The Los Angeles Angels must upgrade their starting rotation before next season if they hope to end their playoff drought. Their starters have struggled to open games effectively, and the issue has been compounded by an unreliable bullpen.
Los Angeles needs to improve both ends of their pitching staff, and it is expected to be a priority for the front office.
One of the more notable free agents available this winter is former Cy Young candidate Zac Gallen, who has gone through two rough years. Still, he was formerly an ace for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
According to Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register, Gallen will make sense at the right price, given that his value has decreased over the years, allowing them to get a bit of a discount based on his production compared to a few years ago.
“A year ago, Gallen was in line to be one of the top starting pitchers available on this winter’s market. He had a 3.20 ERA while making 93 starts over a three-year span, from 2022-24,” Fletcher wrote.
“Gallen, though, had a 4.83 ERA in his walk year with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He still pitched 192 innings, and he had a 3.32 ERA over the last two months. Gallen is also going to pitch most of next season as a 30-year-old.
“His age, durability and strong finish to the 2025 season will make him attractive. His bad season might cut his price tag just enough for the Angels to be interested.”
There are notable risks associated with signing Gallen, particularly his performance last season. He pitched 192 innings, posted a 4.83 ERA, and only accumulated a 1.1 bWAR.
In 2022, Gallen put up a 5.3 bWAR season, followed by 4.4 bWAR in 2023. He is far from the pitcher he was during that stretch, but he is still only 30 and young enough to turn his career around.
If the Angels can acquire him at a good price, he might be worth it to anchor their rotation.
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