Angels reverse course on roster mistake they never should've made in the first place

The Los Angeles Angels will likely have a revolving door in their bullpen for most of the season, and it started this past weekend against the Houston Astros. Yes, it was the opening series of the season, but the Angels didn't even get past Sunday's game before optioning Walbert Urena to Triple-A Salt Lake, and recalled veteran right-handed pitcher Shaun Anderson.

Urena made the Angels' Opening Day roster, and it was a surprise to begin with. He's one of the team's top-20 prospects, and while LA has been faced with injuries in the bullpen to start the season, that wasn't a reason to rush the development of a pitcher who entered the year with only one appearance above the Double-A level.

Urena made two appearances for the Angels over the weekend, and it was a reminder that he's still a raw talent. He walked three of the 15 batters he faced while giving up six runs on five hits. Given the defense behind him, Urena's ERA remains untarnished, but that doesn't tell the story of how he looked on the mound.

While the Angels' starting rotation impressed against the Astros this weekend, the bullpen left much to be desired and was taxed during the games on Saturday and Sunday. Anderson gives the Halos a fresh arm, but Urena will be stretched out as a starting pitcher upon his return to the Triple-A level.

The Angels wasted no time in admitting an Opening Day roster mistake

“We needed to get some length in the bullpen to protect us,” Kurt Suzuki told reporters. “He’s gonna go down, and we’ll get him back in the rotation. We all see the stuff. But for a younger player, the game can get fast a little bit. And I love the guy, he's such a hard worker, great teammate. He's got such a bright future. So I'm excited for him to go down and get into a groove.”

It was an...odd decision to start with. Yes, Urena has a lively arm and flashed the potential of being a dude during spring training, but he's only 22 years old. There was no need for the organization to rush things and place him on the Opening Day roster to start the season.

No, Urena's outings against the Astros this weekend shouldn't hurt his overall development, but it's a reminder that questionable baseball decisions remain at the center of the Angels' dysfunction.