3 Angels players who need to get off to a strong start in the regular season

3. Jose Suarez needs to prove his second half wasn't a fluke

This might be an odd choice, but I think it's one that fans need to hear. The Angels have four slots in their starting rotation solidified with Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Anderson, Patrick Sandoval, and Reid Detmers. The fifth spot will be occupied by Jose Suarez, and the sixth spot remains to be seen at this point.

Suarez had a 2.81 ERA in the second half and allowed more than three earned runs just once in his eleven starts after the break. He was spectacular. He still wasn't great facing hitters for the third time, but he was really good for the first five or six innings of a game.

The caveat to this performance is most of his starts came against some bad teams. Starts against teams like the Athletics, Rangers, Tigers, and Royals don't move me much.

I have hope that the 25-year-old figured something out but will need him to prove it. Suarez needs to make sure the Angels only have one rotation spot in flux, not two. With a lack of viable trade assets and a need for stability, Suarez getting off to a good start is key to the Angels success in 2023.