Angels rookie Walbert Urena is quickly reshaping the rotation outlook

It's difficult to remember now, but Walbert Ureña began his rookie season in the Los Angeles Angels' bullpen and struggled. While he technically didn't allow any earned runs, six of the unearned variety did get hung on him, not to mention the five hits and three walks he allowed in just 1.2 innings.

Naturally, he was demoted back to the minors with the intention of being stretched back out into a starter. A brief stint in Salt Lake City later and he returned to Anaheim, from which point on all he's done is shove on the mound.

The 22-year-old rookie has become a force in the Angel's rotation, recording a 2.77 ERA and sub-4.00 FIP over his first nine MLB starts. Walks have still plagued him at times, but he's been prolific at generating ground balls and keeping away from the barrels of opposing hitters.

Now firmly a long-term piece to build around, it's best not to imagine what life would have been like without Ureña.

Walbert Ureña is becoming the face of the Angels' future blueprint

Even when accounting for Ureña's brilliance, the Angels' rotation remains frustratingly mediocre. They rank 27th in starting pitcher ERA (4.75) 18th in FIP (4.19), 16th in innings pitched (333.1), and 15th in fWAR (4.7), a sign of a fledgling group that still lacks stability.

A lot of various players are responsible for those struggles, as only Ureña and José Soriano have an ERA below 4.00 this season -- and even Soriano has taken a step back as of late. Whether it's veteran Yusei Kikuchi or trade acquisition Grayson Rodriguez, there have just been too many disappointments to cover up for.

Still, there is something of a "Big 3" forming, as Ureña, Soriano, and Reid Detmers all have sub-.400 FIP marks and have combined for 4.2 fWAR between them. It's rather paradigmatic of this era of Angels baseball that three pitchers are responsible for nearly 90% of the rotation's value and yet the team can't find enough support to back them up.

The good news is each of those starters is 27 or younger and team controlled through at least 2028, giving the Halos something worth building around. If someone like Grayson Rodriguez can figure things out -- he's 26 and under contract via arbitration through 2029 -- then we'll be looking at a legitimate core of young players that could offer hope for the future.

It all starts with Ureña, though. As the youngest member of that group, his emergence as a legitimate frontline starter could change the direction of the franchise, depending on whether or not he can sustain it.

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