OC Register: Angels exercise GM Billy Eppler’s option for 2020

[AngelsWin.com]

ANAHEIM — Billy Eppler, whose four-year contract as Angels general manager was set to expire at the end of the season, has had his option for 2020 exercised by the team.

Eppler said he would address his contract on another day, in respect to the news that had broken earlier Friday about the cause of Tyler Skaggs’ death.

The Angels are on their way to their fourth losing season under Eppler, although he has been credited for several important moves.

The Angels signed Mike Trout to a 12-year, $426-million contract in March, essentially ensuring that the sport’s best player will remain in an Angels uniform for his entire career.

Eppler also led the Angels’ pursuit of Shohei Ohtani, one of the most coveted international players to ever come to the majors. While 27 of the 30 teams submitted presentations to Ohtani’s agent to lure him, Ohtani picked the Angels.

The Angels’ farm system has also gone from being the worst in baseball to somewhere in the upper half, depending on which outlet is evaluating. Jo Adell, widely considered one of the top three or four prospects in baseball, was drafted in 2017, the second draft under Eppler’s leadership.

Rookies Griffin Canning, Luís Rengifo and Matt Thaiss – all acquired or drafted under Eppler – have made an impact in the majors this season.

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Eppler, however,  mostly failed in his acquisitions over the previous winter. He signed free agents Matt Harvey, Cody Allen and Jonathan Lucroy and all were released. Free agent Trevor Cahill was demoted to the bullpen. Justin Bour was sent to the minors.

The Angels made those acquisitions after coming up empty in pursuit of higher-priced free agents such as pitchers Patrick Cobin, Nate Eovaldi, J.A. Happ and catcher Wilson Ramos.

This winter Eppler will be under pressure to fare better, as he tries to get the club some much-needed pitching to end its five-year playoff drought. The prize of this winter’s free agent class is Houston Astros pitcher Gerrit Cole, the former UCLA standout who grew up in Orange County.

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