Los Angeles Angels

As pitchers and catchers report to spring training over the next few days, players across MLB are continuing to express their feelings over the sign-stealing scandal that rocked baseball this offseason. 

Andrew Heaney of the Los Angeles Angels—one of the Houston Astros' American League West rivals—teed off on Houston's players for engaging in the scheme while speaking with reporters on Wednesday: 

"I'm not going to make excuses for those guys. I know how it is. You get caught up in something. I'm sure they look back now and say 'oh f--k we really took that overboard.' But I think somebody in that locker room had to have enough insight to say this is not OK. I haven't read all the latest s--t to know what everybody's writing about. I don’t know how much is true. But somebody in that locker room had to say, 'This is f--ked up. We shouldn't be doing this.' For nobody to stand up and nobody to say 'we're cheating other players,' that sucks. That’s a s--tty feeling for everybody. I hope they feel like s--t."

Heaney, like every other pitcher who faced the Astros over the last few years, is probably questioning how much the cheating scandal affected his performance. 

In three starts at Houston from 2017-19, Heaney went 1-2 with a 5.14 ERA in 14 innings, giving up 15 hits, eight earned runs, six walks and two home runs to go with 16 strikeouts. Houston batted .273 against him.

Now it's hard to take those numbers at face value. And Heaney is one of the fortunate pitchers. Mike Bolsinger, a former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher, had a 12.71 ERA in 5.2 innings against the Astros in 2017 and was then sent to the minors. Bolsinger is now suing Houston for "unfair business practices."

Astros players are expected to address the cheating scandal during spring training, although Heaney isn't holding his breath.

"They sure as s--t need to do more than what they already did," he continued. "That was terrible. I understand they are going to get their s--t in order and they are going to have their thing to say, and they are going to hide behind the commissioner's report and whatever, but I don't think that's good enough."

One of the main storylines in 2020 will be how aggrieved players—especially pitchers—handle seeing the Astros step into the batter's box. 

Heaney's comments will surely get brought up again on Opening Day, when the Angels begin their season in Houston and look to make the playoffs for the first time in five years. Should the left-hander get through spring training without any health issues, he is expected to pitch during that series. 

 

Los Angeles Angels general manager Billy Eppler said Tuesday two-way star Shohei Ohtani isn't expected to pitch until mid-May as he completes his recovery from the Tommy John surgery he underwent in October 2018.

Eppler explained Ohtani will remain the club's primary designated hitter and can rehab without being removed from the MLB roster under the league's new rules, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic.

The 25-year-old Japanese sensation enjoyed a strong start to his career on the mound before he suffered the major elbow injury. He posted a 3.31 ERA and 1.16 WHIP with 63 strikeouts in 51.2 innings across 10 starts in 2018, his first MLB season after five years with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in Japan.

Ohtani made 106 appearances as the Angels' DH in 2019. He posted a .286/.343/.505 triple-slash line with 18 home runs and 12 stolen bases. His .848 OPS would have tied for 26th in the American League if he had enough plate appearances to qualify.

Knee surgery cut short his second season in September, but he expressed excitement about being a two-way contributor again in 2020.

"I'm very excited, obviously and since I got this surgery quick, I need to take each day preciously, try to get back early as possible and get back to full strength next season," he told reporters through an interpreter.

The Angels bolstered their rotation over the winter with the additions of Julio Teheran and Dylan Bundy, who will join Andrew Heaney, Griffin Canning and whomever wins the fifth-starter job in spring training.

It's a solid group, but it lacks an ace. Ohtani showed the potential to reach that level in 2018, and he can providing offensive depth behind the superstar tandem of Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon.

So, while Trout is the best player in baseball, Ohtani could hold the key to the end of the Angels' five-year playoff drought. If he can get healthy and provide production similar to 2018 on the mound and over the last two years at the plate, he could be a six-win player for L.A. this year.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have reportedly agreed to trade outfielder Joc Pederson to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for infielder Luis Rengifo, ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Tuesday.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today added Wednesday that pitcher Ross Stripling is also expected to be traded to the Angels, while two prospects join Rengifo on his way to the Dodgers.

Pederson, 27, spent his first six MLB seasons in Dodger blue. He hit .249/.339/.538 with 36 home runs and 74 runs batted in last year as the Dodgers used him at all three outfield spots. It was a marked improvement from his disappointing 2017, during which he set career lows in nearly every major category.

