Angels Named 'Best Fit' To Poach Red Sox $7.5 Million Fan-Favorite

When will things heat up across the league?

Aug 1, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a Los Angeles Angels hat and glove on the bench against the Atlanta Braves in the eighth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Angels had an aggressive start to the offseason but has slowed down since.

Los Angeles is an interesting team to follow. The Angels have some serious talent -- starting with Mike Trout -- but haven't been able to make a run to the playoffs in a bit and seem to be in a perpetual state of underperformance. The Angels aren't blowing it up and rebuilding, though. Los Angeles has made a few moves and it wouldn't be shocking to see more on the way.

The Angels clearly need to add more pitching and MLB.com's Thomas Harrigan called Los Angeles the "best fit" to sign former Boston Red Sox fan-favorite Nick PIvetta.

"Nick Pivetta, (Starting Pitcher) Best fit: Angels," Harrigan said. "Pivetta’s market has been complicated by a variety of factors, chief among them the Draft-pick compensation attached to him after he turned down the Red Sox’s one-year, $21.05 million qualifying offer. Although the right-hander has shown intriguing upside, the list of teams willing to give him a multiyear contract and forfeit one or more Draft picks to sign a pitcher who has never posted a sub-4.00 ERA in his eight-year career is likely short.

"We’ll go with the Angels, who have added Yusei Kikuchi and Kyle Hendricks in free agency this offseason but are still projected to have a bottom-10 rotation. As a team that was neither a Competitive Balance Tax payor nor a revenue-sharing recipient in 2024, the Halos would need to forfeit their second-highest pick in this year’s Draft (No. 46) and $500,000 from their international bonus pool to sign Pivetta, which isn't overly steep."

Los Angeles has money to spend and a need in the rotation. Pivetta made just $7.5 million with the Red Sox last season and is in line for a raise. Landing with the Angels would give him a good opportunity to be near the top of a team's rotation.

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