Los Angeles Angels: Why haven’t the Angels signed Dallas Keuchel?

We are over a quarter of the way through the 2019 MLB season, the Los Angeles Angels starting rotation has struggled and Dallas Keuchel is still available.

Some decisions seem like very simple decisions, especially when it comes to MLB moves. For the Los Angeles Angels, a team that has been nothing short of awful in terms of starting pitching this year, adding a reputable arm if given the chance is a no-brainer.

And when we say terrible, we mean terrible. The Angels’ starting rotation ranks third to last in FanGraphs WAR, just above the San Francisco Giants and Baltimore Orioles, and has the highest ERA with a 6.01 ERA.

There is no way around it: that is terrible. And the worst part if for the Angels is that there really is no reason to believe it will get much better with the guys that they have. Sure, Tyler Skaggs could turn it around and rookie Griffin Canning has had a slow start, but overall, the Angels’ rotation has been awful.

If only there was a solution that the Angels could turn to that would not have to be via trade. If only there was a pitcher that would be willing to sign a one-year deal to come in and bolster the rotation.

Oh yeah, there is. Dallas Keuchel is still a free agent despite being one of the best starting pitching options available in the offseason and is at the point where a one-year contract makes sense.

The reason that Keuchel’s initial market was so small is that he was simply asking for too much money. Keuchel wanted to be paid like an ace but the fact is that he has trended downwards since his 2015 AL Cy Young. Although his numbers have still been impressive, the added fact that he is 31 likely made most teams shy to a long-term deal.

But that is why he is so perfect for the Los Angeles Angels. At this point, it makes more sense for Keuchel to sign a one-year deal and play out this year and prove why he deserves a multi-year contract in offseason.

As we saw from the previous offseason, the Angels have no hesitation in bringing in guys on one-year deals and it would actually fit the team’s agenda of removing the risk of it coming back to bite in the long-term.

And at this point, anything is better than what the Angels have. Just having another arm that can come in and consistently throw six-seven innings is huge. If he can have an ERA under 3.50 it is a massive bonus.

It is not even like the team has to deal with the luxury tax threshold either, as they are sitting comfortably under the threshold. It makes too much sense for the Los Angeles Angels, you have to wonder why he is still available.