The Angels announced they’ve selected the contract of right-hander Andrew Wantz. Somewhat surprisingly, starter Griffin Canning was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake in a corresponding move. Outfielder Scott Schebler has been designated for assignment to open a 40-man roster spot.
Canning is headed to the minors for the first time since his contract was selected back in April 2019. He’s been a rotation mainstay over the past few seasons, starting 41 of his 43 MLB appearances. He offered league average production from 2019-20 but has struggled this season. Over 62 2/3 innings, Canning has worked to a 5.60 ERA/4.62 SIERA with slightly worse than average strikeout and walk rates (22.4% and 10.1%, respectively).
Of course, there’s no indication Canning’s absence is expected to be particularly lengthy. He got the ball in last night’s start against the Orioles. The Angels, who have a six-man rotation, have an off day after their next five games. With the All-Star Break the following week, the Angels could simply skip Canning’s spot in the rotation during their final turn before the Break. Los Angeles has another off day after five games coming out of the Break, so they needn’t turn to a sixth starter again until July 27.
Optioning Canning could allow the Angels to give him a brief mental reset while also keeping tabs on his innings total. This year, he’s already exceeded the 56 1/3 frames he worked during last year’s shortened campaign, and the righty’s 2019 season was cut short at 90 1/3 innings by elbow inflammation that persisted into 2020. The organization surely wants to be cautious not to overwork a player they expect to be a key starter over the next few seasons.
There doesn’t seem to be a huge benefit for the Angels from a service time perspective by optioning Canning. The 25-year-old won’t accrue major league service while he’s on optional assignment, of course, but he’s already long exceeded his second full year of service this season. Unless they’re planning on leaving him in Triple-A for the rest of this season and much of the first half of 2022- an extremely improbable outcome- Canning’s path to free agency after 2025 will be unaffected.
A lengthy optional assignment could jeopardize his ability to qualify for early arbitration as a Super Two player after this year. That’d likely require the Angels to keep him down for over a month, though, and he doesn’t have the gaudy counting stats (wins and strikeouts) that suggest he’d be particularly likely to break the bank in arbitration regardless. In all likelihood, the optional assignment was more motivated by a desire to open an additional roster spot and keep Canning’s innings in check than it was an extended effort to skirt his potential Super Two eligibility, especially with the 40-41 Angels still on the periphery of the playoff race.
Wantz will take Canning’s place on the pitching staff for now. A seventh-round pick in 2018 out of UNC-Greensboro, he’s earned his first big league opportunity with a strong season at Salt Lake. Through 25 2/3 innings in an offense-friendly environment, Wantz has worked to a 2.10 ERA with better than average strikeout and walk numbers (25.0% and 6.0%, respectively). The 25-year-old has never appeared on an Angels farm system ranking at FanGraphs or Baseball America. He’s clearly elevated his stock in 2021, though, and would’ve been eligible for the Rule 5 draft this winter if not added to the 40-man roster before then.
It’s the second time this season the Angels have designated Schebler, who cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment last time around. The 30-year-old hasn’t produced in limited big league time this year but he’s hit a solid .281/.355/.523 over 172 plate appearances with Salt Lake. The Angels will have a week to trade Schebler or again place him on waivers.
The Orioles got Canning canned?
I mean.. like, why?
bc he can’t keep the ball in the yard
Fair
The oriels finally broke Canning
I look forward to Schebler being recalled in 3 weeks.
Andrew Wantz, who the Angels called up, spent the season in Triple-A.
He’s appeared in 8 games, 5 started. In 25.2 innings, he has a 2.10 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP.
Maddon recently said Wantz will start in the ‘pen.
Thank you for the info. I didn’t know anything about him
I didn’t know much about him either. I checked his page on MiLB.com.
More info here: milb.com/player/andrew-wantz-681806
Due to the all star break they’ll be able to skip his normal start 6 days apart
The bullpen is deciding almost every game. Anything that helps the pen is a good thing.
Amazing insight, how about we go with anyone getting an AB, or throwing a pitch can decide the game. Hahaha
I suspect he really Wantz to succeed.
So basically the Angels gave Channing a two week vacation
Canning, Heaney, Bundy, are probably the biggest culprits for this Angels’ season. No one really expected much from Quintana/Cobb as #5/6, or a bullpen cobbled together with other teams’ outcasts, but those three were expected to front the rotation along with Ohtani.
Bundy is the biggest disappointment, as he was looking good last year.. Canning and Heaney are garbage, meaning no better than 4 or 5..starter
I wouldn’t necessarily say they’re garbage, but they certainly haven’t taken steps forward that were expected, nor established any sort of consistency. It’s too bad, but I hope the Angels at least get something for Heaney at the trade deadline.
