2 ideal non-Jack Flaherty free agent starting pitcher targets for the Angels

The stove is heating up fast with spring training approaching, and the Angels could continue to bolster their roster even with this diminishing free agent class. The starting rotation is a position group to focus on, as the Angels could use more veteran depth pieces even after adding Yusei Kikuchi and Kyle Hendricks. It remains to be seen whether the Angels would decide to option Reid Detmers and/or Jack Kochanowicz, or seek a trade for Tyler Anderson if they do add another arm. However, having too much starting pitching is a problem organizations do not mind taking on (see: the Los Angeles Dodgers). Coming off of a 99-loss season, the Angels are not in a position to shoo away the possibility of signing a valuable starting pitcher.

Jack Flaherty is a perfect solution for the Angels, he would slot the rest of the rotation down in an incredibly optimal way. Instead of Kikuchi being the bona fide ace of this club, he could be either a 1A or 1B. Instead of Soriano taking on a front-end rotation arm, he could slot down to mid-rotation. The issue is -- nobody knows if Flaherty is connected to the Angels despite everybody saying he would fit in perfectly. If/when the Angels strike out in the Flaherty negotiations (if they are even taking place), are there contingency plans that should be enacted? Let's take a look at two of the best possible remaining starters left if the Angels do strike out on Flaherty and decide to get aggressive again.

1. Nick Pivetta

The Pivetta market is unclear at this moment, with teams somewhat reasonably scared off by the results not being as good as his stuff would indicate. Plus he has an attached compensation pick. Well, his stuff is certainly worth investing in and at his best he can completely stifle opposing hitters. As for the qualifying offer, Ken Rosenthal illuminated that losing a compensation pick does not matter as much as we think it would for the Angels.

The Angels could sell Pivetta on coming to Anaheim and slotting in as a top two starter, and take advantage of the fact that the market for Pivetta remains vague. A return to Boston on a multi-year deal looks murky at best, given that they have Garrett Crochet, Walker Buehler, Tanner Houck, Brayan Bello, Lucas Giolito, Kutter Crawford, and Patrick Sandoval once he returns from his elbow injury. Many contending teams have their rotation in place. The New York Mets have long been rumored as a logical Pivetta destination, but they look like they are on the verge of re-signing Pete Alonso and might be satisfied with their current group.

Kiley McDaniel predicted a three-year, $63 million deal for the soon-to-be 32-year-old. Perhaps the Angels could take their hypothetical offer to Flaherty and present it to Pivetta with some slight modifications? A right-handed power pitcher would provide much-needed variety for the Angels' rotation, especially since their other right-handed power pitcher is a contact oriented sinker-baller (José Soriano).