LA Angels Rotation is On the Rise, and Andrew Heaney is the Leader

After a long-awaited return, the LA Angels finally got to see Andrew Heaney make his season debut, and it sure was worth the wait.

While the LA Angels did end up needing a six run 7th inning to pull at the victory, that was in no means Heaney’s fault. He was electric in his first start, going five innings on 85 pitches.

While he did allow two solo home runs, those were the only two hits Heaney allowed on the day. Besides one additional walk, every other at-bat ended with an out. More often than not, those outs came via the strikeout, as Heaney made the Rangers look like fools throughout the outing with eight strikeouts.

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Seven of those strikeouts were swing-and-miss, which is a phenomenal sign for Heaney. Before his injury delayed his start, many believed 2019 was the year for an Andrew Heaney breakout. His swing-and-miss potential and ability to command his pitches at an elite level were the main reasons why.

Yesterday, both were on display for Heaney. He was hitting his spots with ease throughout his start, and with the phenomenal command came the swing and misses. While it was only one start, Heaney reminded all Angels fans how great he can be.

If not for two mistake pitches-turned-homers, his line for the day would have looked a lot better. While home run problems have been an issue for the Angels’ rotation as a whole, Heaney has never given up an alarming amount of long balls over the course of an entire season.

“I’m just glad to be part of the team again. I’ve been here,” Heaney said following the game, “but when you’re not playing, not producing, you just want to be out there and be part of it.”

With Griffin Canning and Tyler Skaggs both having impressive outings in their previous starts, the Angels’ rotation is on the rise, and Andrew Heaney is the best of the bunch.