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Angels Reportedly Add Hard-Throwing Reliever on Minor League Deal

Journeyman flamethrower has a chance to capitalize on his success in the Mexican Winter League.
Thomas Murray|
Angels Reportedly Add Hard-Throwing Reliever on Minor League Deal
Angels Reportedly Add Hard-Throwing Reliever on Minor League Deal

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Los Angeles Angels

While Angels fans await a blockbuster move in free agency, the front office chalked up one more under-the-radar signing. The Angels and veteran right-handed pitcher Tayron Guerrero reportedly agreed on a minor league contract for the 2024 season.

Although Guerrero hasn't thrown a major league pitch in four years, he has been busy. 

The 6-foot-8 flamethrower began the 2023 season with Triple-A Louisville, a Cincinnati Reds affiliate, but was released after posting an 11.51 ERA in 20 games. Guerrero issued 22 walks in 22.1 innings.

Since then, Guerrero has been pitching in Mexico. With Hermosillo of the Mexican Pacific Winter League, he has allowed only two runs and seven walks while striking out 26 batters in 16.1 innings. 

Ostensibly, the latest chapter in Guerrero's once-promising career came with enough potential for the Angels to give him another look. 

Guerrero spent time in five organizations after the San Diego Padres signed him out of Colombia as an amateur in 2009. He appeared in one game with the Padres in 2016, then was traded that summer to the Miami Marlins in a seven-player swap.

In 2018, Guerrero impressed many with his fastball, which topped out at 104 mph. At the time, only St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jordan Hicks and New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman were throwing harder.

Speed is only one component of pitching, and Guerrero failed to put it all together at the major league level. In 2019, Guerrero's ERA rose to 6.26 and command issues plagued him: in 52 games, he walked 36 batters and hit six others.

In four years since, Guerrero has bounced between the White Sox and the Reds organizations, then to Japan and back. In 2022, he posted a 3.52 ERA in 46 innings for the Chiba Lotte Marines of NPB.

If his command issues are behind him, Guerrero will have a chance to turn heads in spring training.

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Thomas Murray
THOMAS MURRAY

Thomas works as a staff writer for Halos Today. He received his B.A. in Journalism from Cal State Long Beach in 2022. While in college, he undertook various roles such as being a sports editor for the Daily 49er, a sports anchor for Beach TV, and a high school sports writer for the Long Beach Press-Telegram. Recently, he served as an editor for the Rox Pile. Thomas grew up as a lifelong Angels fan as he grew up living just five miles away from Angels Stadium. In 2002 when the Angels won the World Series, he dressed up as the Rally Monkey for Halloween. His favorite Angels of all time include Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani, Chone Figgins and Jered Weaver.

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