The Angels announced Friday that righty Reyes Moronta has been designated for assignment. His spot on the 40-man and active roster will go to pitching prospect Sam Bachman, whose contract has been selected — as was previously reported.
Moronta, 30, inked a minor league deal with the Halos on May 11 and was selected to the big league roster just ten days later. He appeared in two games and pitched 1 1/3 innings, allowing a run on four hits and three walks with two strikeouts. With the Angels aggressively seeking solutions to balance out a top-heavy bullpen, his spot will go to Bachman, whom the Angels selected with the ninth overall pick in the 2021 draft.
Back in 2017-19, Moronta was a high-quality setup man for the Giants, pitching to a 2.66 ERA with a 29.8% strikeout rate across 128 1/3 innings. Command was an issue, which was easy to see with one glance at a 13.6% walk rate, but Moronta’s 97.1 mph heater and a plus, low-80s slider helped him to limit the damage from those free passes.
Shoulder surgery ended Moronta’s 2019 season a few weeks early and wiped out nearly all of his 2020-21 seasons, however. He returned to toss four innings with the Giants in 2021, allowing just one run in that time but also sporting a fastball that clocked it at an average of 94.3 mph — a nearly three mile-per-hour drop. The Giants removed him from the 40-man roster in September, and Moronta cleared outright waivers and subsequently elected free agency at season’s end.
The Dodgers signed Moronta to a minor league deal once the 2021-22 lockout was lifted, and less than three weeks into the season he’d made it up to their big league bullpen. He spent the next couple months as an up-and-down arm in L.A. before ultimately being designated for assignment and claimed off waivers by the D-backs. Overall, his 2022 campaign ended with 37 2/3 frames of 4.30 ERA ball, a 23.6% strikeout rate and an 11.2% walk rate.
Moronta’s 95.2 mph heater this year lined up with his 95.3 mph average in 2022, but both sit about two miles per hour shy of his peak. The Angels will have a week to trade him, attempt to pass him through outright waivers or release him. Moronta has enough big league service time to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency, even if he goes unclaimed on waivers.
if bachman was drafted as a rp and we all knew he will be a rp in the bigs why the heck they made him a sp? a cp would be a better role for him to develop!
It takes a real Moronta mess that up.
Bachman was drafted as a guy who might be developed as a starter OR could be fast tracked to the bigs as a reliever.
A team is always going to give a guy like that the opportunity to develop as a starter.
i remember minasian saying, after the draft, bachman would come up quickly to be a valuable member of the pen. was he lying or making excuse for wasting the first round pick?
Sam Bachman was “A three-year member of the Miami (Ohio) rotation” per MLB.com.
He was drafted as a starter.
The scouting reports I saw at draft time doubted his ability to be one. I also saw critcism that the Angels were dreaming, desperate and wasted a #1 on Sam who was destined to become a reliever in the critics opinion.
2 solid pitches, One flaming gas, the other off speed.
Sounds like a reliever to me and here we are.
Is it a waste to spend a #1 on a reliever?
In this case ask carllafong. She already detailed it. Sure could use some fresh RP arms.
Send Loup to p**p and bring up the kids!
M.C.Homer, I’ve never ever, ever, ever heard of a pitcher developing a 3rd, and or a decent 4th pitch. Hahaha! Obvious sarcasm
Some need to put down there crystal ball, and just wait and see how Bachman turns out. If he turns out as just being a solid RP, so be it. Who knows, he could turn out to be a dominant closer, and that would be awesome. It would be better than 7 of the 10 drafted players before him, even being just a solid RP.
About 8 out of every 10 pitchers taken in the 1st round of the draft start out as relievers in the majors.
Moronta and Webb were called up because the bullpen needed a fresh arm or two.
Bachman could still be used as a starter, but for right now with the Angels he will be used as a reliever. No other pitcher in the 2021 1st round has been called up at all. That says a lot about how well thought of he is by Minassian and the others in the Angels FO.
he has a good 4 seamer and a slider. 2 pitch starter? that’s why he was struggling in the minors as a starter.
