Potential Angels Starter Revamped His Pitch Mix This Offseason
The Los Angeles Angels are hoping they got a steal of a deal when Zach Plesac agreed to a $1 million, one-year deal.
Plesac, once a promising young pitcher in the Cleveland organization, had a 3.32 ERA in his first two major league seasons with the Guardians. However, the past three years saw him post a 4.72 ERA, including a 7.59 ERA during a nightmarish five-start season in 2023. He spent the second half in Triple-A.
To find his former self, the 29-year-old spent the offseason at Driveline, a high-tech baseball training facility.
Plesac told Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register that he’s replaced his four-seam fastball with a two-seamer, and he’s changed his slider into more of a sweeper, which he hopes will help induce more swings and misses.
THe right-hander sees this year as a "fresh start." He is with a new team and so far, manager Ron Washington likes what he sees.
“The guy has some pitching skill. I think more than anything the past couple years he got in his own way. Hopefully this spring, he can get out of his way so the talent he has to offer can show up daily.”
Plesac is hoping to compete for a starting job in a rotation that is semi-set with left-handers Patrick Sandoval, Reid Detmers, and Tyler Anderson and right-handers Griffin Canning and Chase Silseth.
But he doesn't think he's far off from where he was in 2019 and 2020.
“It’s really just remaining confident and just knowing that my stuff is good and not trying to do too much. It’s not like I’m far off from being the dominant pitcher in the league that I was.”
If he doesn't break camp with the Angels as a starter, Plesac may either wind up working out of the bullpen or beginning the season in Triple-A.
