by The Angels began clearing space on their 40-man roster today by sending six players straight to Triple-A Salt Lake: right-handed pitchers Carson Fulmer, Andrew WantzAnd Jose Marteand infielders Charles Leblanc, Jack LopezAnd Michael Stefanic. Apparently, all six players were designated for assignment earlier in the week and had their waivers cleared. They will be eligible to elect free agency this winter and look for new opportunities in free agency.
Fulmer, 30, appeared in 37 games, including eight starts, for the Angels in 2024, posting a 4.15 ERA and 4.39 SIERA in 86 2/3 innings. It was the most productive season of his career, which began with the White Sox in 2016 and took him to the Tigers, Orioles, Reds, Dodgers and Mariners before signing a minor league contract with the Angels in 2023. This year was promising, the former First-round pick has a career 5.38 ERA and 4.92 SIERA in 227 1/3 frames. He offers versatility as both a bullpen arm and a serviceable spot starter, although his splits don’t differ significantly whether he’s pitching out of the rotation or out of the bullpen.
The 29-year-old Wantz was trying to get back into action as a starter in 2024 after several years as a bullpen arm. However, early results in spring training and Triple-A were poor. He then managed to make just one appearance for the major league club before landing on the IL with an elbow injury that ultimately required surgery. It’s not clear what exactly the surgery was, although it wasn’t a Tommy John procedure. The Angels had originally hoped Wantz would return next spring, but according to MLB.com he suffered a setback in his recovery and it is unclear when (or if) he will be able to pitch in 2025. Prior to last season, he had a 3.85 ERA and a 3.93 SIERA over 117 innings pitched with the Angels between 2021-23.
Marte, 28, also finished the 2024 season on the IL. He was a good pitcher for the Angels in 14 appearances, throwing 19 1/3 innings with a 2.33 ERA and making another 25 appearances with a 2.22 ERA at Triple-A. Unfortunately, a viral infection forced him to go on IL in August. To make matters worse, he experienced pain in his shoulder while trying to recover from the infection and ultimately had to undergo shoulder surgery in September. It’s unclear whether he will be ready to pitch again next spring. Despite his impressive ERA last season, Marte has a career 5.56 ERA and 5.64 SIERA in 43 2/3 big league innings. His 4.46 ERA in 74 2/3 innings at Triple-A isn’t much more inspiring.
Leblanc, 28, made his MLB debut with the Marlins in 2022. He performed fairly well, slashing .263/.320/.404 with four home runs in 48 games, but was completely undefeated in the offseason. Although he continued to put up solid numbers in Triple-A (.807 OPS), he did not make it back to the majors the following year. He signed a minor league contract with the Angels last November and appeared in a few games for the big league club in August and September, posting an impressive .869 OPS in 28 appearances. Leblanc split his playing time between all three bases in 2024, although he also has some experience in left field. He still has minor league options left and can provide a team with defensive versatility and can slide to right wing off the bench.
López, 31, returned to the majors with the Angels for the first time in nearly three years. After several seasons in the Royals’ minor league system and a brief stay in the Braves organization, he debuted with the Red Sox in 2021. He went 2-13 in seven games. The infielder spent the 2022 season in Triple-A for the Tigers before being traded to the Angels in 2023, eventually returning to the major leagues in August 2024. He appeared in 27 games, splitting his time between second base and shortstop, batting .254/.286/.343 (.629 OPS). López also still has minor league options, and his biggest asset is his ability to play shortstop.
After all, the 28-year-old Stefanic played 40 games for the Angels last season, mostly at second base. He repeatedly ripped coverage off the ball in Triple-A, something he has done in recent years, but failed to make an impact at the MLB level. He hit .218/.301/.255, and unfortunately his first big league home run continues to elude him. Stefanic has played 90 games for the Angels since making his debut in 2022 and has yet to hit a single home run. He will no longer be a minor league player in 2025.
