Angels finally designate disastrous relief pitcher for assignment

As the Angels' tailspin continues after losing the first two games against the Athletics, they have mixed their bullpen around once again as they try to find the right mixture and make one last run at the final American League Wild Card spot.

All signs point to the Angels' season ending with their playoff drought continuing on, but that won't stop Perry Minasian from doing everything he can to find players to catch fire and ignite the clubhouse. Bryce Teodosio has been the most recent example of this, as his hot start to this season had fans thinking playoffs in 2025 and beyond. Another example of the Angels giving a young guy a chance is Victor Mederos and his addition to the rotation. And while their most recent trade acquisitions have both been rock solid since arriving in Anaheim, Connor Brogdon and his 5.30 ERA have been the clear odd man out in the bullpen.

Brogdon DFA'd by Angels, Jose Fermin recalled

Jose Fermin may seem like an incredibly odd choice to be the newest middle reliever for the Angels. In 23 games this season - his first in the big leagues - Fermin has posted a 6.63 ERA in prior stints in Anaheim. While striking out 24 batters in only 19 innings pitched points at a high ceiling for Fermin, giving up 14 walks and 20 hits in those innings shows a pitcher who is simply not ready for MLB playing time. Eight of those hits have been home runs, as well, showing even more proof that Fermin needs more time to develop.

The 23-year old has been exceptional in AAA Salt Lake City this season, posting an ERA of 1.74 and striking out 15 batters in 10.1 innings pitched. If he can find a way to translate his reptoire in the big leagues, Fermin can join Reid Detmers and (hopefully) Ben Joyce as mainstays in the Angels' bullpen for the next few years.

Connor Brogdon's designation comes after allowing two runs in back-to-back appearances against the A's this weekend. Brogdon has largely been a low-leverage reliever for the Angels, but he has been noticeably less effective as of late. With the Angels' playoff hopes vanishing with each loss, replacing a 30-year old Brogdon with the potential of a young prospect like Fermin is the type of move fans can likely expect for the rest of the season.

The gist of this is that the Angels, and anyone watching their games, know that Brogdon is not the answer in the bullpen. Fermin, however, might be. And even if his 2025 season is bumpy, Fermin is someone who the team hopes can be a big contributor in 2026 and beyond and getting him big league innings this season could be a huge factor in getting Fermin ready for his future role in the bullpen at The Big A.

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