George

Klassen

The Halos gave the 24-year-old hurler an opportunity to run with a spot in their starting rotation, but he stumbled to a 13.50 ERA, 3.86 WHIP and a 6/10 K/BB ratio over 4 2/3 innings through his first two starts. He’ll return to the rotation at Triple-A Salt Lake where he’ll attempt to get back on track.

A bruised fingernail doesn’t sound like a ton of fun. Klassen threw 72 pitches — 38 of them strikes — while allowing five runs over two-plus innings before exiting. Depending on the severity of the bruise, Klassen could be heading to the injured list. He also could be headed back to Triple-A based on how he’s pitched in these two starts.

Klassen threw 72 pitches in just two innings of work while allowing five runs. The right-hander will likely undergo testing to determine the severity of the injury — whatever that may be — and his status should be updated shortly. Even if Klassen is fine, there’s a good chance he’s sent down after this outing. Brent Suter has taken over on the mound.

Klassen’s MLB debut saw him initiate a bunch of self-inflicted damage. He walked five while throwing just 40-of-73 pitches for strikes before exiting. He also struck out four; reminding why he’s considered one of the better pitching prospects in the Los Angeles system. Klassen is much more of a long-term play, however, and can be ignored for now in fantasy redraft formats.

Left-hander Joey Lucchesi was designated for assignment in a corresponding move. Klassen will be thrown right into the fire for the Angels, starting on Sunday against the Mariners. It’s unclear if Ryan Johnson is being bumped from the rotation entirely after his poor season debut, or simply getting pushed back. Klassen, 24, posted a 6.43 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and a 14/9 K/BB ratio over 14 innings during five appearances in Cactus League play.

There’s a case for Klassen in the rotation over either Ryan Johnson or Jack Kochanowicz, but he didn’t make the Angels regret their choice to send him down with his performance tonight. Klassen will probably open up in Triple-A Salt Lake’s rotation, even though the Angels typically try to limit their top pitching prospects’ exposure to such a tough environment. It seems likely that he’ll get a look at some point during the first half.

Klassen had some strong moments this spring while allowing five runs on nine hits in 11 2/3 innings. He struck out 10 and walked five and showed some of the upside that made him such an intriguing prospect with the Phillies. His first full season in Los Angeles was not great, pitching to a 5.22 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, and 134/47 K/BB ratio in 108 2/3 innings spent mostly in Double-A. He will look to get back on track this season and potentially push for a mid-season call-up. Trey Mancini seemed like a good bet to win a bench job, but he hit just 3-for-30 this spring and may have to find a chance somewhere else.

Klassen averaged 97.9 mph with his fastball in his spring debut. He wound up with a 5.35 ERA in 24 starts in Double-A last year, but he’s a big-time talent with a plus slider to go along with the fastball. The Angels figure to have him start off in Triple-A, but he might not remain there for long.

Anderson has been a solid, yet unspectacular innings-eater this season for Los Angeles, posting a serviceable 4.56 ERA across 136 1/3 innings in 26 starts. No word yet on how the Angles will fill his rotation spot, but they have some interesting pitching prospects on the doorstep of the majors including Caden Dana and George Klassen.

Klassen struggled early on this season and missed time last month after being struck in the head by a line drive. He’s looked extremely sharp in his previous two outings at the Double-A level, allowing just one run on three hits with 16 strikeouts over 10 2/3 innings of work. The 23-year-old came over from the Phillies at last year’s trade deadline as part of the Carlos Estévez trade. He possesses a wide range of outcomes because he has great stuff and could blossom into a mid-rotation starter if he’s able to harness it and throw strikes consistently.