After signing All-Star pitcher Tyler Anderson early in the offseason, the Los Angeles Angels gave themself a strong five-man rotation for the 2023 season.
Although they plan to use Shohei Ohtani on the mound as much as possible, they would still like to utilize a six-man rotation to keep the two-way star healthy throughout the season. They currently have a rotation that includes Patrick Sandoval, Reid Detmers and José Suarez, along with Ohtani and Anderson.
That group includes four left-handers aside from Ohtani, so they would benefit from adding a right-hander to the mix as well. According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Angels are still looking to add one more starting pitcher, and have show interest in Nathan Eovaldi, as well as Corey Kluber:
Angels, who have had a very productive winter, seek one more starter and are considering Nate Eovaldi and Corey Kluber @bradfo connected Angels and Padres to Eovaldi
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 24, 2022
Their interest in Eovaldi was previously reported, but this is the first time they have been connected to Kluber.
The 36-year-old spent the 2022 season with the Tampa Bay Rays, where he pitched to a 4.34 ERA in 164 innings, but his 3.57 FIP suggests he was more effective than the ERA showed. The most concerning thing is his strikeout rate was roughly 6% below his career average, but he did counter that a bit by lowering his walk rate as well.
The two-time Cy Young Award winner owns a career ERA of 3.31 with a 3.09 FIP in 1,586.2 innings.
As for Eovaldi, he was extended the qualifying offer, which means the Angels would forget their third-highest pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, as well as $500,000 from their international bonus pool if they sign him. They already forfeited their second-highest selection and $500,000 in international signing money from their deal with Anderson.
Eovaldi, who spent the 2022 season with the Boston Red Sox, pitched to a 3.87 ERA in 109.1 innings. In 1,257.2 career innings, he has pitched to a 4.16 ERA and 3.83 FIP.
Angels make two Minor League signings
The Angels signed outfielder Luis Barrera and re-signed infielder José Gomez to Minor League contracts for the upcoming season. The deals include an invite to Spring Training, giving both the opportunity to compete for depth roles.
They have made numerous deals to add depth to their organization recently, which included signing Jake Lamb to a Minor League deal with an invite to Spring Training. The team has also signed Fernando Romero and César Valdez to Minor League deals, along with Justin Garza to a split-contract.
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