Yesterday, the Los Angeles Angels acquired right-hander Vinnie Pestano from the Cleveland Indians in exchange for minor-league right-hander Michael Clevinger. Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reported that the Angels acquired Pestano after the team had claimed him off waivers from the Indians.

Vinnie Pestano, 29, had come out of nowhere to be a "lights-out" setup man for Cleveland during the 2011 and 2012 seasons. During those campaigns, Pestano pitched to a combined 2.45 ERA to go along with a 3.3 BB/9 and 10.6 K/9 over 132 innings of work out of the bullpen. He also registered an excellent 40% groundball rate over that time.

However, Pestano came back down to Earth in 2013, as his ERA escalated to 4.o8 and his BB/9 rate went over 5. Lots of tension was created this offseason between him and the organization, as he lost his arbitration against the team when the club used his own comments about himself against him.

He told Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer that he had "been battling all year. As soon as I think I’ve got something figured out, I go out there and the results are the same. It’s getting really frustrating. I’m still the same pitcher in my head, I’m just not throwing the same way I used to.”

Pestano, who was demoted to minors after posting a 5.00 ERA in thirteen innings pitched this season, owned an excellent 1.78 ERA, 11.0 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9 in 30.1 innings. However, his velocity on his fastball has dipped from 91.1 MPH in 2013 to 89.6 MPH this season. Pestano, an Orange County native, is not elgible for costless agency until after the 2017 season.

Michael Clevinger, 23, was a fourth round selection in the 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft for the Los Angeles Angels. He has registered a career 4.29 ERA in the minor leagues, as well as a 4.31 ERA for Low-A Burlington and High-A Inland Empire this year.

Clevinger, a Tommy John survivor, tore through Burlington this season posting a 1.88 ERA through five starts, before being promoted to Inland Empire. His production declined after he was promoted, registering a 5.37 ERA in 55.1 innings pitched.

He was once viewed as a top prospect for the Angels, with his cutting fastball that registers at 91-93 mph, along with a curveball, changeup and slider. In the future, he could be a middle of the rotation starter.