In visuals and in its 51/3-inning length, the outing was perfectly typical of his 33 starts this season.
In terms of results, it was much better. He gave up only one run, allowing the Angels the opportunity to win and preserve the possibility of a .500 season. They squandered their chance in a 6-4 loss at Angel Stadium.
While Nolasco's 4.92 earned-run average led to a lot of losses this season, he proved to be by far the team's most durable starting pitcher. At 181 innings over 33 starts, he started nine more games and threw 34 more innings than any other Angel.
Those innings, of course, will need to be replaced. Most of what they will require rests within their organization, the Angels believe. General manager Billy Eppler said Saturday that he counts eight pitchers under team control who can formulate much of his team's 2018 rotation.
Those eight: right-handers
"Obviously, a lot of them already have pitched in major league games," Eppler said. "And then you add Jaime Barria into that mix as a guy that could come in."
Barria rose from Class A to triple A this season. Scouts consider him a safe bet to settle into a long-term role at the back of a big league rotation. But he turned 21 in July, and three of the other seven starters are currently hurt. Plus, there is the inevitability of attrition. History says some of those pitchers will get hurt within the next year.
"It'd be great to go through an entire season and not use more than eight starters," Eppler said. "Generally, though, you're gonna have some spot starts in there."
To accrue additional depth, he described a plan to "continue to stay active in minor league free agency, waiver wires and smaller trades." One key was welcoming back Richards in September, when his five-start stint assured the Angels they can count on him next year.
"It's a lot more comforting to have him make these starts and feel good," Eppler said, "and have the purity of his stuff be intact as well."
Regarding the bullpen, Eppler named four relievers under team control who will enter 2018 in the “high-leverage bucket.” The four: Blake Parker,
Eppler and his staff have found success with such small-time claims. Signed to a minor league contract in February, reliever
"It's hard to say whether that's replicable or not," Eppler said.
Short hops
The Angels announced an attendance of 38,075 for Saturday’s Fan Appreciation Day. … For the Angels’ four runs, Kole Calhoun homered, Albert Pujols and
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