ANAHEIM — The trade rumors don’t bother Ryan Zeferjahn. He takes them as a compliment.
“My take is that if you’re in (rumors), it’s because you’re throwing the ball well,” the Angels relief pitcher said. “I think that’s a good thing.”
The right-hander has a 3.78 ERA this season, with 71 strikeouts in 50 innings. Over his last 23 outings, he has a 1.48 ERA with 40 strikeouts in 24⅓ innings.
“I don’t think it’s been just one thing,” Zeferjahn said. “I think a lot of it is just mechanics and throwing the ball better in the zone. That’s the big thing for me, limiting the walks and attacking with the stuff I’ve got.”
The Angels don’t need to trade Zeferjahn, because he’s still under club control for four more seasons after this one. Zeferjahn, 28, is set to make around the major league minimum salary again next season.
All of that is part of the reason the Angels could get a decent prospect return for him if they decide to move him. Just about every contender is looking for relief help at this time of year.
With the Angels, Zeferjahn has ascended to the top spot in the bullpen, even though that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll pitch the ninth inning.
On Sunday and Monday, the Angels used him in the eighth because that’s when their opponents had their best hitters due.
“Going against the top of the order is always hard, but that’s what I want,” Zeferjahn said. “I want to go out there every day against the best guys and give what I’ve got.”
Zeferjahn gave up a run on Monday night. His fastball velocity was also down slightly, which prompted a visit from one of the Angels’ trainers.
“There was nothing,” Zeferjahn said. “Just one of those games where it’s like the body is a little tired, and the velo is down, not using my legs. Just one of those nights.”
GRISSOM FOLLOW
A day after Angels manager Kurt Suzuki chose not to use Oswald Peraza as a defensive replacement for Vaughn Grissom, who made a critical error in the ninth, he said he liked the way Grissom had been playing lately.
“He’s been doing really well and we wanted to show confidence that, the way he’s been playing, he deserves to be out there,” Suzuki said. “Ninety-nine times out of 100, he’s going to make that play. It was just one time. That’s the way baseball is.”
Grissom has had a breakthrough season offensively, hitting .259 with a .736 OPS and seven home runs. He’s also shown a knack for producing in the clutch.
Defensively, he ranks in the 35th percentile for Outs Above Average, according to MLB statistics.
NOTES
Catcher Travis d’Arnaud (plantar fasciitis) was set to catch nine innings in back-to-back games at Class-A Rancho Cucamonga, on Tuesday and Wednesday. …
Catcher Sebastian Rivero (fractured hamate) is also playing at Rancho Cucamonga. He’s the DH. “I don’t think he’s very far,” Suzuki said. …
Infielder Adam Frazier (elbow) is also playing this week at Rancho Cucamonga. “We’ll see how he does this next one,” Suzuki said. “But he might be getting close too.”
UP NEXT
Astros (RHP Hayden Wesneski, 2026 debut) at Angels (RHP Grayson Rodriguez, 3-3, 8.54 ERA), Wednesday, 6:38 p.m., ABTV, 830 AM