Los Angeles Angels: Three free agent pitching targets
By Nick Stevens
The Los Angeles Angels must be aggressive in the free agent pitching market this winter.
It wouldn’t be an MLB offseason without the Los Angeles Angels entering the winter in desperate need of pitching help. Surprisingly, Julio Tehran wasn’t the answer to get the Angels into the postseason this year.
Ten different starting pitchers took to the mound for the Angels in 2020, a group that posted the second-worst ERA in the majors (5.52) and ranked 21st in combined fWAR at 2.9.
The brightest spot in the rotation was, as everyone expected, Dylan Bundy who went 6-3 with a 3.29 ERA (2.95 FIP), a career-high 27% strikeout rate, and career-lows in walk rate (6.4%), home run rate (0.69/9 IP), average against (.207), and WHIP (1.04). He was the Dylan Bundy Baltimore Orioles fans waited years for, but never saw.
But after Bundy and decent seasons from Andrew Heaney and Griffin Canning, there’s a big drop off in starting rotation talent and if the Angels want to win a World Series with Mike Trout, Anthony Rendon, and Shohei Ohtani as their offensive core, the lack of aggressiveness in bringing in quality pitching talent must end now.
Give the organization credit for Bundy, but he isn’t an ace and multiple pieces are needed to get this team where they want to be. It’s also not just the starting rotation that needs help. This Angels bullpen blew a league-leading 14 saves in 2020.
Luckily for the Los Angeles Angels, there is quality pitching available in free agency. With a GM yet to be named, it’s unclear just how aggressive the Angels will be, but this isn’t a rebuilding team and the opportunity to win is now.
Here are three free agent pitchers who should be at the top of the Los Angeles Angels shopping list.