The Los Angeles Angels are still in the market for starting pitching, and while the fanbase has been buzzing about Zac Gallen, there’s another name that might make even more sense for where this team is right now: Zack Littell.
Let’s start with Gallen. There’s no denying the pedigree - he’s a former All-Star with Cy Young votes on his résumé in three of the last six seasons.
At his best, he’s a frontline arm who can go toe-to-toe with just about anyone. But the version of Gallen we saw last year wasn’t that guy.
His ERA ballooned to 4.83 - the fourth straight season it’s ticked upward - and his ERA+ dropped to 89, marking the first time he’s been below league average since 2021. That’s not the trajectory you want to see when you’re about to hand out a big contract.
Enter Zack Littell. He doesn’t have Gallen’s name recognition or accolades, but when you look at the numbers from 2025, he quietly outperformed him - and by a decent margin.
Littell posted a 3.81 ERA with a 111 ERA+ across 186 innings. That’s not just solid - that’s dependable, innings-eating production, and it’s exactly the kind of stability the Angels could use in their rotation.
Now, Littell isn’t going to wow you with strikeouts. His 17.1% K-rate is modest, but he makes up for it by pounding the zone and limiting free passes.
He walked just 32 batters all season - good for a 4.2% walk rate - which is a big deal when you’re trying to keep games under control. For comparison, Gallen issued 66 walks in 2025, the highest total of his career.
Command matters, and Littell’s got it.
Then there’s the financial angle, and this is where things really tilt in Littell’s favor. Gallen rejected a qualifying offer from Arizona, which means any team that signs him has to give up draft compensation - and he’s likely looking for a deal north of $22 million annually. That’s a steep price tag for a pitcher coming off a down year.
Littell, on the other hand, could be had for significantly less. Back in November, ESPN projected a two-year, $18 million deal for him.
And with spring training just around the corner and Littell still unsigned, that number might end up even lower. For a team like the Angels that’s trying to thread the needle between staying competitive and being cost-conscious, that kind of value is hard to ignore.
Realistically, the Angels aren’t the favorites to win the AL West in 2026. But that doesn’t mean they should punt on the season before it even begins. Adding one more reliable starter could go a long way toward keeping them competitive, especially if the offense can find some consistency.
Littell might not be the splashy name fans were hoping for, but he could be exactly what this rotation needs - a steady, efficient arm who won’t break the bank. And if the Angels want to make the most of what they have without mortgaging the future, he’s the move that makes the most sense right now.