Drafting a RP with a top 10 pick is nasty.
Amk exposing being one of those crystal ball guys. SP gone RP to start his career. Many, many pitchers have gone that route.
Thanks, appreciate both yours and amk’s opinions. Just here to bounce ideas around. I guess I’m somewhere in the middle. I feel if that pick turns out to be a dominant closer or back end RP with a decent MLB tenure, then heck yeah.
Yep. You’d definitely want a starter there.
However, if the RP is a stud that saves you from having to pay another guy closer money for 5 years a team like the Angels could reallocate that payroll to a starter.
In the modern game, arms are kind of arms.
Bachman, Reyes Underdrive
You Ain’t Seen Nothin” Yet…..literally
Good move. The Angels have at least four relief arms that could be added further into the season. This is a very good team with 11 blown saves. With a decent bullpen they’d have at least five more wins. They need to figure this out if they are going to win more than 90 games.
We need some more addition by subtraction!! The second Loup is released our rotation immediately improves!
Loup is not in the rotation. He is in the bullpen.
4.05 That number is why Loup is not going to be sent down or released right now. If the ERA doesn’t see some regression towards that number by the All Star break then there is a chance that he will. For now, no.
He didn’t say Loup was in the BP. He was implying that when loop is no longer a members of Angels BP THE Angels starters will benefici. They won’t loose games because of him.
They haven’t. They have lost 3 games because of him. The defense lost two others. That is why his FIP is half his ERA.
“He returned to toss four innings with the Giants in 2021, allowing just one run in that time but also sporting a fastball that clocked it at an average of 94.3 mph.”
If a dude can’t make the bigs on a 94 mph fastball, he done been coached wrong.
Wish it was Loup
If Quijada wasn’t hurt, Loup would have been gone a long time ago. Angels still want a 2nd lefty to compliment Moore out of the pen.
He’s not helping. He should be gone, regardless of what the team thinks it needs. 7 of 13 appearances he’s given up at least 1 run, another appearance he had two hit batters (gave up two unearned), and has allowed 4 of 9 inherited runners to score.
Interesting that Bachman was called up over some other guys, but let’s see what the kid has.
Moronta has been bad. Thankfully Devenski has bailed him out of two bases loaded situations.
Yovan is tearing it up in AA and Murphy is putting up Murphy like numbers again this month. There should be more help on the way soon.
Lets hope Bachman’s problem with walking batters doesn’t follow him to the majors…
It will. It’s not like the plate is different sizes.
He’ll probably get nervous and throw things everywhere.
Plus the hitters are more selective.
As a consolation Perry told Moronta he could stay in Anahiem and park his Roach Coach out on Katella during Angels home games. On the condition Angel players get a discount. And he can’t use the Angels logo anywhere on his meals on wheels.Ariba!!!
Anyone have any idea why Nevin has gone with Ward instead of Moniak to start the game tonight?
Because Phil is a Moniak…Moniak at your door.
Um, sorry. But any plausible reason other than injury would be as bad.
Left-handed pitcher. Looks like Ward has the short side of a platoon with Moniak.
Good way to cool off your hottest hitter.
See my answer to kellin.
I doubt the platoon will last. Moniak can’t come close to maintaining this pace with a 1 to 11 K to walk ratio, a 34% KRate and batting 563 batting average balls in play.
I expect June to not be a very good month for Moniak.
Probably all true, boss. But if he’s hotter than a pistol, keep putting him in there. Hitting is rhythm and confidence. If he’s helping the team win ballgames, I’d ride that horse till it slowed down.
Long term, you’re probably correct.
Bronxmac, there’s a lefty going tonight. Pretty simple why Wards in. It’s the right move, gotta keep that confidence up right. 😉
No problem with him playing. He’ll get the strong side of the platoon and probably a couple of ABs tonight.
Kellin, Moniak has not started any games against a LHP. Luzardo is a lefty.
Please don’t think that Moniak can keep up this pace or anywhere close to it. He has a .563 BAbip going into tonight’s game. His BA will drop 200 points by the time he has 300 PA.
