The Angels have agreed to sign right-hander Jacob Webb to a minor league contract, FanSided’s Robert Murray reports (Twitter link). Webb became a free agent after spending much of the 2022 season with the Braves’ Triple-A affiliate.
Webb was an 18th-round pick for the Braves in the 2014 draft, and he has spent his entire career in Atlanta’s organization apart from a brief stint with the Diamondbacks last season. The D’Backs claimed Webb off waivers in April, and he made six appearances at Triple-A and some time on the Major League roster (without appearing in a game) before the Braves re-acquired Webb back in a trade last June.
Injuries hampered Webb last season, and he had only a 6.06 ERA over 35 2/3 innings at the Triple-A level with the Braves’ and Diamondbacks’ top affiliates. He didn’t pitch at all at the MLB level, after posting a 2.47 ERA in 76 2/3 frames for Atlanta in parts of the 2019-21 seasons, topping out at 34 1/3 frames in 2021. Webb also pitched 1 2/3 innings during the NLCS, and earned a World Series ring for his role in Atlanta’s championship season.
Despite that 2.47 ERA, Webb’s 4.28 SIERA and modest 21.9% strikeout rate perhaps better reflect why the Braves first parted ways with him a year ago, and he also had a checkered injury history. Still, there isn’t much risk for the Angels in taking a look at Webb in camp and seeing if he can compete for a bullpen job. As Murray notes, Webb is a known quantity to Angels GM Perry Minasian, who worked in Atlanta’s front office from 2017-20 before being hired by Los Angeles.
Though Webb doesn’t record a ton of strikeouts, he does have some swing-and-miss in his game, with an impressive 13.8% swinging-strike rate over his brief MLB career. If he can continue to miss bats, generate soft contact and (perhaps most importantly) stay healthy, Webb might end up being a nice under-the-radar pickup for the Angels.
DarkSide830
Did everyone besides the Angels, Brewers, Twins, Red Sox, Padres, and Astros just forget that there was an offseason or something?
MLB Top 100 Commenter
The lesson of the tortoise and the hare, slow and steady wins the race.
I think the Angels have done well so far, but it is early and they have a long way to catch the Asterisks and Mariners.
candymaldonado
Not really a useful story comparison here, given that the longer you wait in the offseason, the fewer options there are remaining. Strike while the iron is hot is more applicable here. There are plenty of moves left to be made, but jumping the market early shields you from having to make moves of desperation later.
MLB Top 100 Commenter
Seems to me that you can get good values at the end and that there are plenty of pickin’s still on the board
Mrsuntan
You must work for the Rays.
Curly Was The Smart Stooge
Oh what a tangled web we weave why let this guy go???
prov356
candy – That’s correct. It’s the old Aesop’s Fable about “You Snooze You Lose”.
Halo11Fan
The Angels have done well. They added a mid-rotation starter in what should be a good staff, the added much needed backup for Walsh and Rendon, and they added an outfielder which pushes Adell past plan “A”.
They better not forget the bullpen, or their good moves will be meaningless.
bkbk
Naw, if even half their injured guys (trout, rendon, ward, fletcher) stay healthy witth these additions, theyre easily the #2 team. This isnt some randoms opinion, all the stats bear it out.
websoulsurfer
So far the Angels are going after complimentary pieces on short term deals. No big stars. No deals beyond 3 years. $13 million is largest outlay for 2023. That is understandable considering the team is for sale.
I do think that they will continue in that pattern to bring in a shortstop, a catcher, and at least one more bullpen piece. Maybe even a closer that will only require a short-term deal.
carllafong
They need a top of the rotation arm– however they get him.
prov356
fong – You mean besides Ohtani?
Braves Butt-Head
I thought he was a good pitcher but when he hit Kevin Pilar in the face in May of 2021 he seemed like he lost it mentally.
Edp007
Yeah Webb hadn’t been able to spin since
Kruk it
Since this happened on Thanksgiving is he now a jive turkey?
User 2079935927
Any relation to “I’m a cop,I carry badge”Jack Webb My favorite quote “Marijuana is the flame.heroin is the fuse.LSD is the bomb.
Halo11Fan
This is a nothing move. Angel fans should hope that come April we never read his name again. If we do, it means the bullpen is failing.
SoCalBrave
Webb will surprise you. If he can stay healthy he will be a good addition to your bullpen.
Halo11Fan
The move is fine. He doesn’t have a spot on the 40 man roster and if the Angels have no expectations of him, then anything positive is great.
But no one should expect anything from him.
prov356
halo – Or he’s so awesome that they call him up to be awesome on the Angels.
Halo11Fan
Are you expecting that? No one in their right mind should expect him to make a positive impact.
prov356
uhh, no. I was being sarcastic.
OaklandA'sFan!
This is a super sneaky pickup for the Angels, no risk, minor league deal, you never know, he could be a good addition to this Angels bullpen.
HalosHeavenJJ
Lottery tickets are fun. They don’t cost much and let you dream for a little bit.
Every now and then, one pays off.
Halo11Fan
They only cost if they take up a spot on your 40 man roster and the team uses the player out of desperation. Then he stinks and costs you games, or what is worse, you get surprised by short term gains, depend on him, and then think he’s a solid piece….can anyone say Mayers?
The Angels need to build a pen.
HalosHeavenJJ
I think our next good bullpen just finished the year in AA. We’ll probably get some placeholders in the meantime.
Halo11Fan
JJ. I really hope so. I don’t mind “guile” bullpen guys, as long as you have 2 or 3 guys that are nasty. Right now the Angels have zero nasty bullpen arms.
HalosHeavenJJ
Agreed. Every bullpen needs a couple nasty guys.
Ben Joyce is nasty. Hit 103 this year, consistently over 100, decent tailing action.
Luke Murphy bounces between nasty and solid. Same with Eric Torres.
Yay Sports
The Angels have scored on guys like this for years. Our closer could be ge hergret
Halo11Fan
Tingles, like who? Who have they scored on who has been consistently good and annotate small sample size good? The problem with small sample size good is the team depends on him to be good the next season and he isn’t.
Redstitch108* 2
Yes, agreed, the Halos are lacking that “nasty” bullpen arm. Loup, Tepera, Herget are fine, but not nasty. This should be a top priority.