LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The Angels acquired another pitcher on the final day of baseball's winter meetings — but not the veteran starter they would like to add to their rotation.
Matt Garza remains high on their shopping list, but General Manager Jerry Dipoto said the Angels do not currently have an offer on the table to any free agent. That also would apply to Raul Ibanez, with whom the Angels have had discussions about filling their vacancy at designated hitter.
On Thursday, however, the Angels added left-handed reliever Brian Moran. The Toronto Blue Jays selected Moran in the Rule 5 draft, then traded him to the Angels for a $244,000 international draft slot.
Moran, 25, went 2-5 with a 3.45 earned-run average for triple-A Tacoma last season, with 85 strikeouts in 63 innings. He held left-handers to a .235 batting average.
Moran would give the Angels a second left-handed bullpen option — beyond Sean Burnett — if they use Hector Santiago in the rotation. That depends on the Angels' ability to sign Garza — or, for a lesser amount, a veteran starter such as Chris Capuano, Jason Hammel or Mike Pelfrey.
The Angels replenished their pitching depth at the meetings. In all, they lost Mark Trumbo but added Moran, Santiago and Tyler Skaggs, enabling them to fill out a starting rotation and stage a spirited competition for bullpen jobs in spring training.
If Moran does not make the major league roster, the Angels must offer him back to the Seattle Mariners, Tacoma's parent club.
Moran's brother, Colin, a third baseman, was selected by the Miami Marlins in the first round of last June's draft. Moran's uncle is B.J. Surhoff, who played 19 seasons for the Milwaukee Brewers, Baltimore Orioles and Atlanta Braves.
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