One of the most highly touted prospects in recent Dodgers memory, Pederson made the All-Star Game as a rookie in 2015 and looked like a middle-of-the-order power bat for years to come.

That power emerged in 2019, highlighted by a career-high .538 slugging percentage.

Rengifo, 22, had seven home runs and 38 RBI while hitting .238 in 106 games for the Angels last season. The shortstop was ranked as the Angels' 10th-best prospect in 2018 before getting the call-up one year later.

It's been a busy week on the MLB publicity front following the conclusion of the league's investigation into the Houston Astros' sign-stealing schemes (and ensuing fallout).

The news continued Friday as Major League Baseball issued a statement clarifying that no player has received a therapeutic-use exemption in light of since-retracted rumors that Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout was taking advantage of a rulebook loophole to take human growth hormone.

Per MLB (h/t Scott Miller of Bleacher Report):

"The MLB-MLBPA Joint Drug Prevention Program is administered independently and transparently by the parties' jointly appointed Independent Program Administrator (IPA). In his annual report, the IPA discloses publicly the Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) granted to players during the prior season. Since the inception of the program, no major league or minor league player has ever receive a TUE for, or otherwise received permission to use, human growth hormone (HGH)."

The statement is in response to David Brosius, the son of former MLB third baseman Scott Brosius, launching the accusation against the reigning American League MVP on Twitter.

"If you want to read something better, Mike Trout takes HGH for a 'thyroid condition,'" Brosius said in a since-deleted Instagram comment (h/t Jeff Monanski of WIBX 950 and Peter Socotch of NBC Sports). "It's a loophole he found, and the MLB doesn't make it public because they don't want fans knowing their best player is on HGH. But people within know."

Brosius also said that it was "well-known" that the Astros were cheating when his father was the third base coach for the Seattle Mariners in 2017.

After the fallout from his own comments, Brosius issued a statement, which said in part (via Mike Rosenstein of NJ Advance Media):

"The statement in question was taken from a conversation where I was explaining how there are certain situations in which actions that would usually be against the rules and considered cheating, are deemed okay for medical or other reasons, thus not cheating.

"The example I used of Mike Trout does not stem from information from my Dad or sources within the MLB and has no evidence behind it. I had no intention of this becoming an accusation against Mike Trout or causing the uproar it did...I would like to sincerely apologize to him and his family for the unfair statement I made and the negative fallout it has had on them."

Trout, an eight-time All-Star, has finished top four in the AL MVP voting from 2012-19. The 28-year-old had 45 home runs, 104 RBI and a 1.083 OPS in 134 games last season.

The Los Angeles Angels are primed to welcome a fully healthy Shohei Ohtani in 2020.

Ohtani "has completed his throwing program, the final step in his rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery, and was cleared to return to his native Japan, where he will rest and recover for his anticipated return to a two-way role in 2020," ESPN's Alden Gonzalez reported Thursday. 

The 2018 American League Rookie of the Year underwent surgery to his right (throwing) elbow in Oct. 2018, which limited him to playing designated hitter for the Angels in 2019. Ohtani appeared in 106 games last season, starting 91, and the left-handed batter posted a .286/.343/.505 slash line with 18 home runs and 62 RBI. 

As a pitcher in 2018, Ohtani went 4-2 with a 3.31 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in 10 starts. The 25-year-old is expected to return to the mound next season, but L.A. will be cautious:

Ohtani is not expected to pitch more than 1x a week, and the Angels will limit his innings after TJ. Canning has not pitched a full season, and Heaney has had injury issues, so Teheran and Bundy provide innings cushions around all that, even if a Keuchel/Ryu is still added.

— Jeff Fletcher (@JeffFletcherOCR) December 19, 2019

"Why wouldn't you?" new Angels manager Joe Maddon said during winter meetings last week when asked if Ohtani could hit during games he's also pitching, according to Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. "That's another 50 at-bats a year that you're going to get out of the guy that you wouldn't get otherwise."

Ohtani's expanded role will be just one way the Angels look different in 2020 after nabbing All-Star third baseman Anthony Rendon in free agency on a seven-year, $245 million contract. Both players being paired with three-time AL MVP Mike Trout might be enough to put the Angels in the postseason for the first time since 2014.

