The Angels announced that they’ve claimed right-handed reliever Cody Laweryson off waivers from the Twins. That’ll bring the Halos’ 40-man roster count to 34 players while dropping the Twins to 38.
Laweryson, 28 next May, was a 14th-round pick by Minnesota back in 2019 and made his MLB debut this past season, tossing 7 2/3 innings and allowing one run late in the season. The 6’4″ righty punched out seven of 26 opponents and didn’t issue a walk. He averaged 93.2 mph on his four-seamer, mixing in a cutter and changeup to round out a three-pitch repertoire.
That marked the end of a quality all-around season for the Maine native. He split the remainder of the season between Double-A and Triple-A, working to a combined 2.86 ERA with a 24.6% strikeout rate, 7.7% walk rate and 46.3% ground-ball rate in 44 innings of minor league relief.
Laweryson was only added to the 40-man roster after Minnesota gutted its bullpen at this year’s trade deadline, shipping out five relievers for a series of prospects and controllable young big leaguers. Minnesota will likely trim several more names from the 40-man roster in the days ahead, as the bullpen for the final couple months was composed almost entirely of journeyman stopgaps to get through the end of the season.
Call up a Lawyer, son.
His dad’s a lawyer
He pitched pretty well in his short stint with the Twins. I am surprised the Twins tried to put him through waivers.
Step one towards their second WS
Third— we won the 2020 WS.
Fitting the Angels could use another lawyer
Angels Must Shut Down Any Trade Talk for Zach Neto—Especially from the Yankees
As the offseason heats up, one thing needs to be crystal clear in Anaheim: Zach Neto is not for sale. But the Los Angeles Angels are for sale.
Yes, the Yankees (and probably half the league) are circling. Yes, Neto’s value is sky-high. And yes, the Angels are in roster-retooling mode. But let’s not get cute. Unless Brian Cashman is offering a player clearly better than Neto—and good luck finding one—this conversation ends before it starts.
Neto isn’t just a promising shortstop. He’s the most electric player in an Angels uniform right now. He plays with fire, flair, and a chip on his shoulder. He’s the kind of guy you build around, not dangle in trade talks.
If the Angels are serious about turning the page, they should take a page from their own past. Remember the Anthony Rendon contract? If we were willing to throw that kind of money at a declining veteran, why not invest in a 23-year-old cornerstone with upside, swagger, and fan appeal?
Lock him up. Extend him. Make him the face of the next great Angels team.
Because trading Zach Neto in a lateral move would be a franchise fumble