ESPN analyst puts the pressure on the Angels' young flamethrower to perform
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ESPN analyst puts the pressure on the Angels' young flamethrower to perform originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Los Angeles Angels are an interesting team coming into the 2026 season. They have a new manager in Kurt Suzuki, who replaced Ron Washington.
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Suzuki and the front office got right to work, filling holes as they saw them. They were aggressive this offseason, which should spark some hope for the fans.
While they didn't make some of the big splashes that other teams made, the front office had a clear goal and either signed, re-signed, or traded for some interesting pieces.
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ESPN analyst puts the pressure on the Angels' young flamethrower to perform
Two of the biggest stories early this spring are how Grayson Rodriguez and Alek Manoah will look. Rodriguez was brought in during an early winter trade with the Baltimore Orioles, while Manoah signed a one-year deal.
Rodriguez has had trouble staying on the field, while Manoah went from an All-Star pitcher to someone who looked like he lost all of his magic.
While much of the attention will be on these two and how they come out to start the season, fans will also want to pay attention to George Klassen. The young flamethrower is making a case to be in the starting rotation.
ESPN's Kiley McDaniel is high on him, listing him as the No. 3 prospect on his preseason top-10 list, and tags him as a potential breakout candidate for the Halos.
"The No. 3 prospect on my preseason team top-10 list, the 24-year-old Klassen should be a solid rotation option by midseason, bringing plus, power stuff to a staff in need of upgrades."
Klassen may not be in the starting rotation during Opening Day, but he could certainly be there by the midway point of the season, if not sooner.
He could be a great option if Rodriguez or Manoah struggles, or if a pitcher goes down with an injury at any point, and should provide a major boost to the rotation.
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