The LA Angels once again entered an offseason with one major need, starting pitching.
But with most of the major free agents off the market, and the Angels now highly unlikely to sign Trevor Bauer, where do the LA Angels go from here?
With options limited and spring training less than three weeks away, there aren’t many routes available for general manager Perry Minasian to take if he wants to upgrade his starting rotation heading into 2021.
LA Angels: Where to go with Trevor Bauer out of the mix?
The Angels have made one addition to their starting rotation, landing Jose Quintana on a one-year deal as the former Chicago Cub looks to rebound after tossing just 10 innings last season. It was a decent addition with the potential for some upside, but it isn’t enough.
The LA Angels are still without an ace to lead their staff and there’s only one (arguable) ace left on the market in Trevor Bauer. However, per a report earlier this week from Maria Torres of the Los Angeles Times, finances are a major hurdle in signing Bauer with his record-high demands, along with a frayed relationship between Bauer and Angels pitching coach Mickey Calloway.
From Torres’ report:
"The relationship between Bauer and Callaway is believed to be eroded beyond repair, according to a person with knowledge of Bauer’s current negotiations."
It seems safe to assume that this isn’t some weird strategy in an attempt to land Bauer, but rather an honest sign that despite the two parties being connected all offseason, the Angels will be forced to look elsewhere if they want to upgrade their starting rotation.
The next best pitcher on the market was former Yankee Masahiro Tanaka, but the seven-year MLB veteran recently elected to return to Japan.
So what’s left for the LA Angels? There are still three options available that could provide a much-needed boost to a rotation still in need of help.