Angels: 3 performances from the spring lost amid the shutdown

Dylan Bundy

Perhaps no player got Halo fans more excited this spring than Dylan Bundy. Acquired from the Orioles in December, the right-hander who was once the 4th overall pick in the draft and a top prospect out of high school, showed that he still has a lot of potential in his 27-year-old arm.

In four starts, Bundy was 3-1 with a 1.59 ERA. He struck out 16 batters while walking only one. In 11.2 innings of work, he surrendered only four hits and two earned runs. Angels fans, desperate to see their team field a respectable pitching staff, were left drooling in front of their televisions in hopes that Bundy could become a surprise boost for the rotation.

Bundy was 7-14 for a terrible Baltimore Orioles team last season, but after struggling to stay on the mound during the beginning of his career, he has become a reliable starter making at least 28 starts for three consecutive seasons.

The underlying metrics to Bundy’s recent pitching performance show promise. His fastball spin rate ranked in the 85th percentile last season, and he used the pitch to help suppress opposing hitters ability to make solid contact. According to Baseball Savant, his hard hit percentage ranked in the 86th percentile in 2019.

If Bundy can build on his performance in spring whenever baseball returns, the Angels might have found themselves a steal of a pitcher who can provide the rotation much-needed depth and consistency.