The Angels are trying to patch together a battered pitching picture with two new minor league signings, bringing in veteran right-hander Michael Fulmer and Orange County native Hagen Danner as they navigate a season that could end with the franchise’s first 100-loss campaign.
The moves come on the heels of a major shakeup in the coaching ranks. Just one day earlier, the Angels cleared out their pitching staff by firing their pitching coach, assistant pitching coach, and bullpen coach.
From there, interim general manager John Mozeliak turned to the market and landed two right-handers on minor league deals.
Fulmer is the more established name. He’s worked in the majors across eight different seasons and first made a splash in 2016, when he put together a standout rookie year that earned him American League Rookie of the Year honors and Cy Young votes.
His career took a turn after he tore his UCL in spring training of 2019. Fulmer made it back for the 2020 season, then shifted to the bullpen in 2021. Since that move, he has thrown 196 innings with a 3.58 ERA.
This season, Fulmer logged 37 minor league appearances in the San Francisco Giants’ system and posted a sub-3.00 ERA before being released by the Giants earlier this month. The Angels are now giving the 33-year-old another chance to reach the majors.
Danner’s path is a little different, but the hometown angle makes him an intriguing addition. The Angels signed the 27-year-old right-hander on Tuesday, and if he makes it back to the big leagues, he’d do it with the team from his own backyard.
A second-round pick by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2017, Danner has appeared in just ⅓ of a major league inning, back in 2023. Since then, he’s bounced around several minor league systems and is now with his fourth organization in three seasons.
His latest stop was rough. In 30 relief outings for Cincinnati’s Triple-A affiliate this year, Danner put up a 6.61 ERA, a 2.14 WHIP, and 7.4 walks per nine innings. The Reds released him nearly a month ago after those struggles in Triple-A.
Fulmer looks like the more realistic candidate to get a look at the Big A before the season ends, especially with the Angels’ current place in the standings. But Danner’s return home gives this signing a little extra intrigue, too.
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