Angels Bolster Pitching Depth With Journeyman Set-Up Man

Angels add to their pitching depth with this move.

The Los Angeles Angels signed right-handed reliever Bryan Shaw to a minor league contract on Wednesday. He will earn a pro-rated $1.1 million if he's in the majors, according to Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register.

Shaw was designated for assignment on Friday and rejected the assignment on Saturday electing free agency instead.

The 36-year-old is a veteran reliever pitching in parts of 14 years in the big leagues. He signed with Chicago in the offseason and broke camp on the big league roster but got off to a disappointing start tossing four innings over five appearances thus far, allowing four earned runs on eight hits, striking out four but also walking four.

Shaw entered spring training hoping to win the closer role for the White Sox. He had 19 saves on his resumé and based on the last month of 2023, he looked to be heading that way. He made 18 appearances in the last month of the season and pitched on the final five days of the season -- all scoreless, all hitless.

“I asked for it,” Shaw said in February looking back on the previous season. “Pitching good, wanted to throw. Not being up all year, obviously, trying to get some innings back, some appearances back.”

Coming into this season, Shaw had 791 career appearances, the third-most among active Major Leaguers behind only Kenley Jansen (817) and David Robertson (793). Craig Kimbrel has 780. He doesn't plan on stopping until he reaches 1,000.

“Most guys don’t really care about stuff, but I do,” Shaw said. “It would be an awesome little thing, but it means I have to go out there and perform this spring and this season like I know I can and know I should. Hopefully that continues and parlays into a couple more years.”

Shaw has a career 3.96 ERA in parts of 14 seasons. He had a 4.14 ERA with the White Sox in 2023.