Grading the first half of each Angels starting pitcher

LA Angels starting pitcher first half grade: Tyler Anderson

Tyler Anderson was the Angels biggest free agent signing. He was given three years and $39 million, which was the richest contract they signed by a healthy margin. There was justification for doing so, as Anderson had been a decent innings eater throughout his career, and he broke out in a big way for the Dodgers last season.

When looking at deals other starting pitchers got, the contract value of his deal felt like a steal made by Perry Minasian. Unfortunately, through the first half it's been anything but.

Anderson has an ugly 5.25 ERA in 16 appearances (15 starts) and 84 innings pitched. We talk about how Sandoval has struggled to get deep in games, but he's recorded five more outs than Anderson has in the same amount of appearances.

The most glaring part of Anderson's game that has just been missing all season has been his command. He's always been a strike thrower, which he has to be with below-average stuff. This season, he's seen his walk rate jump from 4.8% in 2022 to 6.6% in his career to 9.8% this season. He went from the 91st percentile in BB% last season to the 29th this season. Just an unfathomable dropoff.

Nobody expected Anderson to be an all-star again. If the Angels felt he'd be an all-star, he would've gotten more than $13 million annually. They expected a reliable innings eater and have gotten nothing close to that. The southpaw has yet to complete seven innings and has only pitched into the seventh once.

Among starting pitchers with at least 80 innings pitched, Anderson has the seventh-lowest ERA. If the Angels have any hope of competing down the stretch, they'll need much more from their entire rotation but particularly Anderson.

Grade: D