Angels Pitcher Adjusted His Attitude Before Getting Second Chance

He returned to the Angels Monday.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Angels recalled relief pitcher José Suarez from Triple-A Salt Lake on Monday. His three scoreless innings that night against the Minnesota Twins marked his first major league appearance since June 16.

Suarez began the season on the Angels' 26-man roster, but was designated for assignment after that game with an 8.15 ERA. In his final two starts for the Angels before he was designated for assignment, Suarez gave up a combined nine earned runs over just 3.2 innings.

“He just wasn’t right,” Angels manager Ron Washington said of Suarez at the time.

Suarez spent nearly three months at Triple-A Salt Lake after going unclaimed on waivers. During his summer with the Bees, he started 11 games, going 2-3 with a 6.54 ERA while striking out 62 batters in 52.1 innings. He was promoted to the majors after Angels relievers pitched seven innings on Sunday.

To make room for Suarez, the Angels optioned Hans Crouse and moved Jo Adell to the 60-day injured list. Adell is out for the rest of the season with an oblique injury.

In his first game back with the Angels, Suarez did not allow a single hit or run. He walked one and struck out four while earning his first save of the season as the Angels defeated the Minnesota Twins 6-2.

“It was a test for me and kind of a wake-up call to work twice as hard to be back,” Suarez said through an interpreter on Monday, via Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register.

Washington believes Suarez shifted his attitude in the minors and will use the rest of the season to “show the game of baseball that he belongs in the big leagues and show the Angels that he belongs in the big leagues with us.”

The 29-year-old Suarez is now in his sixth season with the Angels after signing with the team as an international free agent in 2015. He made his MLB debut in 2019, and was primarily a starting pitcher for the Angels over his first five MLB seasons, starting as many as 20 games in 2022 with a 3.96 ERA.

Suarez started seven of 11 games he appeared in for the Angels a season ago, but struggled with an 8.29 ERA. He has primarily pitched as a reliever for the Angels during the 2024 campaign.