The Angels announced Monday that Dana has been optioned to Double-A Rocket City and won't pitch for the rest of the season in an effort to ensure he enters the offseason at full health, MLB.com reports.
Dana has been hit hard since being promoted at the beginning of the month, surrendering 11 earned runs on 14 hits and seven walks while registering eight strikeouts over 10.1 innings. While this isn't the type of performance he was looking for in his first taste of the big leagues, Dana was the second-youngest player in the majors (behind the Brewers' Jackson Chourio) before his demotion and could win a big-league rotation spot in the spring.
Dana (1-2) allowed five runs on five hits and two walks while striking out three over 3.1 innings to take the loss Sunday versus the Astros.
Dana allowed five runs for the second start in a row, though he was able to pitch fairly well the first time through the order. Four of the five runs on his line came in the fourth inning. Dana now has a 10.45 ERA, 2.03 WHIP and 8:7 K:BB over 10.1 innings through three big-league starts. The 20-year-old offers little fantasy appeal in redraft formats, but this rough first stint in the majors shouldn't impact his long-term outlook. He's tentatively projected for a rematch with the Astros in Houston for his next start.
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Angels' Caden Dana: Falters in second start
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Dana (1-1) allowed five runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out one over one-plus inning, taking the loss Sunday versus the Rangers.
Dana was pretty good in his major-league debut versus the Mariners last Sunday, but he couldn't follow it up against a more formidable offense. The Rangers pounced on the rookie for three home runs, and he left the contest after allowing five straight batters to reach to begin the second inning. Dana is likely to remain in the majors as long as the Angels keep with a six-man rotation, but he's a risky streaming option in fantasy since he's often had trouble with high walk rates. He's tentatively projected to make his next start at home versus the Astros.
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Angels' Caden Dana: Receiving another start
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Dana is scheduled to start Sunday's game against the Rangers in Arlington.
Dana is likely to stick around with the Angels in September as part of a six-man rotation, and a strong finish to the season would position the 20-year-old to begin the 2025 campaign as a member of the Opening Day rotation. The young righty produced a quality start in his MLB debut this past Sunday, covering six innings en route to claiming a win against Seattle. He struck out four and gave up two earned runs on two hits and four walks.
Dana (1-0) allowed two runs on two hits and four walks while striking out four over six innings to earn the win over the Mariners on Sunday.
Dana was called up from Double-A Rocket City on Friday in advance of his debut. While his control was a little shaky, he was able to limit the Mariners to a Luke Raley solo home run in the second inning and a Victor Robles sacrifice fly in the third. Dana has improved over time in the minors in regards to cutting his walk rate -- he posted a 2.6 BB/9 while maintaining a 2.59 ERA and 0.95 WHIP over 135.2 innings with Rocket City this year. The 20-year-old right-hander was sharper than Samuel Aldegheri, who debuted Friday, so if the Angels go with a five-man rotation in September, Dana has the early edge to staying in a starting role. He's tentatively projected to make his next start on the road versus the Rangers, which would hold true if the Angels opt to go with six starters.
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Angels' Caden Dana: Officially called up
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The Angels selected Dana's contract from Double-A Rocket City on Friday.
Dana will start Sunday's game against the Mariners after logging a 2.59 ERA across 135.2 innings with Rocket City this season. The 20-year-old is one of the Halos' top prospects, but he hasn't pitched above the Double-A level since joining the organization in 2022, although the organization generally avoids sending its top young arms to the hitter's paradise of Triple-A Salt Lake. If he performs well Sunday, Dana could stick in the rotation.
The Angels will call up Dana from Double-A Rocket City to start Sunday's game against the Mariners, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.
Regarded as the best pitching prospect in the Angels' farm system, Dana will skip the Triple-A level to make his MLB debut against a weak Mariners offense that ranks 29th in the majors with a .666 OPS on the season. The 20-year-old righty owns a 2.59 ERA and 0.95 WHIP through 23 starts with Rocket City this season, and he leads all Double-A pitchers with 147 strikeouts through 135.2 innings. It's unclear if he'll remain in the Angels rotation past Sunday, though a strong outing against Seattle would certainly improve his chances.
Angels' Caden Dana: Receives spring training invitation
Rotowire
The Angels have included Dana among their 27 players who have been given an invitation to participate in major-league spring training.
Dana is one of the organization's top pitching prospects after posting a 3.56 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 89:30 K:BB over 68.1 innings across 14 starts between Single-A and High-A last season. The right-handed hurler was selected by the Angels in the 11th round of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft and enters the 2024 campaign having turned 20 years old in mid-December. Dana isn't likely to see regular-season major-league action until 2025.
Dana hasn't pitched for High-A Tri-City since July 15 due to general fatigue, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports.
The 19-year-old righty has done more than hold his own in 68.1 innings between Single-A and High-A, logging a 3.56 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 89 strikeouts in 68.1 innings. He logged six-plus innings while striking out 25 batters across his three most recent starts. Dana hasn't been placed on the injured list, and the Angels are apparently just managing his innings in his first full pro season.
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Angels' Caden Dana: Locked in for Dust Devils
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Dana has a 0.96 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 25:5 K:BB in 18.2 innings over his last three starts for High-A Tri-City.
Dana, who won't turn 20 until December, was jumped from Single-A Inland Empire after just three starts to High-A, where he is the youngest pitcher to throw 20-plus innings this season. The 6-foot-4 righty was famously given a record-setting $1.5 million signing bonus in the 11th round last year, and it appears to have been money well spent. Dana sits in the mid-90s with his fastball, which has good movement, and he also throws a plus slider. He is an exciting pitching prospect long term, given how good he already is at such a young age and how much better he could be in a few years if he stays healthy.
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Angels' Caden Dana: Jumps to High-A
Rotowire
The Angels promoted Dana on Tuesday from Single-A Inland Empire to High-A Tri-City.
Dana will get a tougher test after he breezed through his first three starts of the season in the hitter-friendly California League. The 19-year-old righty submitted a 1.20 ERA, 0.80 WHIP and 18:6 K:BB over 15 innings with Inland Empire.
