Angels Key Pitcher Not Expected to Be Ready for Start of Spring Training Due to Surgery

Maren Angus-Coombs | 2 Hours Ago

Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Angels will be without a starting pitcher when spring training rolls around next spring.

Right-hander Andrew Wantz, who had elbow surgery this season, isn't going to be ready for camp, according to Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register.

This is significant news regarding Wantz, who had just received his first MLB call-up of the season after starting the year in Triple-A when he landed on the IL. He made one appearance, pitching 1.1 innings against the Detroit Tigers where he allowed a three-run homer (with only one run charged to him) and recorded three strikeouts.

The 28-year-old right-hander has primarily served as a reliever since the 2021 season, but manager Ron Washington indicated earlier this season that the Angels needed to bolster their rotation depth beyond what they currently possess. Washington opted to stretch Wantz into a starter.

Although Wantz was familiar with pitching multiple innings—having made 11 appearances of two innings each in 2023—he had never thrown more than 2.1 innings in a single big league game.

The transition to longer outings wasn't completely new for him, as he made 18 minor league starts in 2019. However, it has been quite some time since he was called upon to pitch in extended stints.

Andrew Wantz was named PCL Pitcher of the Week after his dominating 11 strikeout performance on Thursday against Tacoma! pic.twitter.com/93LohjYaWe

— Salt Lake Bees (@SaltLakeBees) April 8, 2024

Wantz began the year strong. He won the first Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week Award for the 2024 season.

He started for the Salt Lake Bees against the Tacoma Rainiers in early April. He allowed a single run on two hits and one walk while striking out a career-high 11 Rainiers batters over six innings of work.

At the time, his 11 strikeouts mark the second-highest total for any minor league in a single game this season. This performance was the best for a Salt Lake pitcher since Reid Detmers struck out 14 at Tacoma on June 29, 2022, and the highest for a Bees pitcher at Smith’s Ballpark since Troy Scribner fanned 11 against Reno on June 28, 2017.

Drafted by the Angels in the seventh round of the 2018 MLB Draft, Wantz made his debut in 2021 and has a career earned run average of 3.88 across 91 appearances. His best performance came in 2022 when he posted a 3.22 ERA in 42 appearances and 50.1 innings pitched.