The Angels announced Tuesday evening that they’ve acquired right-handed reliever John Curtiss from the Twins in exchange for minor league infielder Daniel Ozoria. Minnesota designated Curtiss for assignment yesterday upon signing former Angels righty Blake Parker. In order to open space on the roster for Curtiss, the Halos have designated righty Parker Bridwell for assignment.
A sixth-round pick by the Twins back in 2014, Curtiss was considered one of the organization’s more promising relief prospects for much of the past few seasons but hasn’t found big league success to date — albeit it in a tiny sample of work. Through 15 MLB frames, Curtiss has a 7.20 ERA but a more promising 17-to-6 K/BB ratio. Curtiss’ velocity dipped a bit in 2018, and he’s also posted an alarmingly low 18.6 percent ground-ball rate in the big leagues, though he’s previously posted considerably higher marks in the minors. He does bring a career 2.49 ERA at the Triple-A level to the table and has a pair of minor league options remaining, making him an intriguing ’pen option for the Angels.
Bridwell, 27, is only a season removed from 121 innings of 3.64 ERA ball with the 2017 Angels, though his secondary metrics never made that output appear sustainable. Bridwell averaged just 5.4 strikeouts per nine innings pitched that season and stranded nearly 80 percent of the runners allowed — neither of which are conducive to long-term success. This past season, Bridwell pitched just 6 2/3 innings at the Major League level and clobbered for 13 runs on 14 hits — including five home runs. His Triple-A work wasn’t much better, as injuries limited him to 28 innings and he was barely able to keep his ERA south of 9.00 in that time. He’s out of minor league options, so any team that acquires him will need to expose him to waivers once again before being able to send him to the minors. If he clears, he’ll be outrighted to Triple-A and presumably head to camp with the Angels as a non-roster invitee.
In Ozoria, the Twins will add an 18-year-old with minimal professional experience under his belt. The Dominincan-born infielder has experience at shortstop, second base and third base, but he’s yet to demonstrate any power with the Angels’ Rookie-level affiliates and struggled in particular across two levels in 2018. Ozoria has been playing against considerably older and more experienced competition to this point in his young career, but he’s mustered a meek .222/.293/.263 slash through 468 plate appearances. As one would expect for a player with that type of offensive output, Ozoria wasn’t considered among the Angels’ top prospects.
In some respects, the series of transactions can effectively be viewed as the Twins trading Curtiss in exchange for Parker and Ozoria, though they’ll have the benefit of controlling Parker at a lower rate than he’d have earned had Minnesota actually traded for him. The $1.8MM guarantee to which Parker agreed checked in south of the $3.1MM he’d been projected to earn in arbitration before being non-tendered by the Angels.
They basically traded Parker for Curtiss
And Ozoria
Bridwell for Curtiss, wow, but it’s better than another trade lilly made with the Twins… Santiago for Alex Meyer… another Twins hard thrower… how has that turned out?
One big circle. Although Curtiss is cheaper and appears to have options.
Can’t be much cheaper
Presumably $800k-$1.7MM cheaper…so in baseball terms you’re correct, hardly saving much salary.
Bridwell is being passed around a lot this winter
I wanna say something amusing here, but then I go to hell
My thought exactly….guess we won’t have to worry about being too cold……
Curtiss also has an extra “s”……so did I till the brother in law moved out……
Does this mean the Yankees are going to pick him back up, just to release him with their next signing?
The Angels added a RH pitcher who is South of mediocre to a staff that needs good relief pitchers? Someone has to explain that to me.
Eppler loves the radar gun and Curtiss hits the mid to upper 90s. He’s said velocity is the greatest indicator of success.
Not saying I agree with him. Just explaining the likely reason behind this move. Curtiss is younger and throws harder than Parker.
Another benefit of the flamethrowers in the pen is their contrast to the SPs. Not to say we have a bunch of junk ballers but nobody really lights up the radar gun either. It’s a possibility that the reilef heat plays up a few ticks after 5+ innings of low 90s
if ‘flamethrowers’ cannot control pitches they are hardly worth anything.
Bingo. Or if the flame is straight as an arrow and gets crushed.
True, but I don’t mind paying league minimum to see if he can translate his success to the majors. 15 innings isn’t enough to close the book
sure! the problem is not him. the real one is that we have no closer, set-up man and a lh specialist/stopper.
Parker was nothing special. Great guy, bot not a go to guy. I was hoping the Angels would bring in a stud. Closing your eyes and throwing a dart at the stocks is not a great way to invest. I hate the way they build the pen.
And Alex Meyer threw harder than Hector Santiago
The explanation?? Ummm… uh… gee
I think the fact that he has options left was key. Allows him to him to act as a backup in the minors if he doesn’t crack the major league roster.
eppler is in fantasies where he can build a pen with no-name scrubs. someone has to reality into his head with a slap.
Trying to be like the padres but they actually have a good pitching coach
Curtiss is the neighbor to Bryce Harper’s best friends cousin. Look for Harper to sign with the angels.
so, harper is your husband? angels should sign you for some dirt.
Birdwell came up in the orioles system if I’m not mistaking.
That is correct.
Wait til next year
The Yankees could use another reliever…
This is getting old, signing guys from the junk pile. Message to Eppler, we the fans have to win now so start spending the cable money on some proven talent. Enough already with this signing no names.
Payroll is already near last years’ payroll. I’m sure this is more ownership than it is the FO not spending.
