/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50333035/GettyImages-518013034.0.jpg)
The Angels' front office had a busy day today, placing relief ace Cam Bedrosian on the 15-day DL with flexor tendinitis in his middle pitching finger and recalling reliever A.J. Achter from SLC. Bedrosian joins closer Huston Street on the DL, leaving the back-end of the pen an utter disaster. With their upcoming series in Chicago and then Cleveland, a bottom ten finish - and thus, a protected first round pick - seem like a foregone conclusion at this juncture.
In other news, Tim Lincecum cleared waivers and has decided he is not ready to give up, accepting his assignment to AAA. Considering the luck of Angels' starting pitchers this year, Tim will likely bring his freak show back to Anaheim before the year is up. It looks as though Billy Eppler wants to prolong that inevitability, as he also claimed left-handed starting pitcher Brett Oberholtzer off waivers from the Phillies today.
Oberholtzer, still just 27 years-old, was sent to Philadelphia as part of the package Houston sacrificed in the Ken Giles trade. Primarily a starter in Houston, he could not crack the top 5 in Philly and struggled in relief with a 4.83 ERA in 50.1 IP. During parts of thee seasons with the Astros, he went 11-20 with a 3.94 ERA, 5.9 K/9, 2.1 BB/9 and 0.8 HR/9. He tops out at 89-90 MPH, with a curveball and change-up rounding out his arsenal.
Oberholtzer will report directly to the big league club. While it has not been announced that he will be granted a spot in the rotation just yet, he seems like the logical choice over Jhoulys Chacin, who has been far more effective since his move to the bullpen. Oberholtzer will not be eligible for arbitration until 2018, so if the lefty can just be a decent innings eater for the Halos, this will be a nice value pick-up for the rest of this season and next.
Welcome to the Angels, Brett!