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3 former Angels that could possibly make a return to Anaheim this offseason

By Zachary Rotman |
May 21, 2021; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Jose Quintana (62)
May 21, 2021; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Jose Quintana (62) / Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
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The Los Angeles Angels will be active in free agency to try and improve a club that won just 73 games in 2022. They have plenty of holes to fill, and not the most money in the world to fill them.

One way the Angels can go about filling those holes is by signing players who have been here before to try and make a return to Anaheim and be great.

Some free agents who have been Angels before would fill particularly big holes the Angels have on the roster right now.

1) LA Angels free agent target: Jose Quintana

Jose Quintana's first stint in Anaheim was not anything to be proud of. The Angels signed Quintana to a one-year $8 million dollar deal prior to the 2021 season. He was expected to be a part of the Angels rotation.

Quintana had been a steady mid-rotation arm for virtually his entire career before signing with the Angels where he suddenly fell off a cliff production-wise. He went 0-3 with a 6.75 ERA in 24 appearances (10 starts). He was waived in August and the Giants claimed him off of waivers. He'd struggle in his five appearances in San Francisco as well.

Quintana is a guy who never walked many but for some reason he completely lost the strike zone as an Angel. He walked 29 batters in just 53.1 innings pitched (4.9 BB/9). His career mark is 2.6 BB/9.

The southpaw would sign a one-year $2 million dollar deal to try and revitalize his career in Pittsburgh. He was going to be a part of their rotation. It's safe to say the Pirates got what the Angels were trying to get from Quintana.

In his 20 starts Quintana had a 3.50 ERA in Pittsburgh. He was then traded to the Cardinals where he was even better, posting a 2.01 ERA in 12 starts and threw 5.1 scoreless innings in the postseason against the NL Champion Phillies.

Overall, the 33 year old went 6-7 with a 2.93 ERA in 32 starts. He allowed just eight home runs in 165.2 innings pitched and his 2.99 FIP suggests his low ERA wasn't a fluke.

Will Quintana repeat this next season? Probably not. But I wouldn't mind the Angels giving him another look as a veteran arm they can rely on to take the ball every fifth or sixth day and give the Angels a chance to win. His ask won't be too much considering his age.

2) LA Angels free agent target: Jean Segura

Jean Segura played in one game as an Angel in the 2012 season. He went hitless in three at bats before being shipped off just three days later to Milwaukee in the deal that sent Zack Greinke to Anaheim.

Greinke would leave that offseason to sign with the crosstown rival Dodgers and the Angels lost a productive player in Jean Segura for half a season of Greinke.

Segura has turned into one of the more consistent second basemen in the game, hitting at a high average with a little bit of pop and solid defense.

The Angels have David Fletcher and Luis Rengifo pencilled in right now as the shortstop and second baseman for the 2023 season. Segura is an upgrade over both of them.

The Angels were 25th in baseball in runs scored in 2022. They didn't have many hitters who could consistently get on base. Segura doesn't walk much but he does get tons of hits. The Angels also had a major strikeout issue, leading the league. Segura was in the 88th percentile in K% and the 86th percentile in whiff% in 2022 according to baseball savant.

Segura will be 33 by the time Opening Day rolls around so I don't think he'd get a lengthy contract. He'd lengthen the lineup and give the Angels a professional hitter who puts the ball in play and gets on base.

3) LA Angels free agent target: Noah Syndergaard

Noah Syndergaard signed a one-year $21 million dollar deal with the Angels this past offseason. He had thrown just two innings in two seasons after getting Tommy John Surgery and it's safe to say he wasn't the same as he was in New York.

Syndergaard's velocity was down, and his strikeouts were down. He wasn't and will never be as dominant of a pitcher as he was again. And that's okay.

The Angels can sign Syndergaard to round out their rotation. He's said to have liked his time in Anaheim and I think for a cheap one-year deal the Angels can see how he does another year removed from Tommy John.

Pitchers often are better the second year after coming back from Tommy John and Syndergaard once he's more comfortable can be better than he was in Los Angeles and Philadelphia.

Syndergaard's first year back wasn't even a bad one. He went 10-10 with a 3.94 ERA in 25 starts. He allowed just 14 home runs in 134.2 innings pitched. His sinker was a very good weapon. Despite only striking out 6.1 batters per nine, Syndergaard excelled at limiting hard contact. He was in the 80th percentile in average exit velocity and the 79th percentile in hard hit rate.

I believe after a full offseason Syndergaard will come to Spring Training fresh and be a solid back-end of the rotation arm. The Angels wouldn't give him $21 million dollars again, but a cheap one or two year deal for Syndergaard to return to Anaheim makes a lot of sense to me. He's 30 and should be better in his second season back after injury.

dark. Next. Should the LA Angels sign Aaron Judge?

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