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Joe Maddon wanted six-man rotation before pandemic, some candidates

By Jeffrey Bellone

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 18: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Dillon Peters #52 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in action against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on September 18, 2019 in New York City. The Angels defeated the Yankees 3-2. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 18: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Dillon Peters #52 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in action against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on September 18, 2019 in New York City. The Angels defeated the Yankees 3-2. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /
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ANAHEIM, CA – SEPTEMBER 26: Jaime Barria #51 of the Los Angeles Angels pitches in the second inning of the game against the Houston Astros at Angel Stadium on September 26, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /

Jaime Barria, Dillon Peters, Jose Suarez

There was some thought that Jaime Barria would find his way to the Angels rotation when Griffin Canning got hurt, but he was optioned to the minors just before everything shutdown. The 23-year-old right-hander has made 39 starts over the past two seasons in Anaheim, receiving starkly different results in 2019 versus the season before. As a 21-year-old rookie, he was 10-9 with a 3.41 ERA and 2.09 K/BB ratio. But last season, he struggled. He appeared in 19 games, 13 of which were starts, and his ERA ballooned close to seven runs (6.42). He didn’t help his case when he was roughed up this past spring, allowing three home runs in 12.1 innings. After shedding 14 pounds in the offseason, Barria hopes for a bounce back season whenever 2020 gets going, and he could find new life as a sixth man in the rotation.

Southpaw Dillon Peters was sidelined with a sprained ankle in the days before camp was shutdown. He reportedly injured it while walking down the stairs a few days earlier. Peters made 12 starts for the Halos in 2019, but only three would be considered quality starts. However, he looked good in Tempe this March, allowing only one earned run in three separate appearances. Peters has relied mostly on a four-seamer, curve ball, and changeup, but he is also looking to add a slider to his repertoire, which should help him against left-handed hitters.

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And then there’s Jose Suarez. Angels fans will remember his struggles with the big club as a 21-year-old last season, but he was just getting his feet wet and possesses bat-missing stuff that was on full display during Spring Training where he struck out nine of the 29 batters he faced. If the short, left-hander can translate his swing-and-miss ability to the majors, he could be a promising up-and-comer for the Halos. Easing him into the majors as a sixth starter might be a good way to build his confidence and experience at the big league level.

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