Angels Re-Sign Lefty Reliever Joey Lucchesi to Minor League Pact

The Angels have re-signed left-handed reliever Joey Lucchesi to a minor league contract and will assign him to Triple-A Salt Lake. The move comes less than a week after Lucchesi was designated for assignment to make room for George Klassen on the 26-man roster. The 32-year-old southpaw cleared waivers and elected free agency before returning to the organization.

Lucchesi signed a major league deal with the Angels at the end of Spring Training and made three appearances for the club. In his debut, he allowed five of the six batters he faced to reach base. He followed with two scoreless outings but walked at least one batter in each of his appearances. Over 2 1/3 innings, he issued five free passes, including four walks and a hit batter.

Prior to joining the Angels, Lucchesi spent the 2023 season with the Giants. He opened the year in Triple-A but was promoted in June and remained on the active roster through the end of the season. Over 38 1/3 innings, Lucchesi posted a 3.76 ERA while inducing grounders at a 53% rate. However, his 18.8% strikeout rate limited his value in San Francisco’s crowded bullpen. The Giants removed him from the 40-man roster at season’s end and brought him back on a minor league deal for Spring Training. They released him when they signed Ryan Borucki.

The Angels’ bullpen is already deep with southpaws. Drew Pomeranz and Brent Suter are entrenched as veteran lefty options, while Mitch Farris was recently recalled as a long reliever. Farris is expected to see time at both the major and minor league levels this season. The organization also includes Tayler Saucedo and Angel Perdomo on minor league contracts.

By re-signing Lucchesi, the Angels add a familiar face with experience in the majors and Triple-A. His return allows the team to maintain flexibility in their depth plans without increasing the 40-man roster. Lucchesi can serve as a potential call-up or training ground for younger arms in Salt Lake.

Lucchesi is expected to report to Salt Lake soon and begin preparations for the 2024 season. The Angels will continue to monitor their bullpen depth as the schedule progresses and decide when to activate or promote relievers as needed.