Signing RP from the junk pile is Eppler’s M. O. I think he is partially restricted to Arte’s hard cap. When you pay $80 million to three players it doesn’t leave a lot for the rest.
Well angels fans get use to turn into a female dog to the Dodgers This GM has not made a move yet That’s impress me Mike Trout‘s gonna leave and this guy work for Brian Cashman this team will go any of listen to Roger lodge that this team is better I can just throw up in my mouth we are turn in the pirates done spend the money it was fun went we competed for a champ ship i’ll have to say is eppler sucks Jerry was way better SiriusXM radio tell you the truth MLB Angels are pathetic Me be a fan of the angels get me so mad
Did you read this before posting? Tough to follow your posting.
Who taught you how to English.
@king…probably the same person as you missing that question mark and all…
Very well said, Doug. We all understand your point…
Ummm… what? Lmao. I almost want this guy to rewrite this so I can see how far off baseline he drifted
Don’t you love it when an 8 year old comments. Good work Doug!!
Guess we can use the 1 mil we saved on Parker for Machado? Sounds like a major move is incoming
Eppler is saving his pennies for a huge extension for Mike.
LOOK OUT ASTROS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!¡!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry I sould read it but I am so piss about them and that dumb move we are going to lose mike
“Sorry, I should’ve read it but, I am so pissed at them and this dumb move! We are going to lose Mike.”
So the Twinkie cupboard of promising future bullpen talent is pretty well now exhausted.
Chargois = LA Dodgers, Burdi = Pirates, Curtiss = LA Angels, Luke Bard = in Twins minor league limbo – not good enough to warrant a Rule 5 selection, Jake Reed =Last of the “never got a chance” gang,and probably the next 40 man roster causality. Great Drafting!!
Right?
Chargois was looking like an epic blunder by the front office before his extreme injury issues once again reared up.
Burdi we will find out more about this year.
Curtiss I’m not honestly too high on, but give the guy a chance when you’re desperate for bullpen help, jeez.
Bard got killed by the HR bug with the Angels last year, but otherwise had some promising other numbers. In AAA Rochester, his luck on BABIP was terrible, but his non-luck based peripherals looked pretty good.
All Reed did was post a 1.89 ERA across 47.2 innings in Rochester with a 9.44 K:9 while inducing a ton of terrible contact. The Twins were desperate for bullpen help so, naturally, Reed never cracked the roster.
I just imagine players in Bridwell position having to deal with being trades, Designated, etc. Babe I’m playing in the angels. Wait no NY! Nah nevermind Cali again! Ugh Minnesota..
Anyone here think all these tiny moves the angels are making will lead to a major signing. All arb eligible players are signed and bullpen and rotation are basically patched. Angels have about 30-35 mil left in cap space, does anyone see the angels as the mystery team bidding on Machado.
I personally do not see them doing that. If anything, that 30-35 mil will be directed towards a Trout extension once Machado and Harper sign. Also, I would much rather have Simmons as my SS than Machado, for many reasons.
I think in this scenario Machado would be at 3rd…not ss!
I think the Angel’s would be better off going after Harper then Machado.. Upton, Trout, and Harper around the OF. Then use Adell plus to acquire Kluber.
I am not sure what their payroll looks like, but if they have the money for Machado they should have the money for Harper.
no to that!
no.
Can you honestly see Moreno bringing in the immature and character challenged Machado… I can’t.
As for Harper. Adell will be manning RF in 2020.
A new stadium agreement without Mike Trout doesn’t make sense. I expect that extension this year. Next year the Angels will make their splash. There are more and better free agents available.
Adell might see a September call up if the Angels are really bullish on him. His K rate has skyrocketed to 31% at AA. MLB pitchers would eat him alive right now at age 19.
I don’t see it with Machado at all.
Simmons at SS is better than Machado at SS. Machado’s defense would cost the Angels 3 wins and that would make up for any advantage of Machados bat so Machado would have to be at 3B. Obviously, the Angels have money tied up in Cozart, who they’re hoping has a bounce back campaign. Cozart should be superior to Machado defensively, but it’s obviously hard to tell how good his bat will be. It’s probably not a huge drop off if Cozart is healthy.
That brings us to Harper.
Trout isn’t going anywhere and Upton had a fine year posting over 3 WAR again. Calhoun’s peripherals paint him as the unluckiest player in MLB last year with no reasonable excuse for a .241 BABIP. It’s nuts. Tons of line drives, 45% hard hit rate, not a lot of pop-ups, solid HR:FB ratio… he’s ripe for a bounce back, but obviously doesn’t have the upside of Harper.
I’d say the Angels are absolutely in on Harper if they’re able to move Calhoun, but the Angels will need to find a team willing to bite on the metrics without demanding the Angels eat too much salary. The 10yr offer from the Nationals has long since evaporated and with the total lack of interest across MLB to potentially match the Nats’ first offer, nobody will have to go higher than 7-8 years to sign him at this point.
I like Bridwell. He has a great curveball and a decent sinker. I hope he can catch on with someone and blossom.
hope he just goes to the angels minor league team and sharpen his tools.
Mike Trout is a keen observer. Machado and Harper still not signed. Spring Training 4 weeks away. Pujos’ contract weighs heavily on the GM’s minds not wanting to commit to 10 years on any player. Mike Trout is a keen, make it a savvy observer,
Birdwell to orioles maybe