The Los Angeles Angels have agreed to terms with free agent starting pitcher Julio Teheran, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN. The deal is for one year and $9 million, adds Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Teheran, 28, was 10-11 with a 3.81 ERA (119 ERA+), 1.32 WHIP and 162 strikeouts in 174 2/3 innings last season for the Braves.
The two-time All-Star can look like an elite-level pitcher at times and looked like a star in the making a few years ago, but he's never been able to put it together on a consistent basis.
The Angels have now added Teheran and Dylan Bundy to a rotation that sorely needed help entering the offseason. They'll also get Shohei Ohtani back after missing 2019 (on the mound) while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. Those three join Andrew Heaney as the top four in a rotation that likely still needs a headliner to make Joe Maddon's team a favorite to reach the postseason.
The Angels made a big splash at the winter meetings when they inked superstar third baseman Anthony Rendon to a seven-year, $245 million deal. If the Angels can get full and productive seasons from the likes of Rendon, Ohtani, Tommy La Stella, Justin Upton and Andrelton Simmons around Mike Trout, the offense looks like it will have some thump.
The rotation, as noted, could sure use someone at the top. Hyun-Jin Ryu is still sitting there in free agency and would be a really nice fit. Dallas Keuchel is a step behind Ryu but also available while Alex Wood is another tier below Keuchel. Let's just say the Angels signed Ryu and take a look:
- Hyun-Jin Ryu, LHP
- Shohei Ohtani, RHP
- Julio Teheran, RHP
- Andrew Heaney, LHP
- Dylan Bundy, RHP
There's also top pitching prospect Griffin Canning who could be ready to be a full-time rotation member by the middle of the season.
Then there's the offense that could look something like this:
- Tommy La Stella, 1B
- Mike Trout, CF
- Anthony Rendon, 3B
- Shohei Ohtani/Albert Pujols, DH
- Justin Upton, LF
- Andrelton Simmons, SS
- Brian Goodwin, RF
- David Fletcher, 2B
- Max Stassi, C
The Halos will have their eyes on October in 2020, and they'd be wise to add to the rotation again before spring training. The Teheran and Bundy moves could work well, but it's still a thin group of starting pitchers.
