The Angels have declined their club options over righties Huston Street and Ricky Nolasco, per a club announcement. Fellow right-hander Deolis Guerra was outrighted off of the 40-man roster, the team also announced.
While the news hardly comes as a surprise, it nevertheless sends some notable names onto the open market.
Street, 34, will receive a $1MM buyout in lieu of what would’ve been a $10MM salary for the coming season. Thus ends the extension he signed in May of 2015 — a two-year, $18MM pact (plus the option) that kept him from hitting free agency at the end of that year.
Owing to injury, Street has thrown only 26 1/3 frames over the life of that contract. Never a hard thrower, Street has dropped to the 88 mph range more recently. While he managed four scoreless appearances in 2017, and could yet engineer a return, it seemed clear that there wasn’t enough promise for the Halos to pick up the option.
Nolasco is also now 34 years of age and past his prime. His four-year, $49MM contract — signed with the Twins and sent to Los Angeles last summer — included a $13MM club option for 2018, but he’ll settle instead for a $1MM buyout.
Clubs will no doubt value the fact that Nolasco has managed to take 65 starts over the past two years, tallying 378 2/3 frames. But a palatable 2016 effort — he pitched to a 4.42 ERA with metrics suggesting he had been a bit unlucky — gave way to a rough showing in the most recent season. While averaging a fairly typical 7.1 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9, with his velocity and whiff rates largely holding steady, Nolasco surrendered 1.74 homers per nine and ended with a 4.92 ERA in his 181 innings.
As for Guerra, 28, he failed to follow up a solid showing in 2016, in which he rode a stingy 1.2 BB/9 walk rate to a 3.21 ERA. This year, he managed only a 4.68 ERA over 25 frames while coughing up 4.3 free passes per nine — though he was much better (1.98 ERA, 9.0 K/9 vs. 1.8 BB/9) in 41 Triple-A frames. Since he has previously been outrighted, Guerra will have the right to elect free agency.
Astros will have a couple of bullpen spots open up. Wonder if Street would fit in.
I thought the same thing, street could be a bounce back candidate
Could see the Padres interested in a reunion with Street. He did well there and a lot of the fans liked him, maybe a one year deal as insurance for not if, but when Brad Hand is traded.
Street has pitched so little over the past 2 years that he may have to settle for a minor league deal with an invite to spring training to prove he is healthy. The Padres seem like a good landing place for him on a deal like that.
San Diego is where dead Angel pitchers go to rot (Weaver, Chacin and Yates).
But at least Nolasco gave the Angels at least six innings just about all year-kept them in the game.
I could see the Diamondbacks being interested seeing as Rodney is a free agent and you could see if street has anything left on a minor league deal
With the extension of Upton at a lower AAV and these option opt-outs, the Angels are under $138 million with 11 FA to replace.
And Ricky is now off the twins books. What a terrible signing. One in a long series of bad free agent pitchers with the exception of Ervin Santana (who was banned half of his first season)
Angels have a lot of money left even after the Upton resigning
Idk, if I’d say they have ALOT of money left after Upton’s extension, but with a couple of hefty contracts coming off their books, they are certainly in much better shape then they have been in previous years…
I guess it just depends on your definition of “alot.” I will say, I think they have enough money to go out and get a couple of solid pieces to help fill in some holes on their roster, but, for this off-season, I just can’t see the Angels going out and spending a ton of money in free agency…
Did you actually look at their payroll before that?
Even though I would like to see Huston Street back in Anaheim it would be fitting for him to pitch for the Astros or Rangers.
Street is only for those desperate for a closer. Better off trading for Brad Boxberger than paying Street actual money.
Nolasco belongs on the Seattle Mariners based on him being a warm body with a major league arm.