Angels reported interest in Dodgers breakout reliever brings Tyler Anderson flashbacks

The Los Angeles Angels have addressed their bullpen somewhat by signing three relievers to one-year deals. One of those relievers they signed happened to be a former Angel, Luis Garcia. The Angels are reportedly considering another reunion with a former Angel, this time with Ryan Brasier according to Jon Heyman of the NY Post.

For an Angels team in desperate need of late-game bullpen help, Brasier makes some sense considering how well he pitched for the Dodgers in 2023. Considering how poorly he had done before his brief Dodgers stint, that should give Angels fans cause to pause. Tyler Anderson is the reason why.

LA Angels reportedly among six teams interested in Dodgers breakout reliever, Ryan Brasier

The Angels signed Anderson last offseason coming off a clear outlier season. Anderson was nothing more than a journeyman before randomly joining the Dodgers ahead of the 2022 season and becoming an all-star. Brasier was in a similar boat and was actually DFA'd by the Red Sox after a couple of miserable seasons in a row before latching on with the Dodgers and suddenly turning things around.

Brasier's ERA went from 7.29 in 20 appearances with the Red Sox to begin the year to a whopping 0.70 ERA in 39 outings in Los Angeles. He allowed a total of three runs in 38.2 innings in Dodger Blue. Brasier's success appeared to be thanks to a new pitch, his cutter. Anderson's breakout in 2022 had a lot to do with an improved change-up. A pitch that, while still effective sometimes in 2023, took a step back.

Anderson was an all-star for the Dodgers and then was one of the worst pitchers in baseball with the Angels. Brasier randomly becoming elite for half a season after being bad enough to be DFA'd only to then sign with the Angels and go back to being a subpar reliever again feels too obvious if they were to sign him.

If Brasier can keep up the dominance away from Mark Prior and the Dodgers he deserves all of the credit for that. For now, the Angels are probably better off staying away from him and pursuing different relievers. Doing exactly what they did last offseason and falling for the former Dodger trap isn't the way to go.