Headlines

  • White Sox To Activate Liam Hendriks From Injured List
  • Royals Release Hunter Dozier
  • Yankees Release Aaron Hicks
  • Brewers Sign Julio Teheran To Major League Deal
  • Red Sox Move Corey Kluber To Bullpen
  • Athletics Reach Tentative Stadium Funding Deal With Nevada Lawmakers
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2023-24 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2024-25 MLB Free Agent List
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Arbitration Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Angels Select César Valdez

By Darragh McDonald | May 8, 2023 at 5:19pm CDT

The Angels announced they have selected right-hander César Valdez and placed left-hander José Suarez on the 15-day injured list with a left shoulder strain. To open a spot for Valdez on the 40-man roster, lefty José Quijada was transferred to the 60-day IL. Sam Blum of The Athletic had previously reported that Valdez was on the lineup card and that Suarez was bound for the IL.

Valdez, 38, has had one of the more unique careers in baseball. A soft tosser who’s never averaged more than 89 mph on his fastball, he made his major league debut with the Diamondbacks in 2010 but posted an ERA of 7.65 in nine appearances. He then didn’t make it back to the big leagues for many years, spending time in the minors with the Pirates, Marlins, Blue Jays and Astros in addition to playing in the Mexican League and the Chinese Professional Baseball League.

He returned to the majors in 2017 with the A’s and Jays, tossing 30 2/3 innings with increased use of his changeup. He had thrown it 28.2% of the time in his debut season but ramped that up to 48.2% in 2017, though he finished the year with a 7.63 ERA. He then missed a couple more MLB seasons, pitching in the Mexican League in 2018 and 2019. He returned to the majors in 2020 with the Orioles and cranked his changeup usage all the way to 83.2%, resulting in an ERA of just 1.26 over 14 1/3 innings that year.

Improbably, he became the O’s closer to start the 2021 season, racking up eight saves by the middle of May with a 1.23 ERA. Unfortunately, things took a turn from there as he posted an 8.04 ERA the rest of the way, losing his roster spot as the season was winding down. He signed a minor league deal with the Angels last year and was selected to the roster for a one-game showing in May before getting designated for assignment promptly after. He returned to the Halos on another minor league deal this winter but has a 7.27 ERA through 26 innings for Triple-A Salt Lake.

Yesterday, Suarez departed his start due to shoulder discomfort after pitching just 2 2/3 innings. Chase Silseth came on in relief and ultimately chewed up 3 1/3, tossing 72 pitches in the process. He likely won’t be available for a few days so Valdez has likely been brought up to be on-call if the Halos have some more mop-up innings on the menu.

As for Suarez, it’s still unclear how much time the club is expecting him to miss with this shoulder injury. He’s having a terrible year so far with a 9.62 ERA through six starts, an unfortunate development after he seemed to break out last year. In 109 innings for the Angels in 2022, he registered a 3.96 ERA and seemed to establish himself as a viable starter going forward. He hasn’t carried that into 2023 but it’s difficult to tell right now if the shoulder injury is the culprit. His 92.6 mph average fastball velocity is just a hair down from last year’s 92.7 mph. MLBTR’s Anthony Franco recently explored how the poor start to the season from Suarez was putting the club in an awkward spot since the lefty is out of options, though he’ll now head to the injured list for a while.

The Angels have often had a six-man rotation in recent years as a way of reducing the strain on Shohei Ohtani and the heavy workload that comes from him also hitting on the days when he doesn’t pitch. That has been the case this year, with Ohtani and Suarez joined by Reid Detmers, Patrick Sandoval, Tyler Anderson and Griffin Canning. If they want to continue with the six-man operation going forward, they’ll need someone to replace Suarez. Silseth could potentially move from the bullpen to the rotation, as could Tucker Davidson, as both worked as starters last year. Non-roster options include Jake Kalish, Kenny Rosenberg and Jake Lee.

As for Quijada, it was reported last week that he would require Tommy John surgery, ruling him out for the remainder of the season and part of next year as well. That made this transfer to the 60-day IL an inevitable formality.

Share 0 Retweet 9 Send via email0

Los Angeles Angels Transactions Cesar Valdez Jose Quijada Jose Suarez

Baltimore’s Shortstop Is Making Strides
Main
Grayson Greiner Announces Retirement
View Comments (45)

Comments

  1. Winslow Leach

    3 weeks ago

    Anything but Saurez. Mercy Snakes Alive!!! What’s your 20 Bandit ?

    Reply
  2. bronxmac77

    3 weeks ago

    This… (points index finger for emphatic emphasis), THIS is the transaction you’ve been waiting for!

    Reply
    • Halo11Fan

      3 weeks ago

      I normally don’t appreciate these hyperbolic comments, but in this case, I think you are spot on…

      WHAT???!!!???

