Josh Hamilton went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in Thursday's loss to the Athletics. Both hits were singles. It was just his second multi-hit game of the year. Hamilton is hitting an even .200 (7-for-35) through nine games and is still in search of his first home run. The Angels are now 2-7 on the year, their worst start since 1961.

Josh Hamilton went 3-for-5 with a double in Sunday's loss to the Rangers. It was his fourth multi-hit game in his last 27 games. After opening the year 1-for-20 with 10 strikeouts, Hamilton is finally showing some signs of life. He's batting .160 (4-for-25) with no home runs through six games this season.

Josh Hamilton has lost 20 pounds from last spring. Yes, a best shape of his life story. Hamilton usually reports around 245 pounds, but he's at about 225 pounds this spring after eating better and limiting his caffeine intake. The 31-year-old appears determined to deliver on his five-year, $125 million contract, but he could see some drop-off playing half of his home games in Anaheim as opposed to the hitter-friendly Ballpark in Arlington.

Angels general manager Jerry Dipoto said on MLB Network Radio on Wednesday that the club has discussed using Josh Hamilton out of the No. 2 spot in the batting order, but that he'll likely bat cleanup. Such a bold move would give the Angels arguably the best 1-3 in baseball, but Hamilton will likely settle behind Albert Pujols in the batting order. Now that Torii Hunter is in Detroit, Erick Aybar is the favorite to open the season in the No. 2 spot.

Angels signed OF Josh Hamilton to a five-year, $125 million contract. The deal was reported by FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal on Thursday and is now official. Hamilton projects to join a crowded outfield that includes Mike Trout, Mark Trumbo, Peter Bourjos, and Vernon Wells, and gives the Angels a left-handed power hitter to complement Albert Pujols. His $25 million average salary is tied for the second highest in baseball, and behind only Alex Rodriguez's $27.5 million with the Yankees. He remains under contract through the 2017 season.

FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports that the Angels have signed Josh Hamilton to a five-year contract. CBS Sports' Jon Heyman says the deal is worth a total of $125 million. The Halos weren't even mentioned as a potential suitor for Hamilton until a couple of hours ago, though that shouldn't surprise anyone given how last year's Albert Pujols negotiations went down. Anaheim has now landed the top position player on the free agent market two offseasons in a row. Hamilton, who turns 32 years old in May, slugged 43 home runs and tallied 128 RBI in 2012 for the division-rival Rangers.

Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports reports that the Angels are "getting close" to an agreement with Josh Hamilton.

FOX Sports West's Joe McDonnell reports that the Angels are in "serious negotiations" with Josh Hamilton. ESPN's Buster Olney adds that the Halos are "positioning themselves for a big strike in the market." So this all seems pretty legit. Hamilton has also drawn serious interest in recent weeks from the Red Sox and Mariners, and the Rangers are known to want to re-sign him. But the Angels have deep pockets and probably have a desire to steal some offseason thunder from the Dodgers.

CBS Sports' Jon Heyman reports that the chances of Josh Hamilton remaining in Texas have "increased in recent days." With the Rangers losing out on other targets and Hamilton not finding the market he had hoped for, it's looking more and more like he'll be re-signed. Heyman says the Mariners "are thought willing to go four years, or perhaps more, but they are still viewed as the outsider." The Phillies could be a darkhorse and reportedly have offered Hamilton a three-year deal, but they'll probably have to up it to four years if they want to be a real contender. Hamilton is expected to find his best offer on the market and then come back to the Rangers and give them a chance to match it. At this point, it seems likely that they will.

Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said Wednesday that the club remains interested in re-signing Josh Hamilton. "My feelings about Josh haven't changed from Day 1," said Daniels. "I think we have been consistent. We want Josh back and always have. It has nothing to do with who is still on the market and who is off the market. We've maintained communication and the relationship is good. We'd still like to work something out but I can't handicap it." The Phillies and the Mariners are considered the Rangers' primary competition at the moment. His decision may ultimately come down to the team that offers the most years.