There's only one Mike Trout in Major League Baseball, but the Los Angeles Angels have finally added a superstar who can keep up with him.

The newest Angel is third baseman Anthony Rendon, formerly of the Washington Nationals, who MLB Network's Jon Heyman first reported Wednesday will join the team on a seven-year, $245 million contract:

Rendon deal done with angels . 245M . 7 yrs.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 12, 2019

Rendon's contract also includes a full no-trade clause and no opt-outs, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Chances are, therefore, that he'll remain in Anaheim all the way through 2026.

The Angels badly needed a major offseason win following their 72-90 flop in 2019. To be sure, that need was only heightened when they missed out on ace right-hander (and Southern California native) Gerrit Cole, who agreed to a nine-year, $324 million contract with the New York Yankees on Tuesday.

The Angels still need to address their starting rotation before their near-term contention chances can be taken seriously. But for now, what Trout—who's a $430 million man in his own right—tweeted in response to reports of Rendon's signing pretty well says it all:

👀

— Mike Trout (@MikeTrout) December 12, 2019

Rendon, 29, was an overlooked star from 2014 to 2018. That was especially true in 2017 and 2018, when he compiled a .923 OPS and 49 home runs yet didn't garner even one All-Star nod.

But in 2019, Rendon could be overlooked no longer.

In the regular season alone, he went off for a .319/.412/.598 batting line, 34 homers and an MLB-high 126 RBI. According to Baseball Reference, he ranked 10th among all position players with 6.3 wins above replacement.

Rendon kept right on hitting in the postseason during the Nationals' run to their first World Series championship. He slashed .328/.413/.590 with three home runs, including one each in Games 6 and 7 of the Fall Classic against the Houston Astros.

Though Rendon will have to adjust to a new league and a new home ballpark, the latter could be beneficial to him.

He developed an opposite-field hitting stroke in posting a career-best .907 OPS to right field in 2019. Yet from looking at the non-homer fly balls he hit at Nationals Park, he might have done even better if he'd been taking aim at Angel Stadium's friendly right field porch:

Of course, Rendon will have to get used to no longer being the best hitter in his own lineup. That's a testament to Trout, who's fresh off a career-high 45 homers and posting the American League's best adjusted OPS+ for a fifth straight season.

Yet it's a safe guess that Trout isn't about to welcome his new teammate by rubbing that in. After racking up 52.6 more WAR than the next-best Angels player from 2012 to 2019, he should indeed be over the moon about finally getting to work with a proper partner.

In addition to ranking first and sixth in OPS+ in 2019, Trout and Rendon also ranked first and fourth in xwOBA, which measures expected production based on strikeouts, walks and contact quality.

If Trout and Rendon can keep hitting like that, they have the potential to be the best lineup duo in MLB on an annual basis.

The Angels should get additional power out of Shohei Ohtani, Justin Upton, Tommy La Stella and Albert Pujols. David Fletcher and Andrelton Simmons, meanwhile, are two of the best pure contact hitters in the sport. Jo Adell, who's ranked as MLB.com's No. 5 prospect, should also be along sooner than later.

But while new manager Joe Maddon shouldn't face much of a challenge in filling out his daily lineups next season, there's still the matter of who's going to pitch for him.

The Angels can look forward to having Ohtani back on the mound in 2020, but his recent Tommy John surgery and two-way act will prohibit him from shouldering too big a load. And while they did add former top prospect Dylan Bundy in a trade, he's essentially a reclamation project.

That is to say a starting rotation responsible for an MLB-low 0.8 WAR in 2019 is still a significant issue in Anaheim. But at least the Angels know it, as Jon Morosi of MLB.com reported they're mulling their options on the free-agent and trade markets:

Source: #Angels still planning to add a significant starting pitcher. They’re pursuing Bumgarner, Ryu or Keuchel in free agency or #Rockies RHP Jon Gray (among others) on trade market. @MLBNetwork @MLB

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 12, 2019

Until this mission actually yields results, it's hard to picture the Angels challenging the Astros, who have topped 100 wins in three straight seasons, or Oakland Athletics, who've won 97 games in back-to-back seasons, in next year's AL West race. Right now, the Angels look something like a .500 team.

