He holds multiple Angels team records for a career, including games started (379), wins (165), losses (140), and innings pitched (2,675).

[1] His ability to pitch for more than two or three innings was initially limited by mechanical issues, as his delivery at this time was "crude" and inconsistent.

[4] In 1986, he made 10 relief appearances for the Quad Cities Angels of the Class A Midwest League, allowing only four hits and no earned runs in 12 innings pitched while striking out 16 batters and notching six saves.

[6] In relief of starting pitcher Don Sutton, Finley allowed two runs on two hits in one inning pitched.

[6] Finley made a total of 25 appearances, all in relief, with the 1986 Angels, pitching to a 3.30 ERA and a 3–1 record while striking out 37 batters in 46+1⁄3 innings.

[7] In his only postseason appearances with the Angels, Finley played in three games of the 1986 American League Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox, allowing one hit in two innings pitched.

[7] Finley led the major leagues in complete games in 1993, with 13, en route to a 16–14 record with a 3.15 ERA in a career-high 251+1⁄3 innings pitched.

[7] In January 2001, Finley underwent arthroscopic knee surgery, and went on the disabled list twice during the season for neck and shoulder spasms.

In the 2001 American League Division Series, Finley started two games against the Seattle Mariners, losing both and pitching to a 7.27 ERA.

[7] Finley was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals on July 19, 2002, for minor-league outfielder Luis Garcia and a player to be named later.

[2][18] Outfielder Coco Crisp was sent to Cleveland in early August to complete the deal,[2] making his MLB debut later that month.

[7] In the 2002 postseason, Finley started one game of the 2002 National League Division Series, getting a no decision as the Cardinals swept the Arizona Diamondbacks.

[25][26] On April 4, 2002, Finley filed for divorce three days after Kitaen was charged with committing domestic violence against him, twisting his ear and having beaten him repeatedly with a stiletto heel in the arm, leg and foot while he was driving a car in Orange County, California, two weeks earlier.

During hearings on the domestic violence charge of spousal abuse, Kitaen initially pleaded not guilty but admitted that she was addicted to prescription medications which she had taken for two years for migraines, and voluntarily entered both substance abuse treatment and anger management classes for 52 weeks to get the charges dropped.

[31] When told of his wife's accusations, which also included heavy marijuana use and alcohol abuse, Finley replied: "I can't believe she left out the cross-dressing.

[38] Finley became eligible for the National Baseball Hall of Fame as of 2008; he received one vote,[39] and was dropped from future consideration for falling below the 5% threshold required to remain on the ballot.