LA Angels: 6 low-risk, high-reward starting pitchers that need to be Halos

The Angels will be in the mix for lots of free agent starting pitching in the coming weeks in an effort to contend.

One thing that all Angel fans would agree on this offseason is the undeniable need for pitching help. Each of the past three years, Angel fans have entered the offseason with the high hopes of adding an ace to the pitching staff, backed consistently by ownership’s enthusiasm and promise to open their checkbooks. Each year, that promise has fallen short.

With the addition of Angels new GM Perry Minasian and his “win-now” attitude, there is reason to believe that this year will be different. Before the turn of the new year, the Angels have already filled two large holes in their opening day roster – acquiring SS Jose Iglesias from the Orioles and closer Raisel Iglesias from the Reds for very modest prospect packages – and can now focus the entirety of their efforts to the pitching staff.

With a slew of different starting pitchers reportedly available this offseason via trade and free agency, here are 3 high reward trade moves and 3 high reward free agent acquisitions that the Angels should make to finally sling-shot Mike Trout and all of his greatness into the playoffs, all while taking on relatively low risk.

Note: Some of the pitchers on this list are bonafide aces, some of them are former top-tier starters, and others are guys who can benefit from a change of scenery. However, they all have one thing in common. They can greatly benefit the Angels.

Free Agents

Corey Kluber

Only 2 years ago, the “Klubot” was a consensus top 10, and most times top 5, starting pitcher in the league. Pitching to the tune of a 2.89 ERA in 215 IP in 2018, there was no better pitcher to have at your disposal for a big game. 2 years later, Kluber seems to of been all but forgotten in the long list of available starting pitchers. Coming off of major shoulder surgery, Kluber is expected to sign somewhere in the range of 1 year at $12M, a very reasonable and worthwhile risk for the Angels to take. Kluber would provide veteran experience for a young staff, and a high ceiling if he can reach anywhere near his 2014-2018 form, in which he threw 235.2, 222, 215, 203.2, and 215 innings respectively.

James Paxton

Angels fans know “The Big Maple” well after spending his 2013-2018 campaigns with the Mariners. After being shipped off to the Yankees, Paxton battled the injury bug in 2020 before being shut down for the remainder of the season with a 6.64 ERA in 20.1 innings pitched to his name. Expected to sign in the neighborhood of 2 yrs, $30M, Paxton could slide nicely into the heart of the Angels pitching rotation while facing lineups he knows very well from his time in the AL West.

Garrett Richards

Selected 42nd overall by the Angels in the 2009 MLB draft, Richards grew up in the minor leagues with Mike Trout, and he and Trout are good friends to this day. A career ERA of 3.62 over 804.2 innings is indicative of the kind of stuff that Richards has, and his last 6 outings in 2020 – 16.1 IP, 5 ERs & 17Ks over 2 starts and 4 relief appearances – could suggest that his elbow is almost fully recovered from Tommy John surgery. Bringing Richards back to a ballpark where he is comfortable, has established friendships throughout the team and organization, and betting on him being able to be a quality middle of the rotation arm is too good of a situation not to bet on.

A Life Without Bauer

Let me preface by saying that signing Trevor Bauer would not be a bad move for the Angels. In fact, it could be a season changing move that is just what the doctor ordered to get the best player of our generation into the playoffs. However, in the theme of low-risk, high-reward options, Bauer represents a much more high-risk, low-reward option should he resemble the pitcher we have seen for much of his career, rather than the stud we saw in 2018 and 2020.

Much has been made of the Angels need and ability to sign Trevor Bauer this offseason, and with the Angels in such desperate need of an ace, it is evident why. Bauer is expected to sign for somewhere in the realm of 3 yrs, $30M per year – a small commitment considering the 7 yr, $245M contract given to Anthony Rendon last offseason, and the 10 yr, $240M contract given to Albert Pujols in 2012. However, Bauer has an ERA south of 4.19 just twice in his career, most recently being the pandemic-shortened 2020 season in which he threw 73 innings over 11 starts, about a third of a standard season’s workload.

Bauer is only 1 year removed from his 4.48 ERA campaign over 213 innings with the Reds and Indians, and has shown tendencies of being a hot-head who is toxic for a clubhouse. Should the Angels gauge their focus on lower-risk options, they could steer themselves clear of a potential bad 3 year investment.