LA Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs a big key to team’s success in 2019

When the LA Angels drafted left-handed pitcher Tyler Skaggs with the 40th pick in the first-round of the 2009 Amateur Draft they saw a lot of potential in the Southern California native.

Tyler Skaggs did not stay with the LA Angels long as he was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks along with Patrick Corbin, and Joe Saunders in exchange for then star-righty Dan Haren.  Skaggs pitched for two years in the Diamondbacks minor league system before getting promoted to the majors on August 22nd, 2012.

Skaggs had limited success in parts of two seasons for the D-Backs going 3-6 with a 5.37 ERA in 13 starts.  In the winter of 2013 the Angels re-acquired Skaggs from the Diamondbacks in a three-team trade that also landed Hector Santiago from the Chicago White Sox.  Skaggs started 2014 in the Angels rotation and pitched very well at times going 5-5 with a 4.30 ERA in 18 starts.

However on July 31st, skaggs had to leave his start against Baltimore despite throwing four no-hit innings due to soreness in his left forearm.  After undergoing an MRI Skaggs was determined to have a UCL tear in his elbow and he underwent Tommy John Surgery and he missed all of 2015 season and half of the 2016 season before return in late July.

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Skaggs made 10 starts in 2016 and then he made 17 more in 2017 after missing half of the season with a right oblique strain.  In 2018 Skaggs again suffered another injury a left abductor strain which required him to go on the DL three separate times and miss six weeks of the season. Skaggs still made 24 starts which was a career-high.

Overall Skaggs has only made 68 starts in five seasons with the Angels (13.5 per season).  His career ERA is 21-31 with a 4.31 ERA.

Not very eye-popping numbers for a front of the rotation starter. Skaggs still has two more years of club control before becoming a free agent and hopefully he can stay healthy and become the pitcher that the Angels have expected him to be.

If Skaggs can indeed step up this year it will go a long way in helping the Angels become playoff contenders.  If Skaggs gets derailed by another injury or struggles to be effective the Angels may lose patience and non-tender him for 2020.  More than likely though the Angels will ride-or-die with Skaggs for the next two seasons.  Hopefully, Skaggs will reward the Angels faith in him with two strong seasons.  We will see how things turn out.