Following a wild season from Spencer Turnbull, he’s now possibly looking for a new home in 2026. With the Los Angeles Angels in a spot to take some swings on upside, Turnbull could be a good signing for this team.
The situation in Los Angeles is subject to change as the Angels make some moves in free agency, but Turnbull could make sense.
Before evaluating Turnbull’s fit in Los Angeles, it’s important to break down what happened with him last season.
Jackson Roberts of Sports Illustrated did a great job summarizing what went down: “[Turnbull] finished last season injured after a solid stint with the Philadelphia Phillies and didn’t sign with the Blue Jays until May 12. He pitched for five minor-league teams in three organizations, as the Blue Jays released him on June 25, only to be picked up by the Chicago Cubs.”
With that bit of content out of the way, let’s dive into the free agency profile for Turnbull and discuss why the Angels could make sense for the veteran pitcher.
This is a PREDICTION, not a REPORT.
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Spencer Turnbull Joining Los Angeles Angels in MLB Free Agency
There’s not much to evaluate from Turnbull in 2025, considering he only pitched in three games. During that short span, Turnbull had -0.2 WAR, a 1-1 record, and a 7.11 ERA.
If you go back just one year, Turnbull was significantly better when playing for the Philadelphia Phillies. In 2024, Turnbull went 3-0 to pair with 1.3 WAR and a 2.65 ERA in 17 games.
Turnbull has had some great years, but there’s always been that problem of staying healthy. Although Turnbull looks great at times, the fact that he’s a 33-year-old pitcher with an injury history is going to turn a lot of teams away from him.
How Spencer Turnbull Fits with the Los Angeles Angels
Last year, the Angels had one of the worst team ERAs in the MLB for their starting pitching at 4.91, the league’s third-worst mark.
With that in mind, there aren’t a lot of jobs that are entirely safe in this rotation. Based on how the Angels’ starting rotation looks right now, Turnbull will easily crack the top five if he can stay healthy.
That’s also assuming Turnbull looks a lot closer to his 2024 form than 2025.
The last reason that Turnbull could make sense is that right now, four of the five Angels projected starters next year are under 28 years old. Two of them are under 25.
While that makes sense for the Angels, who are more focused on developing talent, they could still use a veteran presence.
Spencer Turnbull Stats
Over the years, Turnbull has put up some good seasons during his time in the MLB. In terms of Turnbull’s career stats, he has 5.2 WAR, a 16-30 record, and a 4.31 ERA.
It’s unrealistic to expect Turnbull to be a superstar for the Los Angeles Angels, but he could be a sneaky good pickup if he’s able to recapture some of that 2024 production next year.