Breaking Down LA Angels Newest Starter Julio Teheran

The LA Angels went into this offseason hoping for a superstar addition to their rotation. While Julio Teheran isn’t that level of a pitcher, he offers the Halos aspects of the game they didn’t previously have.

First off, the LA Angels signing of Julio Teheran is much different then the Matt Harvey and Trevor Cahill signings of last offseason. Despite a similar monetary value in the contracts, Teheran is a starter with a productive track record, and has been extremely durable throughout his career. So, let’s get into breaking down the 28-year old righty.

Durability

This is a department where Teheran earns an A+ grade. Since 2013, he has made 30+ starts in every single season and had been a linchpin in Atlanta’s rotation. Now, he brings that same reliability to Anaheim, where he’ll be a consistent part of the Angels’ rotation.

More from Halo Hangout

• New York Post columnist has LA Angels bringing veteran starter back to LA
• Dodgers make wild mistake signing failed LA Angels starter
• Why LA Angels’ Qualifying Offer to Raisel Iglesias could become historical
• Both Gold Glove finalists for LA Angels getting snubbed is a complete joke
• Marcus Stroman definitely appears to be interested in the LA Angels

Pitch Mix

Teheran has a wide net in terms of the pitches he used. In 2019, he used a mix of a fastball (41.5% of the time), sinker (22.3%), changeup (8.7%), slider (21.1%), and a curveball (6.5%). An interesting note on Teheran is his increased use of the sinker over the years.

While it’s become a largely unpopular pitch in the MLB, Teheran has continued using it around 20% of the time as a starter. On top of that, it’s been his most effective pitch. Teheran has a unique mixture of movement, velocity, and location on his sinker that simply makes it hard to hit well. The velocity on his sinker is nearly identical to the velocity of his fastball, making it all the more deceptive.

Consistency

Teheran is a remarkably consistent pitcher. In 33 starts last year, only eight saw Teheran give up more than three earned runs. In comparison, Teheran had 17 starts last season where he allowed one or fewer earned runs. That is a remarkable stat considering how bad the Angels have been at remaining consistent throughout their rotation.

What ruined the Angels last year was an overworked bullpen due to incompetent starters. Starters who can’t even go five innings put way too much pressure on the bullpen. However, Teheran only had seven such starts last season, and lasted through six innings in nearly half of his starts.

In short, Teheran is exactly the pitcher the Angels needed this offseason. While it would have been nice if he wasn’t the headlining acquisition for the rotation, he is still a great addition nonetheless. The Julio Teheran may have been initially met with scoffs and insistence that the Angels need to do more, but it won’t be long into the 2020 season before Halo fans are thanking Billy Eppler for being wise enough to add Teheran.

Their one complaint will be that it was only a one-year deal.