Los Angeles Angels select contract of former Toronto Blue Jays right-hander

The Los Angeles Angels announced that they have selected the contract of Former Toronto Blue Jays right-handed reliever Nick Sandlin.

To make room, fellow right-hander George Klassen was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake.

No additional move was needed on the 40-man roster, as the Angels already had an open spot available.

Sandlin joined the organization on a minor league deal after being removed from the Toronto Blue Jays’ 40-man roster in November.

The move effectively served as an early non-tender, as Sandlin was projected to earn around $2 million through arbitration in 2026. Following the outright assignment, he elected free agency.

Not long ago, Sandlin was a reliable arm in Cleveland’s bullpen. Between 2021 and 2024, he posted a 3.27 ERA with a 27.7% strikeout rate and an 11.4% walk rate across 195 1/3 innings.

However, home runs became a growing concern during his final two seasons with the club.

His stint with the Blue Jays was disrupted more by injuries than performance issues.

Sandlin recorded an impressive 2.20 ERA over 16 1/3 innings in 19 appearances but missed significant time due to a lat strain and later elbow inflammation.

For the Angels, signing Sandlin to a minor league contract was a low-risk move, fitting their offseason strategy of targeting bounce-back candidates with proven track records.

Early results at Triple-A Salt Lake have been encouraging, as Sandlin posted a 1.42 ERA over 6 1/3 innings, though underlying metrics suggest there may still be room for improvement.

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