Angels Rumors: Reliever Shane Greene is still available and drawing interest

The Angels bullpen has been put to good use this season. At this rate they might benefit from some outside help, and reliever Shane Greene is still available and drawing interest.

MLB Insider Jon Heyman reports the right-hander is in the midst of discussions with ‘mulitple teams’.

Heyman did not go any further than that as far as naming the specific teams Greene is in talks with. At this point in the season, you wonder if the Angels are among those interested.

Passing on reliever Shane Greene would be a mistake for the Angels.

It’s no secret the Halos rotation hasn’t been great thus far. Through 25 games, the starters have logged the second-fewest innings in the majors (115.1 IP) while being tied for MLB’s worst ERA (5.70) and 15th-lowest FIP (4.01).

Given how much the Angels bullpen has been used, they could be out of gas by the All-Star break. The relievers have logged the eighth-most innings (105.1 IP) in the majors, while posting the tenth-highest ERA (4.36) and seventh-best FIP (3.67).

Even though the production has been solid for the most part, there’s no such thing as too many arms in a big-league ‘pen.

Greene, 32, would provide a veteran presence and he was one of MLB’s best relievers last summer while posting a 2.60 ERA, 1.120 WHIP, and 3.81 FIP through 27.2 innings pitched. He isn’t the type of pitcher who’s going to consistently blow hitters away (career 8.4 K/9), but his average fastball (92 MPH), cutter (87 MPH), and slider (81 MPH) proved to be effective in producing outs.

After being used as a starter for the first few seasons of his career with the Yankees and Tigers, Greene has been used exclusively in high-leverage roles during recent years. In seven big-league seasons, Greene owns a 4.38 ERA, 1.318 WHIP, and 4.07 FIP.

Aside from production, I think Greene’s added depth would allow further reason to move No.4 Chris Rodriguez into the starting rotation at some point this season.

Limiting Rodriguez to bullpen use has been emphasized because of his injury history and lack of build up with competitive innings (9.1 IP from 2017-2020). His role could stay the same even with a Greene signing, but it makes the decision to move Rodriguez into the rotation easier knowing there would not be as big a hole left in the bullpen with his departure. Rodriguez currently has a 2.45 ERA, 1.159 WHIP, 2.82 FIP, and 10.4 K/9 through 14.2 innings pitched.

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You see it all the time with competitive teams like the Dodgers who continually make moves to win at all costs. They don’t stop even when you think they have enough.

If that’s the level general manager Perry Minasian and owner Arte Moreno want the Angels to be at, it starts with moves like this. It would be a mistake not to sign Shane Greene while he’s there for the taking.