Stop us if this sounds familiar—the Angels and Braves have made another deal. Perry Minasian frequently works with his former organization, and this time, he acted ahead of a potential Braves DFA. The move? The Angels have acquired reliever Angel Perdomo, who has a chance to stick with the team all season, in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations. While Perdomo didn’t make the cut for Atlanta’s bullpen, he’ll slot into the Angels’ middle relief unit. To make room, the Angels designated Scott Kingery for assignment, providing more clarity for their Opening Day infield.
Perdomo missed the entire 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2023. The last time fans saw him in action, he was highly effective, logging 29 innings with Pittsburgh while striking out 44 batters. His impressive 37.6% strikeout rate ranked among the league’s best. Though not a traditional power pitcher, his deceptive delivery makes his pitches appear faster to hitters. Perhaps most notably, Perdomo boasts an imposing frame—standing 6’8″ and weighing 265 pounds. His size contributes to an elite extension, with his 6.9-foot release point ranking in the 86th percentile among pitchers in 2023, adding to his deceptive arsenal.
The most interesting aspect of this move is that Perdomo is out of minor league options. The same is true for fellow left-handed relievers José Suarez, Garrett McDaniels, and José Quijada, all of whom are on the roster bubble. While Brock Burke is also out of options, he is a lock to make the team. Given the roster crunch, the Angels will almost certainly designate Suarez for assignment.
That means the Angels will also have to move on from one of McDaniels, Quijada, or Perdomo—unless they option Reid Detmers, Jack Kochanowicz, or Chase Silseth to Triple-A. Sending down Silseth would leave them with five left-handed relievers, which would be a wild roster construction. Optioning Detmers, on the other hand, could further damage the confidence of a pitcher who still has untapped potential. Meanwhile, Ryan Johnson was right on the cusp of a spot, but this move likely knocks him out of contention as well.
For Kingery, this is a tough break, as he had a legitimate shot at making the Opening Day roster. Had he made the team, it would have been his first MLB appearance since 2022. With uncertainty surrounding Yoán Moncada and Luis Rengifo’s availability—on top of Anthony Rendon being out for the season—there was a real opportunity for him. However, he was ultimately passed on the depth chart by Tim Anderson and likely by Kyren Paris and Christian Moore as well. Even David Mershon remains in the mix. Now, the big question is whether another team values Kingery enough to add him to their 40-man roster.
It wasn’t exactly obvious that the Angels needed more left-handed bullpen arms, yet here we are. You just can’t stop Perry Minasian from digging through the Braves’ leftovers—his loyalty to that organization runs deep. If that means potentially sacrificing a versatile utility player like Kingery to add yet another lefty, so be it. Braves for life!
