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Angels’ Ryan Zeferjahn emerges as key late-inning arm

April 20, 2025

ANAHEIM — After nine outings this season and 21 in his major league career, Ryan Zeferjahn has managed to ascend into the late innings in the Angels’ bullpen.

Pitchers tend to get noticed when their swing-and-miss stuff keeps hitters off balance and Zeferjahn is showing that his ability to record strikeouts plays at the big league level, just as it did in the minor leagues.

Through the first 27 batters he has faced this season, 14 have gone down by strikeout.

It is not a new development for the former third-round draft pick by the Boston Red Sox in 2019, who was acquired in July as part of a four-player package for right-hander Luis Garcia.

In five minor league seasons, Zeferjahn struck out 301 batters in 241 innings, including 61 in 30 appearances (46 innings) with three different minor league teams in 2024. Yet, Zeferjahn says all of the strikeouts are the byproduct of a separate intention entirely.

“I’m not trying to strike guys out, I’m trying to get quick outs so that I can be out there every day,” he said. “I think the biggest thing is not walking a lot of guys. I’m in the zone a lot more than in the minor leagues. I had a problem (where) I’d strike everybody out, but I’d walk four or five guys just by not being in the zone.”

Where some pitchers come to the major leagues and find trouble by trying to be on the edge of the strike zone, Zeferjahn’s plan has been to get his fastball, cutter and sweeper in the zone, or make it look like a strike for as long as possible.

“I’m going to pitch off my strengths,” Zeferjahn said somewhat defiantly. “You might hit the fastball, well here, hit my fastball. I think that’s helped me when I’m not out there worrying too much. I’m comfortable throwing all my pitches and whatever I want to throw, I’m going to throw with conviction.”

It’s not just the strikeouts but the confidence that has caught the Angels’ attention.

“He’s been able to come in and get the outs we need, and that’s exactly what his job is,” manager Ron Washington said. “We know he has the stuff. We’re beginning to find out he has the mentality now. We need him to get certain outs in certain areas of the game, and he’s been doing it.”

That ability to get the outs that are needed has allowed the Angels to move Zeferjahn deeper into games with setup man Ben Joyce on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation.

“It’s come fast,” Zeferjahn said. “They gained trust, and that’s big for me. Having that success last year when I was in the zone, I worked all offseason, then came in again in the zone and stuff was better. Them gaining trust in me has just given me more confidence.”

Helping the process has been having a veteran like Kenley Jansen in the bullpen with him.

“It’s the best,” Zeferjahn said about having an open line of communication with Jansen whenever he needs it. “There are some guys that aren’t like that and that sucks. But when you have those guys, you use them. And you don’t even have to talk to them, just watch and see how he approaches the game, how he gets ready, warming up. I watch a lot of that and that’s the biggest part.”

IN THE SWING

Mike Trout was back in the designated hitter spot for the second consecutive game on Saturday and for the sixth time this season. He is quickly approaching his high for DH games in a season when he was in the spot 15 times in 2018.

Trout had six home runs with 14 RBIs over his first 19 games but entered play Saturday batting .171 with a .711 OPS in the early going.

“Trying to find it, that’s all,” Washington said. “Baseball players go through it. Even the greats go through it. I think by the time he gets to 100 at-bats, he’ll be able to figure everything out.”

Trout entered Saturday’s game at 70 at-bats and 82 plate appearances.

“He hasn’t played a lot of baseball over the past few years, and sometimes you think things are working, and they’re not working, and you gotta go to something else,” Washington said. “Eventually, he’s gonna find it. No doubt about it. I’m not concerned about Mike Trout.”

GAME TIME

The Angels had a ribbon-cutting ceremony Saturday for a new Pac-Man themed arcade on the concourse behind the right-field stands: Level Up by Bandai Namco. The arcade not only has multiple versions of the iconic Pac-Man video game but 30 other Bandai Namco video game classics like Dig Dug and Galaga. The area also includes a full wall of Gashapon vending machines with collectible miniatures.

UP NEXT

Angels (LHP Yusei Kikuchi, 0-3, 4.13 ERA) vs. Giants (RHP Justin Verlander, 0-1, 6.75 ERA), Sunday, 1:07 p.m., FanDuel Sports Network, 830 AM

Orange County Register

News Details

Angels’ Ryan Zeferjahn emerges as key late-inning arm

IN THE SWING

GAME TIME

UP NEXT

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