      Reply
      • bronxmac77

        3 weeks ago

        I’ll pass your concerns onto Perry Whashisname…

        ):^)

        Reply
      • bronxmac77

        3 weeks ago

        We all appreciate your hyperbull-ic comments, Halo.
        Keep ’em coming.

        Reply
        • Halo11Fan

          3 weeks ago

          It took you for hours to think of that? I’m going to take away my
          Ike.

          Wouldn’t you consider that plunking me? If so… what does that make you?

        • bronxmac77

          3 weeks ago

          Get help.
          And if you’d like, I’ll tell you where to stick your ‘thumbs up…’

        • suicide_squeeze

          3 weeks ago

          You one ‘ostile dude, bronx… Halo was agreeing with you, and you come at him that. Shame

        • bronxmac77

          3 weeks ago

          He took away his Ike.
          Are you his squeeze, squeeze?

        • suicide_squeeze

          3 weeks ago

          We have never met, sir. But I see your vibe.

        • bronxmac77

          3 weeks ago

          Well, if someone took away their Ike, what would you do?

        • suicide_squeeze

          3 weeks ago

          That’s beyond my paygrade, bruh. I guess I’d get a lawyer? I dunno, but I’m just bored enough to answer. Can I ask why you be hatin on the Angels so much? Just bored too?

        • bronxmac77

          3 weeks ago

          Read my comments below.
          Celebratin’ ALL over the place.

          And ‘hatin’ is an overused, over-abused, misused word I don’t use.

        • bronxmac77

          3 weeks ago

          Boss, it took me about four seconds.
          But it’s taken me 2 hours, and I still don’t know what you’re talking about.
          What’s an Ike? What’s ‘plunking?’ What are you talking about?

        • suicide_squeeze

          3 weeks ago

          Mmkay. If I had one word to describe you, it’d be “genuine”. Well dang, gotta cure my boredom elsewhere

        • bronxmac77

          3 weeks ago

          I’ll take that as a compliment.
          Try bot to be bored, boss.

        • suicide_squeeze

          3 weeks ago

          You would do that. What was I sayin? Oh yeah, dude was right. You take forevah to respond because you need your little reddit bros to give you up-votes so you can feel nice an good bout yourself. Boredom comes an goes. I had a good night.

        • bronxmac77

          3 weeks ago

          I take ‘forever to respond’ because I’m not bored, staring at a computer screen. I have a life. You and Halo should go down to 7-Eleven and get one.

        • Halo11Fan

          3 weeks ago

          I didn’t take away my like.

        • bronxmac77

          3 weeks ago

          I don’t care about ‘likes’, Halo.
          I kid around a lot, but I’m a baseball fan. As I’ve said across the threads, I listen to (among others) Angels radio, Mark Langston and Terry Smith. Used to live in SoCal. If I lived there now, I’d go to Angels Stadium just to watch Trout and Shohei.

  3. kellin

    3 weeks ago

    Woof. Dude has a 7+ ERA in the minors. This is the best the Angels could do?

    Reply
    • DCartrow

      3 weeks ago

      Seizure Valdez?

      Reply
  4. Halo11Fan

    3 weeks ago

    OH MY GOD!!!!!????

    Silseth in the pen makes sense, he is better than Waren… Obviously.

    Devenski vs Quijada, depends which Quijada and Devenski we are going to see.

    Suarez vs Valdez vs your average Trade Rumor Poster… Too close to call.

    Reply
    • kellin

      3 weeks ago

      Well, we won’t be seeing Quijada for a while, so that makes that contest kind of irrelevant.

      Reply
      • Halo11Fan

        3 weeks ago

        Kellin. You sure? I might pick Quijada second.

        But my point was when Quijada was healthy. Replacing a healthy Devenski with the injured Quijada was not a big deal to me. I don’t think the Angels lost a lot.

        But what the “F” is Valdez doing in the major leagues? Have these people lost their minds?

        Reply
        • kellin

          3 weeks ago

          Oh, healthy? Yeah, I think I’d rather go with Devenski. And I totally agree, there *has* to be a better option in the minors, somewhere.

        • kellin

          3 weeks ago

          After looking at the rest of the pitching staff in Salt Lake, there aren’t -any- good options. I haven’t looked at the Pandas’ roster.

  5. bronxmac77

    3 weeks ago

    “Suarez…. having a terrible year so far with a 9.62 ERA…”
    “Valdez, 38…..7.27 ERA through 26 innings for Triple-A Salt Lake.”

    He’s an improvement.

    Reply
    • orange2001

      3 weeks ago

      MLB > Triple-A

      Whatever his Triple-A stats are, they will only be worse in the big leagues.

