Angels acquire angry redass reliever

The Anaheim Angels, currently in last place in the American League West and sporting the worst team ERA in baseball, have acquired relief pitcher Hunter Strickland from the Tampa Bay Rays, it was announced today.

Because we all enjoy hating and laughing at the Angels, this move is one we should appreciate. If the name Hunter Strickland sounds familiar, it’s because he’s become known for being an angry redass. Strickland achieved notoriety for hitting Bryce Harper with a pitch in May, 2017, which prompted a bench-clearing brawl and earned Strickland a suspension. He apparently was exacting revenge for Harper homering off of Strickland twice in the 2014 NLDS, one of which splashed down in McCovey Cove — this was the first time Harper had faced Strickland since that incident. A year later, Strickland spent a couple of months on the injured list after getting mad and punching a door, resulting in a broken hand. He obviously didn’t listen to what Crash Davis told Nuke LaLoosh about punching.

Pitching for the Washington Nationals in 2019, Strickland allowed three home runs in two innings of work over two games against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS. With 9 career home runs allowed in 13 career postseason innings, Strickland holds the MLB record for most postseason home runs allowed by a reliever.

Fun fact — Strickland went to Pike High School in Zebulon, Georgia. Why is it called Pike High School? The city is named after explorer Zebulon Pike, after whom Pike’s Peak is named.

Anyway, the terrible Angels pitching staff has now added someone, and my hope is that he will pitch poorly against Texas at some point this season and then get really mad, and then Tom Grieve can mock him on the broadcast.