Call to the pen
Fansided

MLB Rankings: These Five Teams had the Worst 2021 Offseasons

By Travis Koch

FT. MYERS, FL - FEBRUARY 21: Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom of the Boston Red Sox addresses the media during a press conference during a spring training team workout on February 21, 2021 at jetBlue Park at Fenway South in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
FT. MYERS, FL - FEBRUARY 21: Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom of the Boston Red Sox addresses the media during a press conference during a spring training team workout on February 21, 2021 at jetBlue Park at Fenway South in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 5
Next
MLB
(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

Worst 2021 MLB Offseasons: #2 Los Angeles Angels

Notable additions: SS Jose Iglesias, RHP Raisel Iglesias, RHP Alex Cobb, LHP Jose Quintana, C Kurt Suzuki, LHP Alex Claudio

The Angels got straight to work this offseason, executing two early December trades; one for smooth-fielding shortstop Jose Iglesias and the other for fireball reliever Raisel Iglesias. Both deals grade well, as the position-playing Iglesias is fresh off his best offensive season, and the pitching Iglesias recorded a career-best 1.84 FIP and 12.13 K/9 in 2020.

Like every recent Halos’ offseason, though, starting pitching was their primary need. Their 5.52 starters’ ERA in 2020 ranked 29th in MLB. Their rotation threw the 24th most innings in baseball and posted the 19th-highest K/BB rate.

With Dylan Bundy seemingly rediscovering himself on the mound and Griffin Canning emerging in his sophomore year, the Angels have feel-good pieces heading into Spring Training. However, they have no clue what Shohei Ohtani will muster up, and their expectations for Andrew Heaney should adjust after consecutive 4.46-plus ERA campaigns.

They signed lefty Jose Quintana, who made only one start last season, and veteran righty Alex Cobb, who’s far from a model of consistency. Their 2021 rotation projects as follows:

1) Dylan Bundy

2) Andrew Heaney

3) Jose Quintana

4) Griffin Canning

5) Alex Cobb/Shohei Ohtani

Does that group inspire confidence that the Los Angeles Angels will finally return to the postseason?

The Halos need an ace. They haven’t had one since the Jared Weaver era. When they last made the playoffs in 2014, Weaver went 18-9 with a 3.59 ERA over 34 starts. It’s no coincidence that their current postseason drought coincides with an ace-less span.

Trevor Bauer was firmly on the Angels’ radar this offseason, but he chose to join the other Los Angeles club. Back-to-back years, they’ve failed to sign the top MLB free-agent pitcher on the market (Gerritt Cole in 2020), despite great efforts.

There were high-level starters available via trade this winter, including Cincinnati’s Luis Castillo and Chicago’s Yu Darvish, but the Angels didn’t push for either.

If Los Angeles is ever going to make a title run with Mike Trout, they must employ a showstopper at the front of their rotation. Having whiffed on that endeavor yet again this offseason, expect another middle-of-the-pack result from the Halos.

Home/MLB News