Tyler Anderson’s deal looks like an absolute steal for the Los Angeles Angels. Matt Boyd just signed a deal worth $10 million dollars for the 2023 season. Anderson is making $13 million dollars for each of the next three seasons.
Zach Eflin signed a three-year deal worth $40 million dollars with the Rays. Yes, Tampa Bay didn’t have to give up the qualifying offer compensation to sign him, but Anderson is better than Eflin just about any way you slice it.
Pitching is incredibly expensive, especially quality starting pitching. Perry Minasian splurged early and cashed in with incredible value on the Anderson deal. It’ll continue to look better for the Angels as more starting pitchers sign.
Does Tucker Davidson have a future with the Angels? He was the key piece acquired in the Raisel Iglesias deal. The dilemma here is he’s out of options but has been a disaster at the big-league level. Do the Angels try and have him on their Opening Day roster in some capacity because he was at one point a well-known prospect, or do they just cut their losses and see if someone claims him off of waivers?
I don’t think the Angels can afford to roster Davidson as he’s shown absolutely nothing in his chances at this level. It’d be unfortunate if he got claimed because he’s really all they got for Iglesias but he just hasn’t come close to earning a spot.
The Astros and Justin Verlander reportedly remain far apart in negotiations. Verlander has been linked to big-market competitors like the Dodgers, Mets and Yankees. It’d be hard to imagine him going anywhere else but the longer this takes, the more likely it feels that he’d go elsewhere. It’d be a massive win for the Angels if Verlander leaves the AL West.
As mentioned prior, the Rays signed Zach Eflin to a three-year $40 million dollar deal. I like Eflin and thought he’d be a decent fit for the Angels at the back end of their rotation. The deal does show that they got great value with the Anderson signing. This is the biggest free agency signing the Rays have made in their history, which is also mind-blowing.
The Red Sox are the latest team to express interest in free agent outfielder Mitch Haniger. The Angels are one of the teams who had expressed interest but they acquired Hunter Renfroe so they’re presumably out on Haniger now.