3 budget free agents the LA Angels should definitely pursue

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Oct 31, 2021; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Houston Astros relief pitcher Kendall Graveman (31) throws / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The LA Angels haven't spent a ton of money yet this offseason.

Perhaps that's because they're looking hard for the very best deals they can find. It makes sense, and it especially does because there are productive guys out there that the Halos can sign for cheap.

While many are understandably suggesting that the Angels go after the Max Scherzer's, or the Marcus Stroman's of the world, it's also worth taking a peak at some of the bargain bin guys that could still be productive for this team.

No. 3 budget free agent that the LA Angels should definitely pursue: Kendall Graveman

There's a chance that the LA Angels could get a pretty cheap deal off for Kendall Graveman this offseason. The market's never been big for him. The most he ever made in a season was $2.36 million.

The market for him last season was even lesser than that, as he signed a $1.25 million deal. Incentives were involved, but that's still cheap. He still ended up making under $2 million.

The Angels need to take advantage. Make sure he doesn't end up signing with a division rival again. He's a good pitcher who's coming off of the best year of his career.

Posting a 5-1 record with a 1.77 ERA in 2021, the Angels need to get on it, and his market may be even lower than expected due to his 'regression' with the Astros after he was traded.

However, that 'regression' still yielded a solid 3.13 ERA and 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings. Let's let other teams be scared away from a really good relief pitcher, and not make that stupid decision ourselves.

Oct 10, 2021; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox relief pitcher Ryan Tepera (51) pitches / Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

No. 2 budget free agent that the LA Angels should definitely pursue: Ryan Tepera

Ryan Tepera is another guy who the LA Angels can maybe snag for cheap. He made even less than Graveman did last season, even though his contract had incentives he hit as well. And the most he's ever made in this league is $1.525 million in the 2019 season.

He shouldn't have a huge price tag, and the Halos need bullpen help badly. Why not get it from Tepera?

In the last two years, he's recorded a 3.07 ERA, a 2.88 FIP, and a 1.012 WHIP. He's pitching some of the better baseball he ever has, and that's saying quite a bit. He's only had one bad year in his career.

He's had just one season where he had an ERA over 3.92. In his career he carries a 3.48 ERA to go along with 9.3 K/9 and a solid 1.117 WHIP. I'm taking these numbers if I'm the Angels.

He's pitched almost entirely in the AL throughout his career, and has been spectacular in the last three postseasons he's pitched in.

The Angels are throwing multiple starters next year that have had serious injuries lately. The Halos need to bolster the bullpen in case it needs to be relied on.

Sep 30, 2021; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Rich Hill (21) delivers a / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

No. 1 budget free agent that the LA Angels should definitely pursue: Rich Hill

Yes, bringing Rich Hill back to the LA Angels is much different than bringing him in the first time. He's an old man now. But, has age ever stopped him?

It absolutely hasn't, and he's coming off of a good year. Pitching 32 times this season (31 starts), he recorded a 3.86 ERA this past year, with a 1.210 WHIP.

He didn't strike a lot of guys out like he used to, but he stayed durable, which is something he had previously had a tough time doing. He proved exactly what he wanted to prove. He's a guy who can pitch well while staying healthy.

And we can get him for cheap. Ken Davidoff of the New York Post has us landing him and landing him for just $7 million on a one-year deal. I could see it, and I could even see it going for cheaper than that. He played for $2.5 million last year.

And we can use him for the bullpen too if we have to. He's played 130 out of 324 games in his career and averaged 2.2 more strikeouts per nine innings as a reliever (11.4 total).

dark. Next. Noah Syndergaard is a straight savage

This offseason's not going to be perfect. Believe it or not, we're not going to land Syndergaard, Scherzer, Robbie Ray, Kenley Jansen, and Craig Kimbrel all in one offseason. We can, however, cash in on some nice value over some budget guys, and need to be looking out for those types of opportunities.

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