Angels decline $7-million option on left fielder David Murphy

The Angels declined David Murphy’s $7-million option for 2016 on Wednesday, a clear indication they do not view the 34-year-old veteran as an everyday option in left field next season.

The left-handed-hitting Murphy provided a solid bat in a platoon role after being acquired from the Cleveland Indians on July 28, hitting .265 with five home runs, 23 runs batted in and 16 runs in 48 games.

But with C.J. Cron emerging as an everyday designated hitter in the second half of 2015, taking away potential at-bats from Murphy in 2016, the Angels deemed $7 million too steep a price for a player who would essentially be a fourth outfielder. They paid Murphy $500,000 to buy out the option, making him a free agent.

The Angels plan to maintain a dialogue with Murphy’s agent over the next few weeks, and there is a chance they could retain Murphy at a lesser price later in the winter.

But first, they will explore attractive free-agent left-field options such as Yoenis Cespedes, Justin Upton, Colby Rasmus, Gerardo Parra, Jason Heyward and Alex Gordon if the latter declines a $12.5-million player option with the Kansas City Royals.

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Wednesday’s decision was the first player-related move in what figures to be a busy off-season for the Angels, who will look to fill holes in left field, third base and catcher, and possibly at second base and at the top of the rotation.

They must decide by Friday whether to make a $15.8-million qualifying offer to free-agent third baseman David Freese. If they make the offer and Freese accepts it, he would return for a third season with the Angels.

If the Angels make the offer and Freese rejects it, the team would receive draft-pick compensation if Freese signs elsewhere. If they don’t make the offer, the Angels would not receive draft-pick compensation.

The Angels have two third-base prospects — Kaleb Cowart and Kyle Kubitza — who could step in for Freese, but they would lose his experience and veteran presence and a bat that was usually productive when Freese was healthy.

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