All season long this rotation has been Ohtani followed by 5 or 6 guys who are slightly different versions of each other producing similar results. It’s as if this organization’s destiny is to forever have a shaky rotation filled with question marks.
What’s the definition of insanity…?
LAA pitching philosophy
I wouldn’t read too much into this. Wantz deserved a promotion “look-see” to determine if he really found a new gear in his development. Canning wasn’t going to pitch for a couple of weeks anyways in Anaheim, so a start in SLC may help clear some cobwebs. If he’s not back in 2 weeks, I’d be surprised.
Team not going anywhere. Might as well try someone that will be in the mix for next season.
They still have a 2.5 % chance of me asking the playoffs.
That’s high for the Angels in July.
I wonder how much last years pitching coach had to do with bundy’s success last year.
Canning still should be okay. Fastball command comes and goes. If he gets more consistent there, he’ll be fine.
Angels could have had Tejuan Walker for what they blew on Quintan a & Cobb…May as well take a flyer on Shoemaker…Or the Lady that threw out the pitch at Yankee Stadium..Most of our staff throws like Fauchi
Although it would have been nice since Walker has been way better than expected (his 2.2 WAR so far is more than he’d accumulated over his past 3 seasons) this is not entirely true.
Cobb/Quintana cost the Angels a total of $13mil/1yr (Baltimore is paying $10mil of Cobb’s contract).
Walker signed a two year deal worth $17mil plus a 3rd year player option that is worth worth $6mil-$8mil.
This is true..However Walker seemed to show more upside,and value added there is no question..I like what I see in Rodriguez and Detmers coming…but we need one solid guy..no more Harvey Cahill Quintan a stop gaps..I’m getting too old to wait much longer! Lol
Cobb going 7.2 innings tonight is more than the previous 4 starts combined, Bundy 1.2 innings, Ohtani 0.2 innings, Heaney 3.0 innings, and Canning 2.2 innings. I am not saying the Angel’s have the greatest bullpen, but even the best bullpens are bound to fail under these conditions. No bullpen should be expected to pitch 6-8 innings every night. Unfortunately it is a scenario all to familiar to this bullpen.
Ohtani is the only starter that remotely resembles a starter. All the other are below league average. Moving Quintana and Bundy to the pen and sending Canning down, the Angels are going to see if any one in the organization is worthy of a roster spot in the rotation next year, Hopefully, Suarez and Sandoval can stick at minimum. Even though there are some decent FA starters, it would be near impossible to build an entire rotation through free agency.
I agree that you cant build a rotation primarily via free agency. The Angels will have 7 internal SP options next year – Ohtani, Canning, Sandoval, Suarez, Rodriguez, Detmers and Barria. Add two SP in the offseason via trade or free agency and the Angels will have 9 solid options to fill out their 5 or 6 man rotation. They are getting closer to respectability than some may think.
Thank you MrAngelFan. Someone who actually watches the games and knows what there seeing. It’s good that they’re getting looks at as many starting pitching option that they can in there system. It can’t hurt, Ohtani can’t pitch every game.
Terrible fact: Cobb is our 2nd best SP at a 4.60 era.. Of coarse with more than a handful of starts.
Very disappointed in Heaney. I really thought he’d step up and become the staff ace this season. Instead, he’s played his way out of Anaheim. As a free agent after the season, I highly doubt the Angels will do much to resign him.
He’s a prime candidate to land a 1-year pillow contract in Detroit or Baltimore. Otherwise he’ll have to take a minors deal and hope to pitch his a$$ off in ST. At some point he’s either gotta get his act together or start planning for a career in insurance sales.
Or a team like TB will sign him and garner a sub 4 era out of him
Oups, my reply went down below stitch.
Guy gives up more homers than a batting practice pitcher. At least that’s something that, with the right coaching, he can correct a bit.
I don’t know many if to who thought Heaney could be a Staff Ace, but many probably thought he could step it up and become a solid mid rotation guy, and a mid to upper 3 ERA guy.
I don’t think u can trade Heaney, for what? A low level flier. You might as well keep him and hope he turns it around in the second half. A wild card is still absolutely obtainable. Well, That is if the SP’s turn it around. Also, Hopefully the couple new addition can keep it up and help.
This was a reply to stitch up above.
I really expected and hoped Heaney and Canning would emerge as our top starters. Not one pitcher on this staff can be counted on for a consistent performance. If we are going to be competitive, the staff needs to be overhauled now.