in the season.

“It was never set in stone,” Pillar said. “There’s still a chance that, even if I go out and continue to have a good year, I can hang it up at the end of the year, but I’m still enjoying myself. I’m still able to go out and compete every day and my family’s enjoying watching me do it. There will still be some decisions to make in the offseason. We’ll see what happens.”

NOTES

Matt Thaiss and Logan O’Hoppe have been in the lineup together each of the last two days, with one at DH each day. “Thaiss is starting to swing the bat and I’m going to have to find some ways to get his bat in there every now and then, but I’m not going to make a thing,” manager Ron Washington said. Thaiss is hitting .256 with a .737 OPS. …

Third baseman Anthony Rendon (back stiffness) took ground balls on the field before Sunday’s game. Washington is expecting him to be activated after Monday’s off day. “He said he’s playing Tuesday,” Washington said. “Now we’ve just got to wait and see what happens when Tuesday gets here.” Washington said he won’t initially move Rendon back into the leadoff spot. He said he’ll probably bat sixth. “Get back into the swing of things, and then we’ll see where it goes,” Washington said.

UP NEXT

Angels (RHP Davis Daniel, 1-2, 4.91) at Yankees (RHP Luis Gil, 11-5, 3.20) at Yankee Stadium, 4:05 p.m. PT Tuesday, Bally Sports West, 830 AM.