      Reply
      • bronxmac77

        3 weeks ago

        Heh heh heh…
        Can’t wait.
        HEH HEH HEH! BOOM!

        Reply
      • bronxmac77

        3 weeks ago

        Ah… but how MUCH worse, orange?
        That is the question!

        Orange you wondering?

        Reply
  6. DarkSide830

    3 weeks ago

    Rosenberg deserves a real look

    Reply
  7. faustocarmona

    3 weeks ago

    The dead fish returns!

    Reply
  8. bronxmac77

    3 weeks ago

    I think he should start tonight.
    And the Angels should contemplate a seven man rotation.

    Reply
  9. Rsox

    3 weeks ago

    Hard to believe a guy who debuted all the way back in 2010 only has only appeared in parts of 5 (soon to be 6) seasons in the majors

    Reply
  10. bronxmac77

    3 weeks ago

    ITZA HOMAH!

    Reply
  11. bronxmac77

    3 weeks ago

    Sandoval’s getting cuffed around.
    Get Valdez loose.

    Reply
  12. prov356

    3 weeks ago

    Wow, the Angels are out of ideas. It’s like they have no clue what to do so they are doing whatever anyone throws at the wall in the meetings.

    Reply
    • bronxmac77

      3 weeks ago

      But they’re WINNING!
      Fist bump!

      Reply
      • Halo11Fan

        3 weeks ago

        They have yet to win a series against a team with an above 500.

        As I have said a number of times, and for a number of months, this team will go as far as the pen will take them.

        Reply
        • bronxmac77

          3 weeks ago

          You can only play (and beat) the teams on your schedule. Look at the AL Standings from the Wild Card perspective. The Angels are near the top.

          As far as beating sub .500 teams, well, good! That’s taking care of business. Far better than succumbing to ‘trap games’.

        • Halo11Fan

          3 weeks ago

          True, but they have yet to win a series against the Yankees, Red Sox, Brewers, Toronto or Rangers. Am I forgetting anyone?

          If not, they are 0 for 5. And much of that had to do with the pen,

          They will get a chance against Baltimore next week.

          And taking care of business is good. But if you want to playI October, you need more.

  13. bronxmac77

    3 weeks ago

    It’s OVAH! Angels WIN!
    High five!
    Fist bump!

    Reply
  14. urnuts

    3 weeks ago

    There are 33 SP listed on

    https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/free-agents/2023/starting-pitcher/available/

    May be time to sign someone.

    Reply
  15. suicide_squeeze

    3 weeks ago

    Valdez has a 4.84 ERA in 61.1 IP as a reliever. Not inspiring, but I’m willing to give him a chance before freaking out. He’ll probably be on mop up duty anyway

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.
Log in Register

ad: 300x250_1_MLB

    Top Stories

    White Sox To Activate Liam Hendriks From Injured List

    Royals Release Hunter Dozier

    Yankees Release Aaron Hicks

    Brewers Sign Julio Teheran To Major League Deal

    Red Sox Move Corey Kluber To Bullpen

    Athletics Reach Tentative Stadium Funding Deal With Nevada Lawmakers

    NPB Watch: May Edition

    Yankees Designate Aaron Hicks For Assignment

    Cubs Designate Eric Hosmer For Assignment

    Mets Select Gary Sanchez, Place Tim Locastro On 60-Day IL

    Astros To Activate Jose Altuve

    Rays Recall Taj Bradley, Plan To Keep Him In Rotation

    Kumar Rocker To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    Anibal Sanchez Announces Retirement

    Willson Contreras To Return To Catching Duties On Monday

    Rockies Place Antonio Senzatela On 15-Day IL Due To Elbow Sprain

    Cubs, Marcus Stroman Had Preliminary Extension Talks

    Drew Rasmussen Shut Down For Two Months With Flexor Strain

    Tyler Mahle To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    Marlins To Promote Eury Pérez

    Recent

    Rangers Select Grant Anderson, Designate Ricky Vanasco

    A’s To Designate Jesus Aguilar For Assignment

    Twins Transfer Nick Gordon To 60-Day Injured List

    Reds Outright Silvino Bracho

    The Opener: Soroka, Blackburn, Twins, Cubs

    White Sox To Activate Liam Hendriks From Injured List

    Quick Hits: Astros, Santana, Pagan, Muncy, Miller

    Michael Soroka To Start Monday For Braves

    AL East Notes: Fairbanks, Rizzo, Blue Jays

    Adam Morgan Retires

    ad: 300x250_5_side_mlb

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Shohei Ohtani Rumors
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Go Ad-Free
    • 2023-24 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2024-25 MLB Free Agent List
    • MLB Player Chats
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    ad: 160x600_MLB

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • Feeds by Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    hide arrowsFOX Sports Engage Network scroll to top
    Close

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version