Which Angels are doomed to not return in 2021?

Angels that won’t return in 2021: Julio Teheran, SP

Coming into the 2020 season, the Angels struck out on numerous free agent targets while trying to bolster their pitching staff, and in particular their starting rotation. While they made a few at least one trade that proved fruitful for the staff, one proved to be a big mistake.

The signing of Julio Teheran was the most high-profile addition to the starting staff. The right-hander, while not ace material, had been a steady presence in the Atlanta Braves’ rotation for nine seasons before making the jump to Anaheim. He’d averaged 30-plus starts and 190-plus innings of 3.64 ERA with Atlanta, and the Angels were expecting something similar or at least approximated during the shortened season.

What the Halos got instead was a complete disappointment.

Teheran got a late start to the 2020 season after contracting COVID-19 prior to the start of summer camp. Once he joined the team, he was weeks behind in training and didn’t make his first appearance for the club until August 5th.

Overall, Teheran only made nine appearances and eight starts, averaging just 3.34 innings per appearance. The results of those innings were an 0-4 record, a 9.49 ERA, an 8.69 FIP, a 5.04 K/9, and a 4.15 BB/9. In addition to his control issues, he was also victimized by hard contact, allowing opposing hitters to barrel balls on 13% of contact and home runs at a clip of 3.56 HR/9. All that amounted to a -0.9 fWAR in 2020.

Needless to say, the one-year deal that the Angels agreed to with Teheran will not likely be a mistake that the team will wish to make again. As such, Teheran is likely to become a free agent looking for a new home this winter.