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Reliever Chooses Free Agency After Being DFA’d By Angels
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- Reliever Chooses Free Agency After Being DFA’d By Angels
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
The Los Angeles Angels designated reliever Michael Fulmer for assignment and he went unclaimed on waivers, and now the reliever has selected free agency, according to a report from Anthony Franco of MLBTradeRumors.com that reference teh MLB transaction log.
The move isn't surprising at all. Fulmer signed with the Angels as they do their ongoing body shuffles in the bullpen, and Fulmer pitched a total of three scoreless innings with four strikeouts in three appearances, per Franco.
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But that wasn't enough for the Angels, who DFA'd Fulmer to bring up starter Yusei Kikuchi , despite the fact that Kikuchi was hit hard in his last rehab start. Kikuchi then proceeded to duplicate that bad result on Sunday against the Texas Rangers as he gave up five runs in five innings.
It's a bad look for a franchise that's still struggling to alter the perception that the Angels are still running a clown show when it comes to their ongoing personnel moves. Fulmer is a veteran who knows how to pitch, and he showed enough to stick, but there's no reason for him to do it with the Halos given the ongoing presence of moves like this.
The right-hander now has until Monday to find a new team if he's going to be eligible for the players, and Fulmer should have a decent chance of doing just that. There are plenty of middling wild-card contenders who need bullpen help down the stretch, and Fulmer has shown that he can get outs.
Meanwhile, the Angels bullpen remains a muddle. The Angels cleaned house in the 'pen at the deadline, and the one good thing that's happened is that Ben Joyce has returned and is pitching well, solidifying a closer spot that's been a major problem since Opening Day.
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Last night the Halos featured Jose Fermin, Tyler Saucedo, Ryan Watson , Joyce and Blake Weiman in relief as they lost to the Cleveland Guardians , 8-6, in ten innings. Fermin failed in relief of starter Walbert Urena, and so did Watson with Weiman getting banged around in the tenth to produce the loss.
It's more of the same in Anaheim, as the Angels dropped back into a flat-footed tie with the Athletics in the basement of the AL West. The Angesl remain in a battle with the A's and the Colorado Rockies for the worst record in baseball, with the Rockies a half-game "ahead" of their bottom-feeding brethren.
