Former Angels Pitcher Acquired Via Trade Signs With Chinese Team

Maren Angus-Coombs | Feb 3, 2025

Jul 21, 2020; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Felix Pena (64) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Former Los Angeles Angels pitcher Felix Pena has reportedly signed with the Uni-Lions of Taiwan’s Chinese Professional Baseball League.

Pena hasn't appeared in Major League Baseball since 2021 when he returned from a hamstring injury that delayed the start to his season.

Upon returning, he struggled, allowing seven runs in less than two innings, leading the Angels to option him to the minors.

That marked Pena’s final appearance in the majors. After a tough stint at Triple-A for the rest of 2021, he signed a minor league deal with the Mets to start the 2022 season. Eventually, he took his career overseas, joining the KBO’s Hanwha Eagles.

Pena initially joined Hanwha in 2022 as a replacement for Nick Kingham, finishing the year with a 3.72 ERA in 13 games (67.2 innings) and a 5-4 record. In 2023, he made 32 appearances (177.1 innings), recording 11 wins and 11 losses with a 3.60 ERA, becoming a key figure in the Eagles' starting rotation.

Pena recorded a 3.98 ERA over 54 starts in parts of three seasons in the KBO. However, he struggled with a 6.27 ERA in his last nine KBO outings in 2024, leading the Eagles to release him in May.

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Pena joined the Angels in 2018, where he made 17 starts and two relief appearances, posting a solid 4.18 ERA and a 4.04 FIP over 92.2 innings. He controlled his walk rate well, which seemed to set him up for a spot in the 2019 rotation.

The veteran began the 2019 season as part of the Angels' Opening Day rotation, but struggles followed in his first four starts, including issues with home runs and walks.

The Angels shifted him to a bulk role behind an opener, where he initially thrived with a 3.03 ERA in seven outings. However, a rough June (7.97 ERA in five appearances) derailed his progress, and though he rebounded in July, he was ultimately sidelined by a torn ACL, cutting his season short.

After recovering from his torn ACL, Pena returned to the Angels in late July 2020, taking on a short relief role. He posted a solid 4.05 ERA in 26.2 innings, with strong peripherals, including a 3.00 FIP and a 25.2 percent strikeout rate.

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