Angels depth chart: 2 players moving up and 2 moving down

The Los Angeles Angels depth chart took a hit before the season even began, as Jared Walsh, Max Stassi, and Griffin Canning began the year on the Injured List.

Now, we've seen an even more painful loss as Logan O'Hoppe is on the IL. The Angels have gotten home runs from both Chad Wallach and Matt Thaiss in consecutive games since the injury, but I think we all know those will be hard to come by until the Angels rookie is back.

Just 21 games into the season, the Angels depth chart looks different than we might've expected. Who's moving up and down?

LA Angels depth chart: Griffin Canning has earned a spot in the rotation

For much of Spring Training, it felt that the Angels sixth starter spot was going to come down to a battle between Griffin Canning and Tucker Davidson. Canning beginning the season on the IL gave Davidson the roster spot, but the Angels didn't need a sixth starter.

This meant Davidson would begin the season working out of the bullpen, and he was used the day before that sixth spot was needed. This opened a spot for Canning to return off of the Injured List and make a start against Washington.

Canning pitched pretty well against the Nats allowing two runs in five innings, and in his following start he allowed two runs in 5.1 innings in New York against the Yankees. Canning's only mistake that day was a meatball served to Aaron Judge. Other than that, the right-hander was quite good.

With how badly Jose Suarez has looked I wish the Angels would go with both Canning and Davidson in the back of the rotation, but even with Suarez getting starts, Canning has earned a full-time spot as a starter with his performance thus far.

LA Angels depth chart: Andrew Wantz is going to earn more high-leverage opportunities

With Ryan Tepera on the Injured List, Andrew Wantz is undisputably the second-best right-handed reliever the Angels have in their bullpen. I'm of the belief that Wantz is better than Tepera already, but Phil Nevin hasn't agreed. With Tepera out, Wantz will earn more high-leverage opportunities, and deservingly so.

The Angels right-hander has made six appearances and has not allowed an earned run in ten innings of work. He's given up just three hits and one walk in those appearances while striking out 10 batters.

Wantz had an outstanding year in the Angels bullpen last season, and had a strong Spring Training to earn a roster spot. All he's done is continue to pitch well.

After Jose Quijada's recent implosion, it's easy to say Wantz has been the best performing Angel out of the bullpen. He hasn't jumped Carlos Estevez on the depth chart, but Wantz won't only be used when the Angels are down anymore.

Wantz had been pitching in lower leverage spots until recently, and i expect Wantz to start getting some opportunities in tight games where the Angels need a zero out of him.

LA Angels depth chart: Aaron Loup is a mop-up man now

Aaron Loup's most recent appearance came in New York with the Angels trailing 8-3 in the bottom of the eighth. Even while pitching in his lowest leverage spot of the season, Loup allowed a run on three hits with a walk.

Things have not gone well at all for the southpaw in Anaheim. He had a rocky 2022 season, and this season got off to a brutal start with the blown game in Oakland. Since that implosion, Loup hasn't been Phil Nevin's top choice out of the lefties in the bullpen.

Loup is very clearly behind both Matt Moore and Quijada in the depth chart, and considering his recent usage, or lack thereof, Loup has really fallen out of favor.

Loup has appeared in one of the last five Angels games. The four he did not appear in were decided by three runs or fewer. The one he did appear in was that aforementioned rout at Yankee Stadium. This is while the Angels bullpen has been overworked and exhausted. Loup still can't find his way into games.

I hope he figures it out, as the Angels gave him a lot of money to be an important piece of this bullpen. It just hasn't happened yet.