The Angels received mix news on the pitching injury front today, as Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register was among those to report (Twitter links). Righty Nick Tropeano will undergo Tommy John surgery, as had been expected, while fellow right-hander Garrett Richards continues to show enough positive progress that he’ll hold off on having the same procedure.
Tropeano was recently diagnosed with a fairly significant tear of his ulnar collateral ligament. While there was at least some thought given to a PRP and stem cell treatment similar to that undertaken by both Richards and lefty Andrew Heaney, the decision was made in fairly short order to go ahead with a UCL replacement (as ultimately proved necessary for Heaney).
The surgery puts an end to what had been a promising campaign for the 25-year-old. He recorded solid results in 2015, but opened the year at Triple-A. Upon returning to the majors, Tropeano posted 68 1/3 innings of 3.56 ERA pitching, with 9.0 K/9 against 4.1 BB/9. ERA estimators weren’t as high on his performance — he was homer-prone and benefited from a 91.1% strand rate — but he was generating a strong 12.5% swinging strike rate and seemed well on his way to locking up a rotation spot for some time to come. Instead, one of his seasons of near-league-minimum salary will be spent on the DL, with the hope being that Tropeano can return for 2018 — at which time he’ll have 2.068 years of service.
Richards, on the other hand, has continued to exhibit sufficient healing that a non-surgical path remains viable. He won’t return to the majors this year, but is expected to attempt to build up to pitch up after the year — perhaps in the Arizona Fall League or winter ball. A final decision on the surgery will await the results of his efforts to throw in full game action.
Los Angeles has been hit hard with the TJ bug this year, though at least Richards holds out some hope of pitching in 2017. If he does end up having the procedure later in the year, his 2018 campaign would then come under some question — leading to a tough call as to whether the Halos ought to tender him an arb contract for the two seasons to come. Those are the team’s final two years of control over the 28-year-old, and they won’t come cheap since Richards is earning $6.425MM this year.
I used to not like the Angels but I feel so bad for them now. Heaney, Skaggs, Richards, tropeano could be a great rotation for years to come, and now all their careers are in question. With the way their farm currently is, they can’t afford to lose any of these guys really, they’re a big part of their future.
Garret Richards, staff ace, according to MLBTR. Gotta love how ace has just become synonymous for “best pitcher on any team”.
Too bad the twins lost staff ace ricky nolasco
Not sure if you started watching baseball this year but Richards was an ace when healthy
I am an Angels fan with season tickets. For a “fact” GR is no Ace. Best starter on the Halos? Yes. Ace? NO.
he very well could be. probably better if we had an ace to go in front of him because he’s a really good #2, but he could be an ace
Because that makes you qualified to label players…
Sure does tough guy. Watching games 100% qualifies for a fact.
Oh snap.
Richards actually pitched like an ace for about a year and a half. Injuries have really been his “Achilles heel”(angels fans might be mad at that joke). I get what you are saying about the term “ace” being thrown around lightly (just like Jared Weavers fastball…sorry again), But then again, isn’t a teams ace their best pitcher?
I don’t get the Achilles heel joke. The fastball was funny though.
He hurt his Achilles covering first a few years back
Wow. I hate this team but this is just getting cruel. We’ll be good neighbors and take Trout off your hands!
LAA gets: Pederson, PUIG (please), Verdugo, Urias, Barnes, Baez and any prospect pitcher not named De Leon
LAD gets: Trout and take the LA outta your name
Yeah take the LA out of your name, so some of us can like you again. I used to love the California Angels growing up, but they started wonking with their name and now I can’t stand them.
And BTW, you ain’t getting Trout without including Seager.
Probably true and that’s a tough pill to swallow but Trout is the only guy I can think of in all of MLB that would be worth it. Urias, Seager, Barnes, Calhoun, Puig and like I said any prospect pitcher not named De Leon. I really think that would get it done if Arte Moreno wasn’t dropped on his head repeatedly as a child.
I see you’ve already counter-offered yourself by adding Seager. That would actually result in Eppler not instantly hanging up the phone.
That is actually a legit offer for Trout.
What is this world coming to, plausible trade proposals for Trout here on MLBTR? Hard to believe.
Honestly tho, as an Angels fan and Inland Empire native, if you could get the LA out of our name permanently I’d be willing to let Trout go for Carl Crawford. And with no money. I hate it that much.
Make sure you and cvarneski remember to also tell the NY Giants, NY Jets, Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, Detroit Pistons, and the Atlanta Braves all change their names too.
I always think it’s funny that people are so bothered by the “LA” Angels. I wonder if they have issues with the NY Giants, NY Jets, Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, Detroit Pistons, the Atlanta Braves next year, and the LA Rams from before.
People are ignorant
Excellent. More of these “we’ll trade for Trout, but so-and-so in our system is untouchable” inanities.
I would say Seager and Urias are the untouchables, but that word should not exist in a trade for Trout. My rationale is that there have to be some kind of limits to this trade. Giving up our two best pitching prospects, both of whom are close to major league ready, would be where I, personally, would draw that line. I would say getting Urias, Baez and someone like Yadier Alvarez would improve the Angels farm system and major league team significantly.
Trout isn’t going anywhere and if he were then their would be no line what so ever. Angels would need Joc,Seager+ top 5 Dodger prospects.
He’d go from one team not winning a World Series to another.
divers aren’t getting trout. neither is any other team. get over it
dodgers* not divers
Sell your Heaney stock! On whatever stupid site it is that came up with that idea.
TROUT ISN’T GOING ANYWHERE!!!!
Yes he is, he’s headed for the golf course on October 3.
You’re right, he isn’t going anywhere playing for that awful Angels team.
Hard to believe that this team has a payroll of 189 million and they’re not even going to win 80 games. Embarrassing but not surprising.
It would be embarrassing if their rotation was healthy. But with the amount of injuries this team has suffered this season I think we can thrown them a bone. No team makes the playoffs with a full rotation on the DL long term and their setup man and closer battling injuries. It just doesn’t happen.
Their taking a risk by not having Richards have the surgery now. It’s worked for Tanaka so far, but if they wait, they risk 2018 as well as 2017.
Read the article. They’ve risked nothing