The Los Angeles Angels are quietly shifting gears following the news that Shohei Ohtani signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. General manager Perry Minasian has consistently held the sentiment that the front office will remain in the hunt to add to their current roster, in hopes to stay competitive in the same division with the defending World Series Champions.
Minasian and the Angels have shown some rumored interest in Milwaukee Brewers starter Corbin Burnes and Cleveland Guardians right-hander, Shane Bieber via trade. However, their current situation within the farm system could deter them away from the trade market.
The Angels have some wiggle room to the collective bargaining tax (CBT), which Minasian was able to squeak under this past season, avoiding penalties. That opens the door to inquire on free agent arms, headlined by left-hander Blake Snell, who remains a free agent, per Jon Morosi of MLB Network:
Source: The Angels have had recent dialogue with Blake Snell, the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner.
Of note: Since the Angels aren't viewed as a strong candidate to sign Yamamoto, they don't need to wait on Yamamoto's choice to act in the pitching market. @MLB @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 19, 2023
Snell was stellar in 2023, capturing his second career Cy Young Award. In his third season with the San Diego Padres, he posted a 2.25 ERA, 3.44 FIP, 1.19 FIP, with a .180 batting average allowed.
The 31-year-old totaled 11.70 strikeouts per nine innings, allowing 0.75 home runs per nine, the lowest mark of his career since 2016. Snell also eclipsed the 180 inning mark for the second time, making 32 starts, also a career high.
Minasian would be wise to make him the face of the Angels’ rotation, mainly because of his track record of missing bats and wipe out stuff. The only worry surrounding Snell is his ability to go deep into games, and the amount of walks he surrenders, leading to difficult spots to pitch out of.
Current contract projections according to MLB Trade Rumors have Snell garnering a seven-year, $200 million contract, which puts him in the ace category of earners among starters.
How much do the Angels need Blake Snell?
Without a clear ace in their starting rotation, the Angels could absolutely use an arm of Snell’s caliber.
In recent years, Snell hasn’t been labeled as a workhorse, but provides about as good of a five-to-six inning start that could be asked from a rotation piece. The Angels saw Shohei Ohtani sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers, who for several seasons, was their No. 1 option.
Since 2018, Snell has posted a 3.02 ERA, 3.32 FIP, with a 1.18 WHIP. His .202 batting average allowed in that span is stellar, and so is his 31.7% strikeout rate.
The Angels desperately need some stability up top, and Snell could provide that. The growing depth of their bullpen would be able to carry the load after he reaches his limit, keeping in mind that it’s his quality of innings that teams are seeking.
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