Former Angels Pitcher Claimed Off Waivers By AL Central Team

The Irvine native made 18 appearances with his hometown team.

Former Angels pitcher Zack Weiss has found a new home. 

On Wednesday, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reported the Minnesota Twins claimed the right-handed pitcher off waivers from the Boston Red Sox.

#MNTwins needed to clear three 40-man roster spots to add Carlos Santana, Jay Jackson and RHP Zack Weiss, who was claimed off waivers from Boston.

To make space, they DFA'd Jordan Balazovic, Daniel Duarte and Bubba Thompson.

— DanHayesMLB (@DanHayesMLB) February 7, 2024

Weiss, 31, spent parts of two seasons with the Angels in 2022 and 2023. It was a long-awaited homecoming for Weiss, an Irvine native and standout at UCLA whom the Cincinnati Reds tabbed in the sixth round of the 2013 draft.

Weiss debuted with the Reds in 2018 before bouncing around the league. The Halos signed him to a minor league deal ahead of the 2022 season.

Weiss had a very solid 2022 season in Anaheim, making 12 relief appearances and allowing five earned runs in 14 innings pitched. He had a 3.21 ERA and 1.07 WHIP.

In 2023, Weiss struggled, sporting 5.06 ERA in six appearances. He was designated for assignment in August and picked up by Boston, where he finished the season strong. In six appearances with the Red Sox, Weiss had a 2.08 ERA in 8.2 innings.

Now, Weiss is heading to Minnesota after being designated for assignment. He'll be on the 40-man roster, so he'll have a chance to compete for an Opening Day roster spot in spring training.