The Los Angeles Angels have made yet another small move to bolster pitching depth by trading for a New York Yankees left-hander.
The Los Angeles Angels have been active as of late, but in the form of relatively unnoticed transactions.
That continues to be the case, as the club made yet another move to add a hurler to its roster and subsequently get him on the 40-man roster. The difference this time, however, is that Los Angeles swung a trade with the New York Yankees.
Days after acquiring right-hander Osvaldo Bido from the Miami Marlins off waivers, the Angels have now designated him for assignment to make room for the former Yankee, who has just 2/3 of an inning of major league experience.
Bido was actually a well-respected pickup and was thought to be somewhat of an impactful arm this season. The 30-year-old will likely be picked up following his DFA, marking the end of a two-day stint with the Angels.
As for the trade with the Yankees on Thursday, Los Angeles received left-hander Jayvien Sandridge in exchange for cash considerations.
With the disparity of experience at the major league level, comparing the two hurlers' minor league statistics is a better way to get an idea of what they can provide to a club.
Bido had a 5.71 ERA with an 18-to-9 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .333 batting average against and a 1.90 WHIP in 17 1/3 innings pitched across four games last season for the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators.
Sandridge had a 4.55 ERA with a 47-to-17 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .242 batting average against and a 1.45 WHIP in 31 2.3 innings pitched across 34 games last season for the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.
While Sandridge has better numbers than Bido, there's one important factor to consider: experience.
Bido struggled at the major league level as well, but Sandridge has relatively no experience playing Major League Baseball -- but that could be a double-edged sword.
On one hand, Sandridge has plenty of time to correct any mistakes and the Angels could mold him into the pitcher that they want. On the other hand, he could end up not finding his footing and get shelled around.
How Sandridge's career pans out is yet to be seen, but he does have time on his side. The lefty is only 26 years old and as mentioned above, has only logged 2/3 of an inning in the majors.
Will the southpaw become an essential part of the Angels' rotation? Will he be kept in the minors and be called up on an as-needed basis? Will he also be DFA'd in two days to make room for another hurler? Only time will tell, but for now, he's someone that fans should keep an eye on.