After inking a three-year, $33 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels in 2024, reliever hoped to make an immediate impact in Anaheim. He earned the contract following a standout 2023 campaign split between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Tampa Bay Rays.
Stephenson posted a career-best season, finishing with a 3.10 ERA and a 140 ERA+ across 52.2 innings. However, things didn’t go as planned in 2024. Early in Spring Training, it was announced he would need Tommy John surgery, sidelining him for the entire season. With recovery typically taking 12 to 18 months, his availability for 2025 also came into doubt.
A Zach Neto update, plus some interesting numbers on Mike Trout and a couple injured pitcher updates.https://t.co/sdcbG0uDGz
— Jeff Fletcher (@JeffFletcherOCR) April 12, 2025
Recently, the Angels received encouraging news about the 32-year-old’s rehab. According to Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register, Stephenson has made a key step forward.
Fletcher noted, “Right-hander Robert Stephenson, who is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, has been doing ‘up-down’ bullpen sessions, in which he takes breaks to simulate throwing multiple innings.”
Stephenson has yet to make his debut with the Angels, but throughout his MLB career, he’s been a solid contributor.
He holds a lifetime 4.64 ERA, a 1.337 WHIP, and a 2.55 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The Angels are the fifth team he’s pitched for during his ten years in the majors. He’s eligible to return in late May, with hopes that he can find his rhythm by the summer.
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