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Ranking 3 options to replace Jose Suarez in the Angels rotation from worst to best

By Zachary Rotman |
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Los Angeles Angels v Oakland Athletics / Thearon W. Henderson/GettyImages
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Jose Suarez cannot start this weekend in Milwaukee. It's as simple as that. He's been brutal to begin the season, and if the Los Angeles Angels want to get back to the postseason, throwing a non-competitive pitcher to start games every sixth day is not an option.

After allowing five home runs to the Oakland Athletics, Suarez now has a 10.26 ERA through four starts. It'd be sending the wrong message to the team keeping him in the rotation. Moving him to the bullpen in a low-leverage long relief role or just simple DFA'ing him has to be the course of action.

With Suarez hopefully bumped from the rotation, the Angels need to find their new sixth starter to join Shohei Ohtani, Patrick Sandoval, Tyler Anderson, Reid Detmers, and Griffin Canning in their rotation.

3) Ranking top 3 options to replace Jose Suarez in the Angels rotation: Kenny Rosenberg

Sam Bachman would've been number three on this list if I made it a week ago. I believe his stuff is close to MLB ready, and I'm excited for his future with the Angels if he can stay healthy. The reason he's not on this list is he allowed six runs while recording just three outs last time out. He walked four and hit a batter. Now is not the time. This moves Kenny Rosenberg up.

The Angels Designated Rosenberg for Assignment this offseason to clear up roster space for their many acquisitions. Since being DFA'd, Rosenberg has pitched quite well.

In Spring Training, Rosenberg made five appearances and pitched 13 innings. He allowed five runs on 12 hits (3.60 ERA) but walked just one and struck out 20 batters. 20 strikeouts in 13 innings with just one walk across five appearances will absolutely play.

Rosenberg has continued to pitch well in the PCL, where it's notoriously difficult for pitchers. He has a 2.70 ERA through his first four starts and 20 innings of work.

It's unlikely the Angels consider promoting this southpaw as he's not on the 40-man roster and didn't look like anything special in his brief stint last season with the big league club, but I wouldn't completely rule it out at some point this season.

2) Ranking top 3 options to replace Jose Suarez in the Angels rotation: Chase Silseth

There would be a ton of smoke around Chase Silseth right now, but he left his last start early with a blister. It's unclear whether Silseth is still bothered by this blister, or if he'll make his next scheduled start. That start is supposed to be tonight, so he could still pitch and make the start on Saturday when Suarez is supposed to, or the Angels could also opt to rest him until then.

The right-hander had a legitimate shot at an Opening Day roster spot entering Spring Training, but he ended up having a brutal start towards the end of the spring which knocked him out of contention. Instead of taking his late spring struggles into the minor league season with him, Silseth has pitched wonderfully for Salt Lake.

The right-hander has allowed just three runs (two earned) in his first four starts and 20 innings of work. His eight walks are a tad high, but he's allowed just 10 hits and has 20 strikeouts. He was through five scoreless his last time out on just 66 pitches before being pulled with the blister.

Silseth struggled at the big league level last season, primarily as the game went on. He'd get off to pretty decent starts before running into a lot of trouble a couple innings later.

I think Silseth has the most upside of the three but the fact that he wasn't great at this level last season combined with the fact that the Angels would have to make a corresponding move for him makes him slightly lower on my rankings than my top choice.

1) Ranking top 3 options to replace Jose Suarez in the Angels rotation: Tucker Davidson

Tucker Davidson is my top choice to replace Jose Suarez in the Angels rotation. Having pitched last night in relief of Suarez lines him up perfectly for Saturday's start, and I think he's earned it with how he's pitched.

Coming into this season I really had no expectations for Davidson. I assumed he wouldn't get out of Spring Training with the Angels considering how badly he struggled last season and the fact that he's out of options. Davidson shocked me and most Angels fans with how he pitched in the spring, and it's carried over into the regular season.

Davidson has settled in quite nicely into a long relief role that I'd imagine Suarez will be stepping into if the Angels do decide to keep him around.

In his six appearances out of the bullpen, Davidson has allowed four runs on 12 hits (2.40 ERA) in 15 innings of work. He has 15 strikeouts compared to just five walks. For reference, as an Angel last season Davidson walked 22 batters in 36.2 innings of work to go along with just 23 strikeouts. Davidson was set to earn the win if the Angels didn't blow last night's game in the ninth.

The southpaw has earned a chance to start, and based on everything we've seen this season from him, there's no reason to believe he won't do an adequate job. Just give the Angels a chance. Suarez hasn't done that, I think Davidson can.

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