Today, the Angels announced their acquisition of right-handed pitcher Guillermo Zuñiga from the Cardinals. The Cardinals had previously designated Zuñiga for assignment. In exchange, Anaheim sent cash to St. Louis. To make room for Zuñiga on their 40-man roster, the Angels designated right-handed pitcher Austin Warren for assignment. So who is Zuñiga and why do Angels want him?
Zuñiga, 25 years old, made his Major League Baseball debut with the Cardinals in 2023, pitching two innings and allowing one run on two hits with four strikeouts. This remains his only MLB experience so far. After becoming a minor league free agent following the 2022 season, he signed a surprising Major League deal with the Cardinals. However, he primarily spent the season in Triple-A Memphis, where he struggled with a 7.63 ERA in 30 2/3 innings.
Despite his inconsistent results, Zuñiga possesses a fastball that reaches triple digits and has a high strikeout rate. However, he has faced challenges with command throughout his minor league career, walking 13.7% of his opponents in Triple-A last year.
Zuñiga still has two minor league option years remaining, allowing the Angels to freely move him between the MLB and Triple-A levels over the next two seasons, provided he remains on the team's 40-man roster. He will join the Angels in big league camp and compete for a spot in a revamped bullpen that has undergone significant changes this offseason.
As for Austin Warren, the 28-year-old has pitched in the Angels' bullpen over the past three seasons, with mixed results. He experienced early success in 2021 but struggled in subsequent seasons, culminating in a Tommy John surgery in 2023. Due to his injury, Warren is expected to miss a portion of the 2024 season. The Angels now have one week to trade Warren or place him on waivers.
So there you have it. They pretty much upgraded Warren, who will not pitch most of the year, and have a new guy with a lot of potential.
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