The Los Angeles Angels announced their acquisition of veteran right-hander Alex Cobb from the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night in a deal that might solidify the team’s starting-pitching depth for 2021.
The Angels will part with young utility player Jahmai Jones as part of the deal. They will pay only a third of the $15 million owed to Cobb in 2021, some of which is deferred, according to The Athletic.
Cobb, 33, established himself early on with the Tampa Bay Rays, going 32-21 with a 3.19 ERA in 446 innings in his mid-20s from 2012 to 2014, then spent most of the next two years recovering from Tommy John surgery. He compiled 331⅔ innings and a 4.23 ERA from 2017 to 2018 and was named the Orioles’ Opening Day starter to begin 2019, but he was limited to only three starts that year and underwent hip surgery.
Cobb remained healthy for most of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, posting a 4.30 ERA with 38 strikeouts and 18 walks in 52⅓ innings. He joins an Angels rotation that is also expected to include Andrew Heaney, Jose Quintana, Dylan Bundy, Griffin Canning and Shohei Ohtani, who will return to a two-way role.
All of the players acquired by first-year general manager Perry Minasian — Cobb, Quintana, shortstop Jose Iglesias, closer Raisel Iglesias, catcher Kurt Suzuki and lefty reliever Alex Claudio — will be free agents at season’s end.
