Angels reportedly pursued pitchers Nathan Eovaldi and Patrick Corbin before they signed elsewhere

The Angels were reported to be finalists for starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi, but general manager Billy Eppler declined to acknowledge if the report was true. (John Locher / Associated Press)Before most had settled into the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino workrooms in Las Vegas for the first day of baseball’s winter meetings, the Angels on Monday had already churned the rumor mill.

An early report from The Athletic indicated the Angels had put in contract offers on free-agent starting pitchers Nathan Eovaldi and Patrick Corbin. They were even finalists in the Eovaldi sweepstakes. But they fell short of the contracts both players agreed to — Corbin for $140 million over six years with the…