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Three Value Deals for the LA Angels to Make

ByVincent Page|
ANAHEIM, CA - OCTOBER 22: Owner Arte Moreno and general manager Billy Eppler applaud as The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Introduce new team manager Brad Ausmus during a press conference at Angel Stadium on October 22, 2018 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CA - OCTOBER 22: Owner Arte Moreno and general manager Billy Eppler applaud as The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Introduce new team manager Brad Ausmus during a press conference at Angel Stadium on October 22, 2018 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
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TORONTO, ON – JULY 28: J.A. Happ #33 of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts after failing to get a favorable call on a pitch in the second inning during MLB game action against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Rogers Centre on July 28, 2017 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – JULY 28: J.A. Happ #33 of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts after failing to get a favorable call on a pitch in the second inning during MLB game action against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Rogers Centre on July 28, 2017 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)

J.A Happ, LHP

Billy Eppler knows it. Angels fans know it. Everyone knows it.

The Angels need starting pitching.

Injuries to the rotation have held this team back for what seems like an eternity. Outside of a Mike Trout extension, getting starting pitchers for the team is the most important thing for the Angels to do this season. While they will likely be chasing after Patrick Corbin and other big names, J.A Happ makes too much sense for the Angels not to pursue.

Happ is coming off an All Star year for the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees. He had a 3.65 ERA, and even lowered number that to 2.69 after being traded to the Yankees. He posted a career-high in strikeout rate, as he averaged 9.8 K/9 over 177.2 innings last year. That is the second-highest total for his career, and he is a great example of a late bloomer.

At 36-years old, Happ won’t get the same contract offers that fellow lefties Corbin and Dallas Kuechel will receive. Happ is another player who could fall right into the Angels’ lap while other teams chase big money players. A short term deal, one or two years at most, could be just what the Angels need with Happ.

Despite this being one of the best free agent classes of all time, the Angels just are not players for the Bryce Harper and Manny Machado types. Billy Eppler can still have a productive offseason though, he just needs to find the right value deals to make, and these three may be a good starting point.

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