Angels take chance on one-time World Series champion

The Los Angeles Angels continue to dig through the bargain bin for upgrades this offseason.

Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reported Tuesday that the Angels are signing lefty Drew Pomeranz in free agency. The journeyman Pomeranz will be getting a minor league deal but will also have an invite to big league camp, Fletcher adds.

Pomeranz, 35, has been around. He is an 11-year veteran who has already played for six different teams (Colorado, Oakland, San Diego, Boston, San Francisco and Milwaukee). Pomermanz’s resume has an All-Star selection (with the Padres in 2016) as well as a World Series ring (with the Red Sox in 2018).

That was all a long time ago, though, as Pomeranz has not pitched at all since the 2021 MLB campaign. He underwent surgery to fix a torn flexor tendon in his throwing elbow in August 2021 and has experienced multiple setbacks then that have kept him out of the bigs for the last two straight seasons.

For the Angels, their stab at Pomeranz is a low-cost but low-upside move. That has been the M.O. of their front office this winter as they have spent sparingly, choosing instead to take fliers on over-the-hill former All-Stars.