Although the Los Angeles Angels have been on the plus side of bullpen fortune in the early part of the regular season, injuries have been factoring into a bit of their plans.
Entering play on May 16, the Angels pen ranks seventh in Major League Baseball with a collective 3.53 ERA, and their 3.52 FIP slots as fourth best among all clubs. But with Austin Warren José Quijada going down with Tommy John surgery, and Aaron Loup and Ryan Tepera both landing on the injured list, they have needed to tap into their depth.
Although the production wasn’t as stellar from Quijada, Warren, Loup and Tepera, having them available is key to how manager Phil Nevin deploys the rest of the bullpen. But after Loup felt something in his hamstring in early May, the Angels opted to place him on the IL.
Loup posted a 7.00 ERA and 3.91 FIP prior to his IL stint, but according to Jeff Fletcher of the O.C. Register, he could be nearing a return:
Left-hander Aaron Loup (hamstring) said he’s thrown three bullpen sessions so far. He is expecting to be ready in about a week.
With a few side sessions under his belt, Loup has had enough of a runway to build his arm back up for game action and barring any news on a rehab assignment, should join the Angels soon.
Their bullpen continues to be an overall rock for the team, and even with the injuries, they’ve maintained a high production level and have a 3.65 ERA as a unit since May 1.
Angels designate reliever Ryan Tepera for assignment
The Angels designated Tepera for assignment on Sunday and recalled right-handed pitcher Zack Weiss from Triple-A Salt Lake, the club announced.
Tepera was making $7 million this season in the final year of a two-year, $14 million deal he signed last offseason. If he gets claimed on waivers, which is unlikely, his new team would be required to pay the remaining salary of roughly $5 million.
The 35-year-old was struggling before the Angels decided to make the change. He posted a 7.27 ERA, 5.71 FIP, and 2.07 WHIP in 8.2 innings, giving him a -0.2 WAR That prompted the Angels to move on from the veteran reliever, who was a high-leverage option just one season ago.
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