5 former Angels players having a miserable August

The Los Angeles Angels are a team that has had a miserable month of August. Even after taking two of three this past weekend against the Mets, the Halos are 63-68 on the year, 10.5 games back of a playoff spot. This team was in contention, bought at the deadline, and immediately collapsed.

While the Angels have collapsed, other players who were once a part of this franchise have struggled in their new homes. Here're five examples.

1) Former LA Angels pitcher Tucker Davidson has had a miserable August with the Kansas City Royals

Tucker Davidson opened the season as a member of the Angels. He won a spot as the team's long reliever, and for the first month of the season pitched like he had earned it. He had a 2.40 ERA in April and was one bright spot of an up-and-down month.

After April, things really went downhill for the southpaw. Davidson had a 10.26 ERA from May 1 on, and only made 12 appearances in that span. He was rarely used and when Phil Nevin did call his number, he didn't pitch well for much of the season. This led to the Halos inevitably DFA'ing him just days before the deadline.

The Angels found a suitor for Davidson in the Kansas City Royals who acquired him in a trade for cash considerations. Davidson has worked primarily out of the bullpen, although he does have one start as an opener.

In his eight appearances with Kansas City, he's allowed seven runs (six earned) in 8.1 innings pitched. His 6.48 ERA as a Royal is slightly lower than his 6.54 mark he had with the Angels, but it's still a far cry from where any MLB pitcher should be. Davidson has done nothing to prove himself to his new team.

2) Former LA Angels pitcher Noah Syndergaard has had a miserable month of August with the Cleveland Guardians

In the 2021 offseason, the Angels took a risk by signing Noah Syndergaard to a lucrative one-year deal. Syndergaard had thrown just two innings since 2019, yet the Angels gave not only a lot of money, but sacrificed a compensatory pick to land the former all-star for just one year.

Syndergaard pitched decently well for the Angels in 2022, but with the team out of contention by the deadline, the Halos shipped him off to Philadelphia in the deal the got the Angels Mickey Moniak. Angels fans can be thankful for Syndergaard's service just for that fact.

The right-hander wound up signing another one-year deal to go to Los Angeles this past offseason, just this time he became a Dodger. Syndergaard opened the year as a member of the Dodgers' rotation, but had an ERA over 7.00 and found himself on the IL before he was traded to the Guardians at the trade deadline.

Syndergaard's tenure with Cleveland was short-lived. He got off to a good start with the Guardians as he delivered 5.1 innings with just one run allowed in his first start, but some struggles later on, particularly with keeping the ball in the yard, let to him being DFA'd. Syndergaard wound up having a 5.40 ERA with Cleveland including a 6.67 ERA in August.

4) Former LA Angels pitcher Alex Cobb has had a miserable month of August for the San Francisco Giants

Despite things looking bleak for Alex Cobb following the 2020 season, the Angels brought the veteran right-hander in with a trade with the Orioles to try and fortify their rotation. Cobb pitched well in 2021, posting a 3.76 ERA in 18 starts with the Angels. The team then made a crucial mistake letting him go in free agency as he inked a two-year deal with the Giants.

Cobb was really good for the Giants last season, and had a 2.97 ERA through the month of July this season. Cobb made the all-star team for the first time, yet he's been a completely different pitcher in August.

Through his five starts this month, Cobb has posted a 6.84 ERA. He's allowed 20 runs in 26.1 innings of work. Through his first ten starts of the season, double the action, he allowed a total of 14 earned runs. Quite the contrast.

There's every reason to believe this month is just a rough one for Cobb unlike the others who have struggled, but it's still interesting to see an all-star have a month this bad.

5) Former LA Angels pitcher Touki Toussaint has had a miserable month of August for the Chicago White Sox

The Angels acquired Touki Toussaint after the Braves DFA'd him in July of last season, and he served as a decent depth arm for the Halos. He made eight appearances for the Angels (two starts) and posted a 4.62 ERA in 25.1 innings pitched.

With the Angels needing room on their 40-man roster prior to the Rule-5 Draft, the team DFA'd Toussaint and let him go in free agency. Toussaint spent the first couple of months in the minors of the Guardians organization outside of one start he made with the MLB team, before being DFA'd in June.

The White Sox claimed Toussaint off of waivers, and he's been pitching for them ever since. The right-hander split time between the rotation and bullpen for his first eight appearances, and he pitched very well, posting a 3.50 ERA during that time.

With the White Sox selling at the trade deadline, Toussaint has been a permanent member of the rotation in August. Unfortunately, it's been a big struggle for him since that change happened. He has a 6.94 ERA in the month of August. That ERA is actually lower, considering the fact that he threw five scoreless frames against the A's in what will likely be his final start of the month.