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The Angels made a move on Friday morning, signing veteran right-handed pitcher Jesse Chavez to a minor-league deal with an invite to Spring Training.
Can confirm the #Angels have signed RHP Jesse Chavez to a minor league deal.
— Jeff Fletcher (@JeffFletcherOCR) February 26, 2021
Chavez, 37, has been all around the game since making his debut in 2008. He’s pitched for nine teams, including the Angels. He appeared in 38 games and made 21 starts for them back in 2017. That season, he went 7-11 with a 5.35 ERA.
He recently pitched for the Rangers in 2020, appearing in 18 games for them. Last season he posted a 6.88 ERA with his lowest strikeout rate (6.9 SO/9) since 2010.
The best season of his career actually came the year after he left the Angels in 2018. He pitched for the Rangers and Cubs, posting a 2.55 ERA in 62 games with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of nearly 6 to 1. Just three years ago he was looking like an All-Star reliever. As a depth piece, the Angels are hoping he can maybe recapture a part of that 2018 season and become an option for the club out of the pen this season.