1 Angels player fans are losing their patience with
Last offseason, the Los Angeles Angels made a big move by signing Aaron Loup to a two-year $17 million dollar deal. Loup was coming off of a career year pitching for the Mets and was surely going to be a reliable lefty for the Angels to turn to late in games.
Loup got $7.5 million for 2022 and 2023 and there's a club option for the 2024 season worth another $7.5 million with a $2 million buyout. This deal seemed reasonable at the time, but things haven't gone to plan.
Loup had a disappointing first season in Anaheim and after a rough outing on Opening Day, patience is wearing thin.
LA Angels fans are losing patience with Aaron Loup
Aaron Loup's first season wasn't absolutely disastrous, but he didn't live up to the billing. He was coming off of a season in which he posted an ERA under 1.00 in New York. While that was never the expectation in Anaheim, Loup wasn't very effective at all for the Halos.
Loup's struggles started right as the Angels were collapsing in late-May, and he never seemed to get going. After a full offseason with a fresh start, I had hoped Loup would settle in nicely and have a much better year seemingly as the team's second lefty.
Phil Nevin opted to use him over Matt Moore (which I didn't agree with at the time) in last night's game. Loup promptly gave up two hits including a booming double to Tony Kemp that tied the game up at one. Kemp is a light-hitting second baseman who bats left-handed. That's a guy Loup just has to get out. Ryan Tepera would give up the go-ahead hit to Aledmys Diaz to score Kemp later in the inning and the Angels would fall 2-1.
The southpaw allowed two runs and recorded just one out. Yes, I get that it's only day one and the season can go much better, but after a rocky 2022 Loup getting off to this bad start is not ideal.
Time is running out for Loup to be anything close to the pitcher Angels fans were expecting. Patience is running out.