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

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.