The Angels made a move to bolster their pitching depth on Monday, acquiring right-handed reliever Felix Peña from the Cubs in exchange for cash considerations or a player to be named later. Left-hander Jason Gurka was designated for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Peña.
Peña, 27, made his Major League debut with the Cubs last August and has recorded a 4.98 ERA over 43 1/3 innings in 36 career appearances in the big leagues. Over that span, he has averaged 10.4 strikeouts per nine innings.
In 25 relief outings for the Cubs this season, Peña logged a 5.24 ERA over 34 1/3 innings. He also spent a chunk of the year pitching for Triple-A Iowa, where he posted a 5.54 ERA over 39 innings with six saves.
Peña gives the Angels another bullpen option for next year, as they are projected to have several relief jobs open due to the pending free agency of right-handers Yusmeiro Petit, Bud Norris, Andrew Bailey and Jesse Chavez.