LA Angels: Grading the 2021 starting rotation
Jul 24, 2021; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Patrick Sandoval (43) / Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 26, 2021; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani (17) / Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports
Grading the top of the LA Angels 2021 starting rotation:
No. 2 best LA Angels starting pitcher in 2021: Alex Cobb--B
Alex Cobb is similar to Sandoval in that he did have a good year for the LA Angels when he was healthy. Cobb finished the year (18 starts) with an 8-3 record and a 3.76 ERA. He was even better than what that tells you, though.
He recorded a superb 2.92 FIP. He struck out a career-high 9.5 batters per nine innings. Unfortunately, the Angels will need to make up for that production as Cobb is now a San Francisco Giant.
No. 1 best LA Angels starting pitcher in 2021: Shohei Ohtani--A+
There aren't many pitchers in baseball who are better than the LA Angels' 2021 Ace, Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani went 9-2 (on an injury-ravaged team) and posted a 3.18 ERA. Fanning 10.77 batters per nine innings, Ohtani proved that he can blow balls by hitters as well as locate really well in times where his ball wasn't coming out as hard.
He did all of this while also being the best offensive player in baseball. Pitching at an elite level while hitting to a line of .257/.372/.592 (.965 OPS), smoking 46 home runs, driving in 100 RBI (from the two-hole), scoring 103 runs, and stealing 26 bases, Ohtani won the AL MVP unanimously. His 2021 campaign is considered by many as the greatest season in baseball history.
I can only imagine what his pitching numbers would be if he wasn't DH'ing and playing the outfield as well. There's nothing anyone can say against Ohtani. This rotation may not have been very good last year, but Ohtani's season gives Angels fans hope for next year.
4 major whiffs from Arte before MLB lockout. dark. Next
The rotation needs to be Arte Moreno's focus coming out of the MLB lockout. The lineup is immensely talented. We just finally need our starting staff to get the job done.