Angels Release Connor Brogdon Amid Roster Overhaul
In a week of significant roster reshuffling, the Los Angeles Angels have continued their organizational cleanup by outrighting four players from their 40-man roster, including right-handed reliever Connor Brogdon. After clearing waivers on Wednesday, Brogdon wasted no time in electing free agency, making him immediately available to sign with any MLB team. This transaction represents another chapter in what has become an increasingly common story in modern baseball—talented players finding themselves on the move as teams continuously optimize their rosters for both performance and financial flexibility.
Brogdon’s journey through professional baseball illustrates both the promise and precariousness of a relief pitcher’s career. Originally selected in the 10th round of the 2017 draft by the Philadelphia Phillies, Brogdon defied the odds typically faced by later-round picks. He established himself as a valuable bullpen piece during Philadelphia’s 2021 and 2022 campaigns, posting respectable ERAs in the mid-threes and even contributing seven appearances during the Phillies’ World Series run in 2022. These seasons represented the high-water mark of his career thus far—a period when his effective changeup and mid-90s fastball combination made him a reliable middle-relief option for a contending team.
However, baseball’s volatility quickly caught up with Brogdon as he struggled through a difficult 2023 season. Performance issues led to a demotion to Triple-A, and his standing with the organization rapidly diminished. The subsequent chapter of his career reads like a case study in the life of a modern baseball journeyman: designated for assignment by the Phillies early in 2024 after just three appearances, traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers where he made only a single major league appearance, and then hitting the free agent market again. This pattern of brief stops with multiple organizations highlights the tenuous nature of roster spots for relievers who aren’t performing at an elite level.
The Angels provided Brogdon with his most substantial opportunity of the past two seasons, but the results unfortunately didn’t justify a continued investment. Across 47 appearances with the Halos, Brogdon’s 5.55 ERA and alarming rate of 11 home runs allowed in 47 innings ultimately made him expendable as the team looks toward 2025. At nearly 31 years old and without minor league options remaining, Brogdon faced the perfect storm that often leads to roster casualties—age, underperformance, and a lack of flexibility that would allow the team to move him between the majors and minors as needed. The Angels, like many organizations evaluating their rosters at season’s end, determined that his spot would be better utilized on younger talents with more team control or potential offseason acquisitions.
Brogdon now enters free agency at a challenging point in his career, but not without possibilities. His previous success with Philadelphia demonstrates that he possesses major-league caliber talent when everything clicks. Teams perpetually searching for bullpen help might view Brogdon as a low-risk reclamation project—someone who could provide value on a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. His experience, including postseason appearances, could appeal to organizations looking to add depth with a pitcher who has navigated high-pressure situations. While the past two seasons have been difficult, relief pitchers often experience career revivals with mechanical adjustments, new pitching approaches, or simply a change of scenery.
As the offseason progresses, Brogdon’s situation represents just one storyline among many as teams reshape their rosters. Meanwhile, the Angels continue their organizational reset after another disappointing season, and elsewhere in the league, significant developments loom—including speculation about slugger Pete Alonso potentially leaving the New York Mets for the power-hungry Boston Red Sox. For players like Brogdon, the uncertainty of free agency brings both challenges and opportunities. The resilience he’s already shown in carving out a six-year major league career as a 10th-round pick suggests he has the determination to continue pursuing his baseball dream, even as he navigates this latest career crossroads.
