3 underrated players the LA Angels are deeply missing (who will return this season)

Robert Stephenson

Stephenson is no slouch, and the Angels' bullpen really needs him back. They needed him last year, and they need him even more this year. The last time the baseball world saw Stephenson pitch in games, in September 2023, he had one of the highest whiff rates in recent memory that month.

The bullpen is incredibly inexperienced. Ryan Zeferjahn, Ryan Johnson, Garrett McDaniels, and Michael Darrell-Hicks are rookies. Reid Detmers is 25-years-old and Ian Anderson is 26, and this is their first seasons as relievers. Ben Joyce is 24-years-old and has not shown he can withstand the rigors of a 162 game season. That leaves Brock Burke as the Angels' most experienced reliever not named Kenley Jansen, and it's not like Burke has the most sterling track record despite his recent success in Anaheim.

The Angels gave Stephenson a three-year, $33 million deal for a reason. In theory, the 32-year-old could come back and be one of the few power pitchers the Angels employ. In 2023, Stephenson's fastball averaged 96.8 MPH...and that was his third most used pitch while he was coming out of Tampa Bay's bullpen and dominating hitters (he has a similar arsenal and pitch usages as Zeferjahn). His veteran presence and upside would help stabilize a shaky Angels' bullpen.