LA Angels: 3 relief pitchers to target at MLB trade deadline

Jul 9, 2021; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Kendall Graveman (49) throws against the Los Angeles Angels during the ninth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 9, 2021; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Kendall Graveman (49) throws against the Los Angeles Angels during the ninth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
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Jul 3, 2021; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Miami Marlins relief pitcher Yimi Garcia (93) pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the ninth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 3, 2021; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Miami Marlins relief pitcher Yimi Garcia (93) pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the ninth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /

The LA Angels may end up buying at the trade deadline come the end of this month.

The Angels bullpen has looked a bit improved lately, but it still has room for improvement.

There are always relievers on the trade block, and there are three in particular that make sense for the Halos.

No. 3 relief pitcher for LA Angels to target at MLB trade deadline: Yimi Garcia

Yimi Garcia has had a ton of success in this league as a reliever, and would be a nice option for the LA Angels.

A pitcher with a career 3.41 ERA, he’s been solid this year. He strikes out a solid nine batters per nine innings and has a 3.44 ERA here in 2021.

He’s had a lot of experience playing in LA, as he played with the Dodgers for the first five years of his career.

He had an 0.990 WHIP in LA, and only walked 1.7 batters per nine innings then.

There’s a lot to like about what Garcia has done in this league. In the shortened 2020 season, he was 3-0 with an 0.60 ERA. He maybe hasn’t been able to duplicate that, but he’s been one of the better, more consistent relief pitchers in baseball throughout the course of his career.

Going to a league that hasn’t yet had the chance to figure him out may even provide a nice boost for the Angels to go on a playoff run.

Jul 8, 2021; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Kendall Graveman (49) throws a pitch against the New York Yankees during the ninth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 8, 2021; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Kendall Graveman (49) throws a pitch against the New York Yankees during the ninth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 2 relief pitcher for LA Angels to target at MLB trade deadline: Kendall Graveman

Kendall Graveman has been going crazy lately, but the Seattle Mariners are in a situation that the LA Angels have also found themselves in.

They are too good right now to plan on selling, but not good enough to where they know they’ll be buying.

The Mariners likely don’t know what to do with their potential trade pieces. If they do sell, however, let’s call and ask them about Graveman.

Graveman hasn’t allowed an earned run in any of his last seven outings, and has only given up three all year. He’s pitched in 25 games, and has an insane ERA of 0.95.

This is a no-brainer. Graveman has never been better, and has a superstar 0.600 WHIP to go along with that ridiculous ERA right now. Almost nobody’s hotter, and if the Mariners slip up in these next couple weeks, they may be down to trade him.

They could get a lot for him, and the Angels could steal a playoff spot with him in the staff.

Jul 11, 2021; San Francisco, California, USA; Washington Nationals relief pitcher Daniel Hudson (44) pitches the ball against the San Francisco Giants during the seventh inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 11, 2021; San Francisco, California, USA; Washington Nationals relief pitcher Daniel Hudson (44) pitches the ball against the San Francisco Giants during the seventh inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 1 relief pitcher for LA Angels to target at MLB trade deadline: Daniel Hudson

The LA Angels, along with most teams, can use a reliever like Daniel Hudson.

Hudson can do it all as a reliever, as he’s somebody who’s excelled in closer roles, long relief roles, and can even come in and start if a team needs him to.

After a truly lackluster 2020 season, Hudson is right back to where he was. Hudson has posted the best WHIP of his career (0.873), as well as the best ERA of his career (2.39).

Hudson is striking out 12.6 batters per nine innings, which is another career mark, and obviously has experience pitching in the World Series.

He has everything the Angels want in a reliever at this stage in the season.

Next. 3 trade targets if the Angels decide to buy

All three of these guys, however, need to be on their radar. The Halos have had one of the lesser bullpens in the game this year, and improvement in that area can really impact the final results of this season.

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