2 relievers who've moved up Angels' trust tree, 2 who've already moved down

League wide, Angels' relievers have been statistically below average thus far in the 2025 season, but fans are buying into the group nonetheless. During the offseason, MLB evaluators complimented the Halos' bullpen more so than any other positional group, and now it is apparent why they did that -- they have some dynamite, unique arms that Ron Washington can run out there whenever he chooses.

Again, the stats do not wow you whatsoever. According to stats from TruMedia, Angels' relievers' 5.58 ERA ranks 25th in the league, their 1.73 WHIP ranks 27th, and their 5.58 BB/9 ranks 29th. However, the unit has largely yielded positive results outside of three blow-up outings by Ryan Johnson on Opening Day, Caden Dana who was subsequently optioned back to Triple-A Salt Lake, and one other reliever who we'll get to. If you watch the games, you'll see that the Angels' relievers have actually done quite well as a whole and the team is winning! What else could you want?!

In this exercise, we're tracking movement of trust rather than just ranking the trust. So, Ben Joyce is not on this list because fans already trusted him and his 100+ MPH turbo sinkers with their lives before the season, and still do unequivocally. On the flip-side, Garrett McDaniels might not have been too high on the trust tree before the year, and is still not that high.

Let's nitpick the bullpen first before heaping out more praise.

2 relievers who've already moved down Angels' trust tree

Brock Burke

Burke had that blow-up outing referenced earlier -- he allowed four earned runs in 0.2 innings pitched against the St. Louis Cardinals on April 2nd. On the whole, Burke has thrown 3.1 innings, allowed five hits (at least one hit allowed in his four appearances), and is posting a 3:3 K:BB. Watching the games, it appears that Burke is not quite as dialed in location-wise as he was for the Angels in 2024. His Location+ grade of 89 ranks second worst amongst all Angels' pitchers, which is a far drop-off from his 101 grade last season.

Burke did not necessarily lose his spot on the trust tree, he was more so surpassed by another Angels' reliever who fans would rather see in the later innings. Fans should not beat up on Burke too much over one bad outing, but he is not quite the same guy as he was in 2024 as of now.

Ian Anderson

When Anderson's changeup is not working, he really cannot adapt. Anderson has appeared in three games, and it's very apparent that he always needs his change to be on point and precise for him to have any chance of recording outs.

The longtime Braves pitcher was acquired by Braves-maniac, Perry Minasian, right before the season to help eat some innings out of the bullpen. At first, Angels fans were just happy that Anderson was not José Suarez, but now they are just indifferent to him.

Ian Anderson (not Tim, Tyler, or Shaun Anderson) is tied with Kenley Jansen and Joyce for most innings thrown out of the bullpen, but has subsequently allowed the most hits, has the highest WHIP, and is tied with Ryan Johnson for the most earned runs allowed of all Angels' relievers.

At this point, fans would rather see Reid Detmers than Anderson as the Angels' go-to long reliever/emergency bullpen arm.

2 relievers who've moved up Angels' trust tree

Kenley Jansen

Things did not end amazingly between Jansen and the Boston Red Sox, and there are some warts in his game for sure (he has a comically bad Location+). However, Jansen has been stellar so far with the Angels, and fans should be overjoyed when they see him enter tied games or with a lead.

The most frustrating thing with the 37-year-old Jansen is his habit of building up his stuff as the inning goes along. He never enters games with his A+ stuff. He starts with ~B+ stuff, and builds up to his best the more he throws to live batters. Well, either way, he has the best Stuff+ grade of Angels' pitchers and is tied for 14th in the league. It's honestly kind of exhilarating seeing him dance around with a 91 MPH cutter, before getting to his 95 MPH unicorn pitch.

As well as Stuff+, Jansen is either the best or ranked in the top-two of Angels' relievers in nearly every statistical category. He certainly looks motivated, and fans might start rocking more Jansen uniforms the more the season goes along as he continues to break all-time reliever records.

Ryan Zeferjahn

Zeferjahn has certainly surpassed Brock Burke on the depth chart, meaning he is the most important reliever the Angels have not named Kenley Jansen or Ben Joyce. In fact, Zeferjahn has a save in 2025 and Joyce does not.

Of his eight outs recorded, five are via the strikeout. His location is not remarkable, but his stuff is next-level good which makes up for that (basically mirroring how Kenley Jansen is effective). Zeferjahn has the second best Stuff+ mark of Angels' pitchers, and the best Pitching+ mark of Angels' relievers. He has the best FIP of Angels' relievers as well.

Zeferjahn's decision, probably made for him to an extent when he was with the Red Sox, to table his four-seam in favor of throwing his cutter and sweeper more has turned him into a next-wave type pitcher. He is great right now, and is perfectly in the mold of what most relievers will look like moving forward --> more spin, less velo. Zeferjahn has plenty of spin, plenty of velo, and the three pitches all mesh very well together.

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