Angels Valentine Tyler Anderson needs to show love to LAA this season

Probably the most disappointing signing since Josh Hamilton, Tyler Anderson needs to show love for this Los Angeles Angels team by living up to his contract, a three-year deal at $39 million dollars signed in late 2022.

His 5.43 ERA with the Angels last season was the worst of his entire career. 85 earned runs given up was the most he's allowed since he was in a Colorado Rockies uniform in 2018. With the departure of any true ace for the Angels, Anderson is the veteran on this staff now, and should be the voice in any pitchers' meetings. He played a full season last year, so we know he can be relied upon to stay healthy.

I believe Angels fans can say with a good amount of certainty that Reid Detmers is the one we are looking for to make the big step to an ace pitcher. Anderson needs to be one to set the example, however. The Los Angeles Dodgers’ season in 2022 was not a fluke, in my opinion. Changing a jersey, or even a pitching coach, doesn’t make you a better or worse pitcher. Each pitcher has that ability to be great. With the departure of Shohei Ohtani, the Angels can finally go back to a five-man rotation, which most pitchers are used to. Pitcher is the most superstitious, schedule-driven, and confidence-reliant position in the game of baseball. The depth now lurking in the Angels’ bullpen helps these starters feel like they don’t have to pitch perfectly to win a game.

Tyler Anderson, Chase Silseth, Reid Detmers, Patrick Sandoval, and Zach Plesac/Griffin Canning will be in that rotation to start 2024. This is the first season in recent memory that the Angels don’t have a clear-cut Opening Day starter. My leading candidate is Sandoval, but Anderson or Detmers could see get the start in Baltimore. Anderson gave us a terrible year last year. It’s time for him to earn his paycheck.