Angels Free Agent Pitcher Signs With American League Squad

Maren Angus-Coombs | Jan 20, 2025

Sep 13, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Los Angeles Angels starter Andrew Wantz (60) delivers a pitch during the second inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images / Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

After spending parts of seven years with the Los Angeles Angels organization, Andrew Wantz is heading east.

The right-hander signed a minor league deal with the Tampa Bay Rays, according to the club's transaction log.

While Wantz’s contract doesn’t include an invite to spring training due to his ongoing recovery from elbow surgery, there’s a possibility he could return by the end of the 2025 season.

The exact surgery Wantz had is unclear but it was not Tommy John.

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Even if he doesn’t make it back in time for 2025, the Rays took a strategic approach with Wantz. The two-year minor league deal is low-risk and high reward. Wantz is cost-effective, and if he proves to be a valuable asset in the bullpen by 2026.

After undergoing elbow surgery in July, the Angels decided not to carry him on the 40-man roster for the rest of the season and outrighted him to Triple-A in October. Instead of accepting the assignment, Wantz elected free agency in November.

Wantz made his big league debut with the Angels during the 2021 season.

Andrew Wantz is fired up after an 11K night 🔥🔥🔥
6 IP | 2 H | 1 ER | 1 BB | 11 K pic.twitter.com/4XLGxWSfwy

— Salt Lake Bees (@SaltLakeBees) April 5, 2024

Wantz went 1-0 with a 4.94 ERA, 1.244 WHIP, 12.5 strikeouts per nine innings and a 0.0 WAR in 21 relief appearances during his rookie year. He was elevated into a larger role in 2022, taking the mound 42 times, before making 27 appearances in 2023.

Between 2022 and 2023, Wantz posted a 4-1 record with a 3.51 ERA, 1.126 WHIP, 85 strikeouts and a 1.2 WAR in 69 games, opening four and closing 12.

In 2023, however, the 29-year-old righty had limited big-league innings, making just one appearance where he allowed one run in 1.1 innings. At Triple-A Salt Lake, Wantz transitioned to a starting role, making six starts in seven outings — his longest stretch in the rotation since 2019. Over 23.1 innings, he posted a 6.17 ERA, but his strikeout rate remained strong at 31.8 percent. Control continued to be an issue, as he walked 14 percent of the batters he faced.

Since being drafted by the Angels in the seventh round of the 2018 MLB Draft, Wantz has appeared in 91 career games. He has maintained a 3.88 ERA. His standout season came in 2022 when he recorded a 3.22 ERA across 42 appearances and 50.1 innings.

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