3 forgotten former Angels pitchers who are killing it in 2025 with their new teams

The Los Angeles Angels are currently down a starting pitcher and the bullpen is regressing after a mighty strong June. So, naturally, it's time to look around the league at all the former Angels pitchers who are shoving for their new squads. Despite the recent technological innovation, revamped game planning and The Big A being a great place to pitch, pitchers turn from pumpkins into stars once they leave the Halos.

No, Shohei Ohtani is not going to be included even though he's pitching again for that other team that's called Los Angeles.

Lucas Giolito

Lucas Giolito is a name that Angels fans will sometimes forget about, but when they hear the name they immediately remember every specific detail surrounding him from 2023. He missed the entire 2024 season due to injury, and became somewhat forgotten in the Angels fans' collective consciousness.

The Halos traded Edgar Quero and Ky Bush in exchange for Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López right before the 2023 trade deadline. That trade, which was the first time in a long, long time the organization bought at the deadline, was pretty much a double loss for the Angels -- Quero is doing well with the White Sox right now, Giolito and López provided absolutely nothing for the Angels and both went off to find success immediately after leaving Anaheim (López has only pitched in one game this year, but was exceptional in 2024 for Atlanta).

Amongst the 44 qualified starters in 2023, Giolito's 2.00 HR/9 was the second worst in baseball. In his 21 starts for the White Sox in 2023, he posted a 1.49 HR/9, then he came to the Angels and posted a 2.76 HR/9. This season for the Red Sox, he has a 1.04 HR/9 because of course he does. Giolito went 1-5 in his six Angels starts, and is currently 6-2 in his 14 starts this year.

Janson Junk

Janson Junk was acquired alongside Elvis Peguero when the Angels sent Andrew Heaney to the New York Yankees in 2021. In 2022, Junk spent most of the year in Triple-A Salt Lake but was brought up on occasion to make a spot start for the Halos. Junk was not overly impressive, but remained a big part of the team's future due to his high prospect status.

Well, the Angels turned around and traded Junk, Peguero and Adam Seminaris to the Brewers for Hunter Renfroe. He spent pretty much the entirety of 2023 in Triple-A Nashville, and most of 2024 before he was designated by assignment by the Brewers. He bounced around, first going to Houston and then Oakland before becoming a free agent. Before the 2025 season, Junk signed a minor league deal with the lowly Marlins...and now he is one of the few bright spots on their roster.

Out of nowhere, Junk has turned into an absolute tactician on the mound for Miami. How's a 39:5 K:BB sound? He is making a former Cy Young winner in Sandy Alcántara look like a scrub from High-A. Junk was once a solid young tandem in the Angels' rotation with Reid Detmers, but now is crushing it elsewhere. Happy for him!

Rob Zastryzny

Before joining the Milwaukee Brewers, Zastryzny had a career 4.70 ERA. With the Brew Crew, he has a 2.02 ERA. Zastryzny has the second best ERA of any pitcher currently on the Brewers, the third best WHIP and third best OBP against. The left-hander is one of the most integral relievers on one of the best teams in the sport.

When he was with the Angels, if you blinked you probably missed his tenure. In 2022, he tossed three total innings with LAA. He flashed a solid East-West arsenal, but it never appeared he would turn into this.

Maybe that's just the Brewers effect, they helped turn Junk and Peguero into solid pitchers when they came through their pitching factory. If only the Angels could develop their own factory one day...

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