Worst possible former player shined in latest outing as Angels continue to flounder

The Los Angeles Angels are playing some atrocious baseball right now, and to make matters worse their core players are all dropping like flies. The team is currently on a six-game losing streak and has the sixth worst record in baseball despite not selling assets at the trade deadline.

José Suarez was an extremely divisive figure amongst Angels fans, but everybody can agree that nobody in baseball is better at putting in dazzling performances in September for a losing team. Some of the extreme Suarez fans in Angels Nation might be irate right now that the southpaw is doing exactly that for the Atlanta Braves.

Worst possible former player shined in latest outing as Angels continue to flounder

A couple days ago, the starting pitching deprived Atlanta Braves selected Suarez's contract from Triple-A Gwinnett to start the first game of a doubleheader against the lowly Washington Nationals. Well, Suarez turned in one of the best (if not the best) outings of his MLB career. He struck out a career high nine batters in seven innings pitched, and allowed just five hits, two earned runs and two walks in his first MLB action since April 10th. This guy just cannot help but tantalize fans with outings like this amidst a lost season, huh?

Suarez was dealt to the Braves during spring training, and the Angels received Ian Anderson in return (who had an 11.57 ERA for the Angels). Suarez made the Braves Opening Day roster, but was sent down to Triple-A after three appearances out of the bullpen. Suarez missed over two months of the minor league season with injury, but has been incredible since returning to Triple-A on August 23rd. He has a 2.70 ERA, 3.07 FIP, 1.20 WHIP, plus has a 23:6 K:BB with the Stripers. In his 43.1 innings pitched in Triple-A this season, Suarez has a 3.53 ERA, 2.82 FIP (!!), 1.18 WHIP and a 50:9 K:BB. His stellar MiLB season paired with his last start might force the Braves to keep him around.

The Angels have been trotting out José Ureña, Sammy Peralta and Connor Brogdon against teams like the Seattle Mariners and Milwaukee Brewers of late. The results, as one could guess, have been bad. The 27-year-old Suarez might have been a better option at this time of the year than those guys, but he clearly had no future with the Angels. It just stinks to see the Angels finally move on from Suarez, which felt like a change of the tide moment, but still Angels just as hard. Happy for José, though.

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