5 best remaining Angels free agent targets ranked

2) Jordan Montgomery

One of the biggest names left in free agency is Jordan Montgomery who has gone from a mid-rotation arm to a legitimate frontline starter with his performance in the last two seasons. He went from a pitcher the Yankees didn't believe in to pitch in the playoffs to one of the biggest reasons that the Rangers won the World Series.

Montgomery posted a 3.20 ERA in 32 starts and 188.2 innings of work during the regular season. He was even better in the playoffs. This Angels team is in desperate need of an ace. Montgomery might not look like one with the lack of an overpowering fastball or the insane strikeout numbers, but he's pitched like one in the last two years.

When it comes to free agent starters, the best ones available are clearly Montgomery and Blake Snell. While Montgomery does not have Snell's upside, he offers a whole lot more reliability which is what this Angels team needs.

Snell might win another Cy Young Award in 2024, but he also might post an ERA of 4.20 in 27 starts like he did in 2021. Montgomery is a guy the Angels can rely on to take the ball every fifth day, eat innings, and give his team a chance to win. He's made at least 30 starts in each of the three full seasons he's pitched in (excluding 2020) after rehabbing from Tommy John Surgery. He's delivered at least 157 innings in those seasons, all of which ended with him posting a sub-4.00 ERA.

No, he's not flashy, but he's productive. The Angels need productivity and reliability in a big way. Montgomery would provide that, albeit at a steep cost.