If/When he cools off, play someone else.
This isn’t rocket science.
Kelvin you not learn anything from Maddon’s firing from a year ago?
Maddon didn’t like the FO making out the line up or in game moves such as Perry calling into the dugout and telling Joe to take Trout out of the game-
MAddon was fired because his team gave up on him or have you forgotten the 14 game losing streak.
Where you get that BS about calling the dugout I have no clue, but whatever you are smoking must be good.
For the record Perry went Maddons house to inform Maddon he was or wanted to fire the entire coaching staff. Maddon stuck up for them and took the heat and thus Maddon is unemployed-
Where did I get the BS? I read about it. Maddon has gone on record after firing that he will NOT manage a team that’s into analytics BS. He said the FO calling into the dugout during a game to remove a player is something Gene,Mauch,Billy Martin and Earl Weaver would never tolerate. (I know it was a different game when those 3 managed) I’m sorry you didn’t hear about it. And just because YOU didn’t doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.
If that porky-pie GM went to my house and tried that, I’d tune him up like a garage sale fiddle.
The divide between old and new, manager and front office, data and art, Maddon and Minasian, reached a boiling point on May 9. The Angels had just scored five runs in the seventh inning against the Rays to turn a 6–3 lead into an 11–3 blowout. Ohtani hit a grand slam. The dugout was lively. Suddenly, head athletic trainer Mike Frostad walked up to Maddon at his usual perch on the top step of the dugout and said, “Perry just called down. He said get Trout out of the game.”
Earlier in the day Trout had complained about a bit of soreness in his groin. But later he told Maddon that the soreness dissipated, and he was fine.
To Maddon, Minasian broke a sacred code. The GM had called the dugout during a game to dictate strategy to the manager—a proven, veteran manager at that. To Minasian, he simply was deploying the power given to this generation of executives. Nothing was sacred. Nothing was out of bounds.
The next day Maddon blew up at Minasian in Maddon’s office. “Listen, don’t you ever f—— call down to the dugout again!” Maddon said.
A month later, Maddon was fired.
The Angels were in the middle of a 12-game losing streak when Maddon was fired. Still, the team had been so successful over the first two months under Maddon that even the big losing streak only made them 27-29.
The Angels lost two more games even after firing Maddon before ending their losing streak. They proceeded to go a much worse 46-60 under Nevin, completely tanking and even becoming trade-deadline sellers.
Minasian and Maddon might not have seen eye-to-eye, and Minasian might have felt the Angels needed a big change amid their losing streak. But the results showed that firing Maddon was a bad idea. Had they stayed the course, their fortunes likely would have turned, and they would have had a good shot at getting back over .500 rather than backsliding and going further in the wrong direction as they ended up doing.
outinleft-smoke em you got em. The defense rest your honor.
leftout…
winslow sure told YOU, didden he?
I don’t make up crap for attention like some people do.
Tell em, win.
Testify.
BS. The team lost 12 straight then Maddon was fired. He had lost the team.
https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/joe-maddon-fired-by-angels-manager-out-in-midst-of-12-game-losing-streak-says-he-was-surprised-by-decision/
NOT a month later.
Links? Oh wait, you spout this BS all the time and won’t post links.
He didn’t say anything corect, so no.
And yet you did tonight.
Heh heh heh heh… you guys.
HEH HEH HEH HEH!
They went 6-18 after a 21-11 start.
Did you feel Angels GM Perry Minasian wasn’t with you?
I can’t say that. I thought he and I were working really well together
https://theathletic.com/3353876/2022/06/07/maddon-angels-interview
You may have noticed that Maddon has not even been interviewed for a job since he was fired. That says volumes about who was at fault and what every other team in baseball feels about him.
The results show that firing Maddon was the right thing to do. This season is not possible with Maddon as the manager. The players were not responding to him as the 6-18 run and 12 straight losses showed.
You said I didn’t know what I was talking about in regard to Perry calling into the dugout.
You said you read it. Post a link.