But if nothing else, having Rendon in the mix should make them more watchable than they've been at arguably any point during their Trout-centric history.

And given what they're spending on their dynamic duo, nobody can say they're not trying.

   

Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and Baseball Savant.

The Los Angeles Angels signed free-agent third baseman Anthony Rendon to a seven-year, $245 million contract Wednesday, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network.

Rendon, who is entering his age-30 season, just helped the Washington Nationals win their first World Series in franchise history with 34 home runs, 126 RBI, 44 doubles and a 1.010 OPS in 146 games. The lifelong National also made his first All-Star Game and finished third in the NL MVP voting.

The third baseman is now heading west to an Angels team that sports one of MLB's best lineups with him in the mix. Of note, the combination of 2019 American League MVP Mike Trout and Rendon near the top of the order will be a herculean task for pitchers to work through on a daily basis.

Here's a look at the Angels' projected lineup as it stands alongside some analysis.

          

Projected 2020 Angels Batting Lineup

1. 2B Tommy La Stella

2. CF Mike Trout

3. 3B Anthony Rendon

4. DH Shohei Ohtani

5. LF Justin Upton

6. 1B Albert Pujols

7. RF Brian Goodwin

8. SS Andrelton Simmons

9. C Max Stassi

     

Analysis

Tommy La Stella should return to the leadoff spot after a fractured tibia shortened an All-Star campaign. The ex-Chicago Cub posted 16 home runs, 44 RBI and a .295 batting average in just 80 games. His .346 on-base percentage was third among regulars behind Trout and David Fletcher.

Trout will undoubtedly head back to his home at second in the lineup. All he did last year was win his third AL MVP award thanks to a 1.083 OPS alongside 45 homers and 104 RBI.

The aforementioned Rendon should follow Trout, giving the game's best player excellent protection at the dish. He hit third for the Nats.

Shohei Ohtani, who was second on the Angels with a .848 OPS, is the best candidate at cleanup. He's hit 40 home runs in 210 games over two big league seasons.

The pop continues in the middle portion of the order with Justin Upton and Albert Pujols rounding out the top six.

Upton, 32, hit 12 home runs in an injury-shortened season that lasted just 63 games.

Pujols' power stroke stayed alive in year No. 19 with 23 more home runs, giving himself 656 lifetime. He'll be 40 years old in January.

The rest of the lineup has some moving parts.

New Angels manager Joe Maddon can opt to put shortstop Andrelton Simmons or right fielder Brian Goodwin in the seventh spot and can't go wrong either way, but the guess here is the outfielder gets the higher position coming off a productive 2019 where he had 17 home runs and a .796 OPS.

Goodwin is in line to start in right field after the Angels declined Kole Calhoun's 2020 option and made him a free agent.

Simmons, a defensive superstar, should hit ahead of catcher Max Stassi, though he may miss the beginning of the season with a hip injury, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic.

It would be stunning to see anything but improvement for the Angels after a 72-90 campaign last year. Injuries hit the batting lineup hard with numerous players missing huge chunks of the season, but everyone should be good to go plus the addition of one of the game's best hitters in Rendon.

Caesars Sportsbook listed the Angels as 20-1 favorites to win the World Series after the signing. Only eight teams are higher than them on the odds ledger.

The Los Angeles Angels are plotting more offseason moves after reportedly landing the best hitter on the market. 

According to MLB Network's Jon Heyman, the Angels agreed to a seven-year, $245 million deal with third baseman Anthony Rendon on Wednesday. 

Following that reported agreement, MLB Network's Jon Morosi added that the Angels still want to add a "significant" starting pitcher. Their free-agent options include Madison Bumgarner, Dallas Keuchel or Hyun-Jin Ryu, among others. 

Morosi also mentioned Colorado Rockies starter Jon Gray as a potential trade target for Los Angeles. 

The Angels have been among the most aggressive teams in free agency to this point, even though they haven't always landed their main targets. 

Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reported the Angels made an offer to ace Gerrit Cole, but it was for fewer years and less average annual money than the nine years and $324 million he got from the New York Yankees. 

Rendon, who had 34 homers and 126 RBI last season with the Washington Nationals, is a significant upgrade in the lineup for the Angeles. Los Angeles third basemen hit a collective .262/.322/.390 with 31 homers and 126 RBI in 2019, per FanGraphs. 

