The Los Angeles Angels announced a pair of waiver claims on Tuesday morning, adding right-handed pitcher Nick Robertson and left-handed pitcher Brock Burke to their roster. Robertson was claimed from the St. Louis Cardinals and Burke from the reigning World Series champion Texas Rangers.
Robertson, 26, is in his second Major League season but is already with his fourth Major League team. He was drafted by the L.A. Dodgers in the seventh-round of the 2019 MLB Draft and made hie MLB debut with them on June 7, 2023. He was then traded to the Boston Red Sox at the 2023 trade deadline in a deal that landed L.A. the return of Kiké Hernandez.
He finished out the season in Boston before being traded in the offseason to the Cardinals. He appeared in eight games out of the bullpen for St. Louis in 2024, posting a 4.38 ERA and 1.378 WHIP with 14 strikeouts in 12.1 innings. He is still technically in his rookie campaign and has five years of team control remaining, making him a potentially attractive piece for the Angels.
The Angels are in need of some more bullpen help after trading away two of their best relievers — Carlos Estévez and Luis Garcia — at the trade deadline. Robertson is still young and has time to figure things out in an environment that will give him a little more wiggle room than contending teams like the Dodgers.
Burke, meanwhile, is in a slightly different place. The 28-year-old southpaw is having the worst season of his career after playing a major role in the Rangers’ bullpen in 2022 and when they won the World Series in 2023. He had a 2.98 ERA in 142 combined innings between the two seasons.
But this season, he has given up 14 earned runs in 13.2 innings of work and has a 2.195 WHIP. He still has three years remaining of team control, but wasn’t in a place to help the Rangers, even as they crash out of the postseason picture.
The Angels can hopefully develop at least one of these two relievers into impact players as they build for the future.
Jack Kochanowicz gets first MLB win for Angels
The Angels believe in Jack Kochanowicz — their No. 9 overall prospect — as a long-term piece, but his first two Major League starts were a huge struggle.
Kochanowicz gave up 12 runs (11 earned) in seven innings between his first two starts. He had a 14.14 ERA with 14 hits, three walks and five strikeouts combined. His WHIP was 2.429 through two outings. The Angels sent him back to Double-A Rocket City afterwards, but needed a spot starter on Sunday against the Nationals.
Expectations weren’t necessarily high after those two outings, but there figured to be some natural improvement having already been to the big leagues. But no one could have expected what Kochanowicz ultimately did on the mound to end the weekend.
The 23-year-old starter tossed 7.2 innings with two earned runs on six hits, one walk and two strikeouts.