Don’t Give Up Hope: How Optimizing the Bullpen Could Lead to a Successful Second Half
June 26, 2026 - Written by Micah Julian
Angels pitchers with 2+ BLOWN SAVES this season:
— SleeperAngels (@SleeperAngels) June 20, 2026
Chase Silseth
Sam Bachman
Ryan Zeferjahn
Kirby Yates
Drew Pomeranz
Jordan Romano pic.twitter.com/uJNBHfksCK
I’ve been an Angels fan for nearly 25 years. It’s funny how I can split that time into two distinct halves: for the first half, from 2002 to 2014, making the playoffs was the expectation. Sure, we didn’t make it every year. But there’s doubt that we were the class of the AL West. In the second half of my fandom, from 2015 to the present, we have not been the class of the division but the laughingstock.
Well, here we are again. At the time of writing, the Angels are 33-48. It is the halfway point of the season, and the team is on track for 66 wins. While our playoff hopes are very dim, I think our recent play gives some hope that we could cross the 75-win mark for the first time in a while.
Every night, I feel like a GM, pondering what should be done to save the team. In this article, I will argue that making moves in the bullpen could change the course of our season and lead to a much better second half.
What Should Change?
The Angels made several bullpen moves over the offseason. As for these additions, Jordan Romano and Drew Pomeranz have been released; Kirby Yates has only been effective in low-leverage situations; and Brent Suter has been nice and steady, although I doubt anyone thinks Suter should be a high-leverage reliever.
If I were the GM of the Angels, here’s what I’d do:
Trades
Knowing Arte Moreno, the team is not likely to trade anyone other than rentals. Thankfully, Suter and Yates have been good enough to be pieces that contenders would like. Even if they are not high-leverage guys, they would be helpful to a team that is looking to cover innings.
I personally think it would be best to package them together in order to maximize the return.
How about a team with a lot of pitching injuries, like the Chicago Cubs? Here’s a trade idea between the Angels and Cubs that I think could make a lot of sense:
Cubs Receive:
RHP Kirby Yates
LHP Brent Suter
$2.5 million in cash (covers most of the remainder of their salaries)
Angels Receive:
OF Brett Bateman (No. 19 Cubs Prospect)
Bateman is a 40-grade prospect outfielder. He is having a pretty good year in AAA and would be a help in bringing in the type of position player prospect the Angels really need.
Trust the Young Studs
Coming into this year, the Angels were very hopeful that Ben Joyce, their young flamethrower, would be healthy by May. Well, here we are in late June, and he’s had a setback. However, he is throwing again and will hopefully be back relatively soon. Once he is back, I think he deserves a chance at closing.
In addition to Joyce, there are three guys with great stuff that I would trust in big spots: Sam Bachman, Chase Silseth, and Ryan Zeferjahn. Silseth should be used as a groundball specialist, along with using his splitter as a weapon to get lefties out. As for the other two, I believe Bachman should continue getting save opportunities. He and Joyce could split these opportunities once Joyce is back. Zeferjahn is a great option for high-leverage situations, especially against righties.
In addition to these guys, I really like what I’ve seen so far from Samy Natera Jr. I think he has a big part in the future of the Angels’ bullpen. I also think José Fermin has been good enough and should continue to be used in mid-leverage situations.
There are also some intriguing options in the minors, like Luke Murphy, who has a 0.35 ERA in Rocket City, or Najer Victor, who has a combined 12.8 K/9 in the minors this year. These are guys who could be brought up once Yates and Suter are moved.
I would also highly consider moving Chase Shores quickly up the organizational ladder. He is currently being developed as a starter in High-A, but I believe the Angels have plenty of future starters in their system. Besides, Shores was a reliever for LSU and thrived in that role.
I’m generally not a fan of guys being rushed to the majors, but I think Shores’ stuff would play in the majors in 2026, and he would offer immediate help to the team. He could be an eventual high-leverage guy.
Breaking it Down
Where does this leave us? Here’s how I would break it down:
Low-Leverage
Mitch Farris
Mid-Leverage
Jose Fermin
Samy Natera Jr.
Luke Murphy/Chase Shores/Najer Victor
High-Leverage
Sam Bachman
Ryan Zeferjahn
Chase Silseth
Ben Joyce
Conclusion
The Angels’ rotation has improved significantly this year. The lineup has seen strong production from Mike Trout, Oswald Peraza, Zach Neto, Jose Siri, etc. What clearly needs improvement is the bullpen. With the setup I’ve laid out, I believe the Angels could take off and have a much better second half.
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