Unless you mean you read it after you typed it.
Notice, I come with receipts. Where are yours?
He was fired a month later after the incident regarding Perry calling in the dugout. Are you that dense?
Right because like I said before. He will not interview with a team that’s into analytics.
I didn’t type it I pasted it from a SI article. You can’t accept the fact you’re wrong.
That’s your opinion.
“I didn’t type it I pasted it from a SI article. You can’t accept the fact you’re wrong.”
Hear that, lefty? You were WRONG! According to win, anyway.
Thoughts?
I don’t have receipts because using a MAC to copy and paste.
Moronta started out by walking 3 in two innings. That is what I had said was going to happen and why he would be DFA’d soon.
Someone somewhere is holding a DNA sample that links Reyes Moronta to Bartolo Colon.
I always root for pitchers with big bellies. Makes me think of what my dad would’ve looked like on a major league mound.
Mickey Lolich had a gut. And he pitched 300 innings on a regular basis. Fired it in there hard, too.
My favorite is Bronx great, David Wells. He’s one I wouldn’t mind sharing a beer with and hearing some stories from.
He said his Grandmother could manage those Yankee teams to a WS title that Jo Torre managed
One, that’s a tribute to Gene Michael, the architect of those teams.
Two, it’s not true. Joe Torre was great from 1996-2007, when he was let go.
He was horrible in two games. I actually applaud the quick decision.
This is a good move obviously. But now Loup and Rengifo need to be gone.
3/4 agree prov. They do need to kick Loup to the curb, but With Rengifo, he should be the utility player, not in the cycle of players playing most days. Just another Nevin mis-use like his Pen choices.
Rengifo needs to increase his batting average by 30 points though for that role.
Trial and error organization.
Maybe he was a moronta the Angels so they had to let him go.
And Ward singles in his first AB!
Phil Nevin… GENIUS!
Do you know what Moniak’s BA is against LHP? 0.000. He has not had an at bat against one this season. He is 1 for 26 in his career.
Yep.
Willie Mays started out 0-13. In his career.
I know that too.
In parts of 3 seasons? Are you really trying to compare Moniak to Mays? Seriously? You have been drinking WAY too much.
I’m comparing 0-13 to 1-26.
Simple as that.
Sports is a result-driven endeavor.
Nobody with either of those numbers, based on the number alone, deserves much of anything. Luckily, analytics dweebs weren’t running baseball in 1951. Even if they had been, Leo Durocher would’ve told them what to do with their stat sheets.
Mays was ROY in 1951. He had 20 HR and an .828 OPS. He hit .310 in his first month in MLB with a ..288 BAbip. He hit .321 with a .972 OPS vs lefties that year. He was the antithesis of Moniak.
But he started his career 0-13.
It’s funny how you accuse others of being high and drunk. go look in the mirror.
Ward whiffs.
Nevin is clueless.
Unless it’s those analytics dweebs.
Ward Whiffs again.
Nevin is moronic.
But not Moniakic.
Webb seen packing his bags after 7th inning
Bachman’s cutter is lights out. Hope you are watching.
Well, when you can’t get a fastball over, it doesn’t matter how good your cutter is. I spoke too soon.
Struck out the side, but gave up a run.
Think that is it for Bachman. Not an auspicious start.
Well, that should have been it for Bachman, but Nevin left him in and he got out of the inning.
And Ward, with the Golden Sombrero… KKKK!
How about that spittoon… I-I mean, plaTOON?
Heh heh heh heh…
Let’s get ’em manyana!
Detmers is 0-4 with an ERA close to 5.
I’m no math major…but that’s not good, is it?
It’s bad mathmatically and philosophically and theoretically.
Indubitably.
Shoot, I’ll be happy if he can close out the 7th or 8th inning and help us get to the 9th, picking up a hold every time out. That’s what I’m talking about.
C’mon, Shohei!
C’mon, Micketty Mick Mick Mick!
Urshela! What a fella!
C’mon Jared!
Oy! Nevermind.
C’mon Gio!
Oy! Nevermind!