Former Angels Starting Pitcher Signs With NL Contender

Jun 28, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Zach Plesac (34) pitches during the third inning against the Detroit Tigers at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Former Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Zach Plesac signed a minor league deal with the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday.

Plesac signed with the Halos in 2024 and made three appearances in MLB, posting an 8.25 ERA through 12 innings pitched. He spent most of his time with Triple-A Salt Lake while in the Angels organization, but things didn't go smoothly for him at the lower levels either. Plesac posted a 5.69 ERA with the Bees through 17 starts, and he was released in Aug. 2024.

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Between his release and signing with the Cards, Plesac played for the Long Island Ducks in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, an independent league. He posted a 4-1 record with a 2.84 ERA during his time with the Ducks, posting 33 strikeouts in 38 innings pitched.

Prior to his three-game MLB stint with the Angels, Plesac had played five seasons with the Cleveland Guardians. He had a career 4.20 ERA with the Guards, posting a 3.6 WAR during his time there.

His best seasons came in his first two years with the Guardians in 2019 and 2020. Plesac started 21 games as a rookie, throwing the only complete game of his career while posting a 3.81 ERA through 115.2 innings. In the shortened 2020 season, Plesac was dominant, posting a 2.28 ERA through eight starts. His 9.3 strikeouts per nine innings that season is the highest mark of his career.

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Plesac may not feature in MLB for the Cardinals this season, as their rotation of Sonny Gray, Erick Fedde, Matthew Libertadore, Andre Pallante and Miles Mikolas have started all but two games this year, the exceptions being when Steven Matz came in to provide some extra rest for the rotation.

MLB.com's John Denton reports the Cardinals will probably call up prospect Michael McGreevy to round out a six-man rotation for the crowded remainder of the month, so Plesac will likely fill in for him in Triple-A.

For more Angels news, head over to Angels on SI.