LA Angels: Three Mid-Rotation Arms To Pair With an Ace

The LA Angels are going after the biggest names on the free agent market this year, but signing just one big name won’t get this team where it needs to be.

If the LA Angels hope to make the playoffs for the first time since 2014, they need to win the margins as well. This starts and ends with their rotation. They have a competitive group of relievers and position players, but are being held back by their rotation.

While signing an ace to pitch alongside Shohei Ohtani is the priority, these three pitchers would be excellent options to help fill out the rotation for the Halos going into 2020.

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Jake Odorizzi

While he struggled down the line in 2019, Odorizzi would be a perfect option for the Angels’ rotation next season. He won’t break the bank and won’t demand a super long-term deal. A three-year, $45 million deal should be able to get it done.

His strong first half was hampered by a poor season after the All Star break. It’s not quite clear what led to this performance, but even in the second half Odorizzi was not awful, posting a 3.97 ERA. Even if that’s what he gives the Angels over the course of his contract, it would be a huge upgrade from what they’ve had in years past.

He won’t be atop their free agent big board, but Odorizzi could be a solid complementary piece to any big signings this offseason.

Cole Hamels

If Teheran is the youngster with upside, Cole Hamels is ol’ reliable for the Angels. The soon-to-be 36-year old is coming off another rock solid season where he posted a 3.81 ERA with the Cubs over 27 starts.

Hamels has proven to be valuable to a rotation, and while he may not be the All Star he was in the past, he can certainly serve as a mid-rotation piece for any contending club. His ERA would probably take a hit if he moved back to the American League, but there’s also reason to believe he could post even better numbers if he finds himself in Anaheim next season.

Hamels declined in the final month of the season for the Cubs. He fought fatigue in his throwing shoulder, but pitched through it. While he was still effective, it was definitely a step down from the level he was at prior.

However, the Angels are expected to move back to a six-man rotation in 2020 as Shohei Ohtani returns to the mound. I’ve written about why this makes Hyun-Jim Ryu a perfect fit due to his decline towards the end of 2019, and the same goes for Hamels. Five days of rest instead of four is a great advantage for older pitchers, and decreases the workload over the course of an entire season dramatically.

For Hamels, this could be not just something to make him more effective this season, but also prolong his career for an extra year or two.

Billy Eppler, make sure those two or three years Hamels has left in the tank are spent dealing alongside Gerrit Cole in Anaheim, alright?