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Angels fans think the team still needs to add pitching

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By Kyle Thele and Eric Stephen

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MLB: Los Angeles Angels at Cleveland Indians Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Each week, we send out questions to the most plugged-in Los Angeles Angels fans, and fans across the country. Sign up here to join Reacts.

It’s hard to get everyone to agree on anything, but Angels fans appear united, and for good reason. When asked what the team needs to add to the roster before the season — the choices were pitching, hitting, defense, or nothing — every Angels fan who responded said the team needs to add pitching.

Nearly everyone said the Angels absolutely do need to add at least someone.

According to the most recent SB Nation Reacts survey, a majority of Angels fans think the team needs to add to the roster before the season starts.

When asked what specifically could be improved, a full 100 percent of responding fans said the team needs to add pitching.

It’s easy to see why. Last year the Angels’ 5.09 ERA staff ERA ranked 25th in the majors. By FIP (4.49, 17th) and FanGraphs WAR (4.9, 16th) they were more middle of the pack, but the bulk of that value was in the top of the rotation (Dylan Bundy, this year’s opening day starter, and Andrew Heaney, last year’s opening day starter). In the 26 starts not made by Bundy, Heaney, and Canning, the Angels rotation had a 9.22 ERA.

The Angels under new general manager Perry Minasian added a series of short-term fixes for 2021, signing Jose Quintana and trading for Alex Cobb, and with the renewed health of two-way star Shohei Ohtani the club will use a six-man starting rotation. Quintana and Cobb are free agents after the 2021 season, as are Bundy and Heaney. So is closer Raisel Iglesias, another offseason acquisition by Minasian, who could end up being the club’s best pitching acquisition.

But Angels fans surveyed still think the team needs to add even more pitching. As the old adage goes, you can never have too much pitching.

Around the league, two-thirds of fans believe their team needs to add a player with just over half of MLB fans wanting their team to add a pitcher.

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