The Angels have signed reliever Hunter Strickland to a minor league deal, reports Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Strickland has spent parts of the past two seasons with the club. The right-hander is a client of All Bases Covered Sports Management.
The 37-year-old Strickland has pitched for seven different MLB squads since 2019, but the Angels have been his most consistent home. He first came to the organization in a 2021 trade from the Rays. That stint only lasted a few weeks, but Strickland returned to the club on a more permanent basis in 2024. He logged a career-high 73 1/3 innings with the Angels that season.
The veteran righty opened the 2025 campaign in the Rangers organization, but ultimately found his way back to the Angels on a minor league deal. Strickland was promoted in May and appeared in 19 games at the big-league level. He posted a 3.27 ERA over 22 innings, but went down with a shoulder injury in July and missed the rest of the year.
Strickland debuted with the Giants in 2014. He became a fixture in the San Francisco bullpen the following season. Strickland notched a sub-3.00 across 226 innings in his five years in the organization. He capped off his time in San Francisco with a career-best 14 saves in 2018, though that season included a lengthy IL stint due to a broken hand. Strickland suffered the injury after punching a door following a blown save.
The Angels have stacked older relievers with closing experience this offseason. The club has added Kirby Yates, Jordan Romano, and Drew Pomeranz over the winter. Brent Suter was also recently brought in to add a left-handed look in middle relief. Strickland doesn’t have a clear path to the big-league roster, but he’s had a knack for finding his way into an Angels uniform.
Photo courtesy of Gary A. Vasquez, Imagn Images
When he puts on a Halo uniform he plays above expectations and saves the bullpen. Solid signing!
Its crazy he isn’t getting signed to a 2-3 million one year contract. The dude really has been solid for the team.. but, at the same time, they’d have to DFA someone, and I dont know if that would make sense..
I just had a feeling that was coming.
Next… Tyler Anderson or Luis Rengifo?
Maybe Dave Chalk or Frank Tanana
Chuck Finley and Jack Howell.
Boy howdy!
🤣
I don’t mind these deals in February.
I’m not as crazy about them in December because they typically sign with the assumption there is a good chance they will make the team.
The off-season moves have been impressive in rebuilding up the Angels AAA minor league team with over the hill veterans.
Hopefully, we can compete for a minors playoff spot.
Angels stockpiling vintage arms in hopes they can sell a few at the deadline?
No, because they hope they can compete. (It’s hopeless).