Starting pitching was the most obvious area of need for the Angels this offseason. Trevor Cahill was their only pitcher who threw at least 100 innings last season. They ranked 29th in starters ERA (5.64) and last in innings pitched (681). 

After signing Mike Trout to a 12-year extension in March, the Angels are working to build a roster around the reigning AL MVP that can get them back to the postseason for the first time since 2014. 

Third baseman Anthony Rendon and the Los Angeles Angels reportedly agreed to a seven-year, $245 million contract in free agency Wednesday.

Jon Heyman of MLB Network first broke the news. Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports reported the deal has no options and no opt-out clause. Bob Nightengale of USA Today later tweeted that "Rendon had 7-year contract offers from four different clubs before agreeing with the Angels."

The 29-year-old had spent his entire seven-year MLB career with the Washington Nationals and has been highly productive for most of it. In 2019, he enjoyed a career year with a .319/.412/.598 slash line, 34 home runs, 126 RBI and 117 runs scored.

Rendon also hit .328 with three home runs and 15 RBI during the playoffs to help the Nats win the World Series for the first time in franchise history.

While Rendon had never been named an All-Star prior to this past season, the 6'1", 200-pound right-hander entered the 2019 campaign with four seasons of at least 20 homers and 80 RBI. He also hit over .300 in each of the previous two seasons, making him one of the National League's most consistent hitters.

His best previous season came in 2017, when he hit .301 with 25 home runs and 100 RBI. That netted him a sixth-place finish in the NL MVP voting. The Houston native has finished 11th or better in the NL MVP voting four times and has won two Silver Slugger awards.

Although Rendon has long been a key part of Washington's offensive success, he became even more important in 2019 following the departure of Bryce Harper in free agency. After the outfielder joined the Philadelphia Phillies, Rendon instantly became the go-to guy in the middle of the lineup along with outfielder Juan Soto.

Now that Rendon has signed with the Angels, the Nationals are losing yet another homegrown player who they selected with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2011 draft out of Rice.

Rendon has been a core player in Washington for the past several years like Harper. His departure perhaps stings even more given the postseason success the Nats enjoyed with him leading the way in 2019.

The addition of Rendon gives the Angels a big bat in the middle of their lineup alongside generational talent Mike Trout. Meanwhile, the Nats now must figure out a way to retool the heart of their batting order around Soto.

The Angels haven't made the playoffs since the 2014 season, but they have already made a significant push toward building a winner heading into 2020. In addition to signing Rendon, they hired manager Joe Maddon after he led the Chicago Cubs to the playoffs in four of the last five years during a run that included a World Series title.

American League West pitchers will now have to face Trout and Rendon in the same lineup, which bodes well for the Halos' chances of snapping their postseason drought.

The Los Angeles Angels didn't sign Gerrit Cole, but they reportedly aren't done exploring the market for top-notch starting pitchers. 

According to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic, the American League West team has "expressed interest" in acquiring Cleveland Indians right-hander Corey Kluber via trade. Ardaya explained "the club has prioritized its pursuit of Anthony Rendon" but is looking into different options to improve the team, including Kluber.

It may seem strange for the Indians, a contender that has been in the playoffs in three of the last four years, to be looking to trade off one of its primary difference-makers, but it is apparently in selling mode at the Winter Meetings.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported they are also in "serious trade talks" with the Los Angeles Dodgers involving shortstop Francisco Lindor.

Cleveland's mindset could benefit both Los Angeles teams, as Kluber is under team control through the 2021 season and has been one of the league's best pitchers in recent years. He is a two-time Cy Young winner and three-time All-Star who finished with baseball's best ERA in 2017 at 2.25.

He helped lead the Indians to the World Series in 2016, won that ERA crown with a sparkling 0.87 WHIP in 2017 and finished the 2018 campaign with a 2.89 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 222 strikeouts in 215 innings.

However, injuries limited him to just 35.2 innings last year, so there are some health concerns for the Angels or other pursuers. He is a high-risk, high-reward option at 33 years old, but he is a clear-cut ace at his best.

Kluber could also help stabilize the starting rotation that will look to provide support to an offense featuring Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani, Justin Upton and Albert Pujols, among others.