TEMPE, Ariz. — The Angels bullpen will be young in 2025 as Kenley Jansen is the only pitcher in the bullpen with a guaranteed spot that’s over the age of 30. One of the younger arms in the bullpen poised for a bigger role is right-hander Ryan Zeferjahn.
Zeferjahn is one of the prospects the Angels got in the Luis García trade with the Boston Red Sox at last year’s trade deadline. He appeared in five games in Triple-A Salt Lake City after the trade before getting the call-up to the big leagues.
In the 17 innings pitched in the big leagues to close out the season, Zeferjahn posted a 2.12 ERA with an elite 28.1% strikeout rate and a slightly below-average 9.4% walk rate. Zeferjahn featured a three-pitch mix of cutters, four-seam fastballs and sweepers. He threw his sweeper 34 times last season and didn’t allow a single hit against it.
“I think the biggest thing I learned was that the game's the same,” Zeferjahn said about his time in the big leagues last year.
The successful stint last year put Zeferjahn in a prime position to crack the Opening Day roster to start this season. His five scoreless appearances this spring also help his case and manager Ron Washington looks to utilize him in big spots this season.
“I like what I see from Zeferjahn because he's going to be a guy that we're going to count on in high-leverage situations,” Washington said.
Washington’s confidence in Zeferjahn has given Zeferjahn more confidence too. Zeferjahn said knowing that Washington and the coaching staff have that much trust in him already has “lit a fire” underneath him and it motivates him to go out there and help his team win.
Zeferjahn said he didn’t work on anything specific over the offseason other than fine-tuning his pitches. This spring, he’s been working on getting the fastball in the zone so he can have it as another weapon. Zeferjahn has also been talking to the veteran guys on the pitching staff throughout this spring to learn more about the everyday life of a major leaguer.
“Just being able to hear what they do and learn from them, just little things like how they go about their day, how they go about this, how they go about that, I think really is a big thing for us,” Zeferjahn said. “I think it's going to help the young guys in the rotation and in the bullpen.”
If Zeferjahn continues to develop and progress, it will be a big help to an Angels bullpen that already features Kenley Jansen and Ben Joyce.
“The only thing I want him to continue to do is not take what he has on his shoulder for granted,” Washington said. “Continue to try to perfect it the best that you can get to perfection. He's young. He's still got ceiling and I don't want him to realize or think he didn't reach this ceiling because if he feels like he didn't reach this ceiling, then he's going to be in trouble.”
YUSEI KIKUCHI MAKES FINAL SPRING TRAINING START
Yusei Kikuchi walked off the mound on Friday for the last time with the major league club this spring as he will make one more start in a minor league game next week.
“Probably get to 90 pitches next start,” Kikuchi said. “I’m going to make sure I get to that number and be ready for Opening Day.”
The Angels Opening Day starter has been working at a different pace from the other Angels starters this spring because he’s getting the Opening Day nod, but also because he’s spent the last few spring trainings moving slowly to prevent any arm-related injuries.
Kikuchi threw 4.1 innings on Friday, giving up an earned run with five hits, eight strikeouts and three walks. He only made one other start this spring because his start last week was rained out. Spring training stats don’t mean anything but Kikuchi’s final spring training line is seven innings pitched and three earned runs given up on eight hits, 11 strikeouts and four walks.
LUIS RENGIFO UPDATE
Luis Rengifo made his first spring training appearance since February 28 on Friday as he has been battling hamstring tightness this spring. This is also only Rengifo’s second spring training game overall.
Rengifo started at third base and played four innings on the field and got two at-bats. No balls were hit to him at third and he went 0-for-2 at the plate but scored a run.
Over the past few days, Rengifo has been getting at-bats in the back fields in minor league games and live at-bats. But in those games, he was strictly a designated hitter and was pinch-ran for everytime he reached base. This is was his first real test with the hamstring.
After the game, Rengifo said he felt good and the only concern for him was that his timing is a bit off, but that’s something that will improve with more at-bats. Rengifo said he expects to be ready for Opening Day.
