Stop us if you’ve heard this before—the Angels and Braves are trading again. This time, the deal was triggered by the Angels’ acquisition of Chuckie Robinson from the White Sox, which put them at 41 players on their 40-man roster. To make room, the Angels designated Davis Daniel for assignment. The Braves, eager to pick up Daniel, didn’t just claim him or offer cash—they sent an actual prospect in return. Left-handed pitcher Mitch Farris will now join the Angels’ system.
Designating Davis Daniel for assignment is a bit of a surprise, especially given his value to the Angels last season. It’s always somewhat puzzling when a team DFA’s a pitcher to make room for a position player. What adds to the intrigue is that Daniel, while his traditional stats might not stand out, was reliable for the Angels.
He was capable of eating innings, had excellent command (his Location+ was the best among Angels pitchers), and competed at a high level. Plus, he was still recovering from a shoulder injury in early 2023, and with another year removed from that, he had more potential for improvement. At 27, with one option remaining, Daniel seemed to have a future with the team.
It’s worth noting that Daniel is a hometown player, born and raised in Atlanta, which might make his move to the Braves even more special for him.
On the other hand, the Angels clearly value Chuckie Robinson for his intangibles, particularly his work behind the plate, including pitch-calling, framing, and managing the pitching staff. Robinson’s skill set should complement the team’s coaching staff well, including Sal Fasano, Travis d’Arnaud, Jerry Narron, Ron Washington, and the rest of the catchers as they head into Spring Training. The Angels opted to prioritize adding a third catcher to their roster rather than retaining Daniel, who had been viewed as a potential long-relief option during Spring Training.
So, where does the bullpen stand now? With Daniel gone, the Angels’ relief corps will likely need to make room for another arm or adjust the roles within the bullpen. The team’s depth in relief options could shift as they move forward in the offseason, especially with the added versatility of Chuckie Robinson behind the plate. It will be interesting to see how the final bullpen spots shake out as Spring Training approaches.
There are still plenty of free-agent relievers available, and Perry Minasian has ample time to make trades—likely with Atlanta again—to strengthen the bullpen. As of now, though, this is where the unit stands. A key variable is Garrett McDaniels, who could be offered back to the Dodgers if he doesn’t stay on the active roster. McDaniels could potentially replace someone like Crouse, Silseth, or Bachman, all of whom still have minor league options remaining.
While McDaniels has no big league experience, it’s worth noting that Bachman doesn’t have much more. The Angels may prefer to keep McDaniels as an asset and see if Bachman can prove he deserves a spot on the roster for next season. With so many bullpen options still in flux, it will be interesting to see how the Angels manage these decisions as the season progresses.
