Three Relievers for the LA Angels to Sign

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The LA Angels have done a lot of work this offseason to improve their team. However, they still have not improved their bullpen. With 2019 drawing near, there are a lot of options left, and these three could give the Angels biggest bang for their buck.

Zach Britton

For the LA Angels, their bullpen lacks a true closer. This was true even before they released Blake Parker, and now the need is even more obvious. With Zach Britton, the Halos would receive the most experienced and arguably the best closer on the free agent market.

Britton had dominated, when healthy, over the past three seasons. Despite dealing with a variety of health issues, he has a 1.86 ERA since 2016. While his strikeout and walk numbers have not been as great as other elite closers, Britton’s resumé speaks for itself, and the Angels need to reach out to the two-time All Star.

Related Story. More on a Potential Angels-Britton Pairing

With Britton, the Angels’ bullpen would become complete. They have solid long-relievers, setup guys, and guys who have experience stranding runners. What they do not have, however, is a bonafide closer (at least until Keynan Middleton returns from Tommy John surgery). Britton would be the final piece to the puzzle for the Halos, and could turn this average unit into a legitimate strength as the Angels hope to return to the postseason in 2019.

Jim Johnson

This is a familiar name for Angels’ fans, as Jim Johnson served as a key cog in Anaheim last season. Now, he is a free agent, but Billy Eppler needs to seriously consider bringing back Johnson and his 3.84 ERA.

Now, Johnson is not the typical type of relief pitcher that Eppler prefers. The Angels’ general manager prefers high velocity relief pitchers who can strike a high number of batters out by missing bats. Johnson is not that mold of pitcher, though.

Johnson trusts his defense, causing a high amount of batted balls, both on the ground and in the air. While this has not always been a good approach for Johnson, in a pitcher’s ballpark such as Anaheim, it can be a solid route for success.

Another reason Johnson found success was because of the Angels’ elite defense. With nearly every starter winning a Gold Glove in their career (and that doesn’t include Mike Trout), Johnson relying on his defense to make plays paid off big time in 2018, leading to one of his best seasons in years.

Johnson, would come very cheap. He does not have the big name nor the high strikeout rates that are so valued in today’s free agent market. Billy Eppler, if he truly wants to contend next season, needs to take advantage of Johnson’s low price.

Adam Ottavino

This is perhaps the least likely signing the Angels could make to improve their bullpen. However, a guy can dream, right? Adam Ottavino is someone every baseball has seen, whether they know it or not. His devastating slider can be seen all over the Twitter-verse, and causes jaws to drop daily.

Ottavino also does not lack confidence, an important attribute for any reliever. Earlier this offseason, Ottavino made headlines as he claimed he could and would strike out Babe Ruth himself every time he faced him.

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Now, before I anger old school baseball fans, let’s focus on what Ottavino would bring to the Angels. Apart from a Twitter account made solely for his slider, he is a legitimate closer. While he was not the Rockies’ everyday closer in 2018, he could easily serve as the Angels’ should they sign him.

Ottavino, like Britton, could serve as the missing piece for the Halos’ bullpen. His 13 strikeouts-per-nine innings is the most elite of elite numbers, and a move to a pitchers’ park like Anaheim could mean big improvement to his 2.43 ERA. He could serve as the team’s closer for the first half of the season, and depending on how he performs, could transition to the set-up man once Middleton returns from TJ surgery.

While the bullpen in Anaheim is not a huge issue (despite what most fans think), there is definitely room for improvement. If the Angels are serious about the playoffs next year, they’ll want to fill every hole possible.

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