In an attempt to find the proper combination and make a final drive at the final American League Wild Card berth, the Angels have once again switched up their bullpen as their slump continues after dropping the first two games against the Athletics.
Despite the fact that the Angels’ postseason drought is still ongoing and all indications point to the team’s season ending, Perry Minasian is still making every effort to locate guys who will light up the clubhouse. The most recent example of this is Bryce Teodosio, whose scorching start to the season had supporters anticipating playoffs in 2025 and beyond. Victor Mederos’s inclusion in the rotation is another instance of the Angels giving a young player a chance. Additionally, Connor Brogdon, with his 5.30 ERA, has been the obvious odd man out in the bullpen, even though both of their most recent trade additions have been incredibly reliable since coming to Anaheim.
Brogdon DFA’d by Angels, Jose Fermin recalled
The Angels’ latest middle reliever, Jose Fermin, could seem like a very strange option. Fermin has a 6.63 ERA in his previous trips in Anaheim and has pitched in 23 games this season, his first in the major leagues. Fermin pitched signals at a high potential by striking out 24 hitters in just 19 innings, but allowing 14 walks and 20 hits in those same innings demonstrates that the pitcher is just not ready for Major League Baseball. Fermin needs more time to grow, as seen by the fact that eight of those hits have been home runs.
With an ERA of 1.74 and 15 strikeouts in 10.1 innings pitched this season, the 23-year-old has been outstanding at AAA Salt Lake City. Fermin can become a staple in the Angels’ bullpen for the upcoming years, joining Reid Detmers and (ideally) Ben Joyce, if he can convert his repertoire to the major leagues.
After giving up two runs in consecutive games against the A’s this past weekend, Connor Brogdon was designated. For the most part, Brogdon has been an Angels low-leverage reliever, but lately, his effectiveness has significantly decreased. The replacement of a 30-year-old Brogdon with the promise of a young prospect like Fermin is the kind of move that fans can probably anticipate for the remainder of the season, as the Angels’ postseason aspirations are evaporating with every defeat.
In essence, the Angels and everybody else who attends their games are aware that Brogdon is not the solution in the bullpen. But perhaps Fermin is. Fermin is someone the organization believes to be a key contributor in 2026 and beyond, so even if his 2025 season is rough, providing him big league innings this season might be crucial to preparing him for his future position in the key A bullpen.
