Matt Moore was signed by the Los Angeles Angels, a move that should greatly benefit the bullpen. Thanks to the signings of Robert Stephenson and Moore, what Angels fans have been accustomed to seeing as a major weakness could actually be a strength in 2024.
The fact that Moore has already been successful with the Angels, pitching exceptionally effectively for them the previous season, is part of what makes this transaction so interesting. Moore served as Carlos Estevez’s setup man and is expected to do it again in 2024. Moore joins Luis Garcia as former Angels the franchise has welcomed back this summer, and there’s a potential there will be more.
Moore’s return was a no-brainer, but Perry Minasian should think about bringing back three other former Angels to Anaheim.
Gio Urshela
The Gio Urshela trade was one of the Angels’ most successful offseason transactions, but not many other decisions ended up working out. True, he didn’t deliver as much power as anticipated, but he was rather productive when fit.
The 32-year-old slashed .299/.329/.374 with two home runs and 24 RBI. He played all four infield positions, and Phil Nevin could always count on him to put together a quality at-bat in any situation.
Last season, Urshela was mostly brought in to cover for Anthony Rendon, but his season-ending injury prevented him from playing in that capacity for an extended amount of time. He would return to perform the same major function, albeit with a little more flexibility.
It is not possible to count on Rendon to play more than 60 games. In his four years as an Angel, he hasn’t done it once, so you would think that as he ages, his injury problems will only worsen. The Angels can’t rely on him to perform in a significant number of games and to surprise them. It would be prudent to have a strong backup plan in case Rendon gets on the IL, and Gio Urshela is the best option they have in all likelihood.
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