After 39 games away from the team, Mike Trout is set to rejoin the Angels on Friday, per Tim Mead of the Angels’ public relations department (Twitter link). Via C.J. Daft of the Orange County Register, Trout proclaimed himself “ready to play” in the Majors following a fifth rehab game on Sunday. The Angels, incredibly, went 19-20 without Trout in the lineup, maintaining virtually the same pace at which they played when he was healthy. (Anaheim was 26-27 when Trout upon completion of the last game in which Trout played.) His return will be a boon to an Angels club that remains in the thick of the race for one of two American League Wild Card slots, though the division is effectively out of reach. Houston entered the break with a 60-29 record and is 16.5 games up over the second-place Angels.
More from the division…
- The lack of even an average bullpen is the primary obstacle standing between the Rangers and a Wild Card spot, opines Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. Texas finally has Adrian Beltre, Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish all healthy at the same time, but no team in the league has blown more saves than Texas’ 17. Grant suggests that the closer’s role is there for the taking for right-hander Keone Kela, and notes that healthy returns and some rest could allow Jeremy Jeffress and Tony Barnette to return to form. However, even if all of that pans out, the Rangers still likely need to bolster the relief corps via trade. Grant suggests that GM Jon Daniels connect with former colleague A.J. Preller to discuss a trade involving Brad Hand, noting that the shortstop-needy Padres could be intrigued with Jurickson Profar as a starting point. Of course, considering Profar’s durability issues and lack of production in the Majors, it’s worth emphasizing that Grant suggests Profar as a mere starting point. Hand unquestionably has more value than the former top prospect at this point. In fact, because Profar spent two seasons on the MLB 60-day disabled list and accrued service time, he comes with the same amount of team control as Hand. Both are free agents following the 2019 season, so the Friars would undoubtedly look to get some more controllable assets added into a deal.
- Mariners bullpen coach Mike Hampton has tendered his resignation to the team, according to a press release from the club. Hampton’s resignation is effective immediately. The M’s didn’t announce a replacement for the former big league left-hander, though the release indicates that they’ll do so prior to Friday’s game. Hampton spent a season and a half as Seattle’s bullpen coach and had previously been coaching in the Angels’ minor league system before being named to the Mariners’ Major League staff.
- Improving the team’s defense will be a focus for the Athletics in the second half and beyond, manager Bob Melvin tells reporters (link via MLB.com’s Josh Horton). The A’s have already begun to move on that front, bringing up slick-fielding third baseman Matt Chapman and moving on from some other veterans as a means of getting younger, more athletic players like Jaycob Brugman and Bruce Maxwell in the lineup. “We’re starting to get some athletic guys, whether it’s Chapman or Marcus [Semien] back in here,” says Melvin. “We were very one dimensional last year and at the beginning of this season, too. Those are areas [fielding and baserunning] that we need to improve in. And I think we can.” With Oakland looking to potentially move multiple veterans this summer, that emphasis is worth keeping in mind, and it will be once again this offseason as Oakland looks to augment its roster with some veteran players on affordable deals.
A’s need to sign Dyson and Cain to round out the OF. Brugman is AAAA and not good at CF and not good enough to hit for a corner.
They’re almost there, throwing all the money they’ve been saving at Cain & Dyson, along with turning over the horrible bullpen too (with the exceptions of Madson & Doolittle) will turn them into contenders. They’re closing in on it, 2018 is their year. Should have maybe been this year if injuries to Graveman, Doolittle, Gray & Semien didn’t slow them down.
Lol
hahahahahaha!!!!!
Cain is on the wrong side of 30. Dyson is over rated. Brugman was their minor league player of the year last year he just needs time. The infield is set for the next 4-6 years at least. They need to focus on starting pitching and in the outfield. Won’t be surprised if the A’s flip Gray and Lowrie for those positions this year with young talent.
Brugman is solid but needs to prove himself. A’s have no other outfield defense. They need a CF badly so wouldn’t be surprised if they signed 1 of the 2 but not both.
Bruh
Don’t know what’s up with the double comment
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You MUST BE an A’s fan. “2017 should have been their year ” ha ha ha lay of the hallucinogens
Proof that one player won’t make or break a baseball team.
Who knows how they would have done during that stretch with him though. All you can really do is compare how the guy who replaced him did in that time.
Mike Trout can’t carry a team by himself, for example, last season
Proof that Mike Trout doesn’t pitch.
The pitching last year didn’t go well at all aside from a few names. Weaver was the only starter pitching the whole season and that tells you something. The angels bullpen this year has been one of the best in baseball. The starters not so much as their top 5 guys are on the dl.
They should trade Trout……SMH…….horrible management in Anaheim
Trout to Yanks at deadline. Yanks never needed a farm anyways. Now Picture an OF of Trout Harper and Judge in just a few years.
Pretty sure Judge would be involved in a Trout to NYY deal.
Frazier, Sanchez, Mateo, Torres, Scheffield….
It’s Mike Trout, not Joe Schmo.
it would be Sánchez or judge and a bunch of minor leaguers
This is a joke, Right?
With out Trout Anaheim stadium is empty. They will never trade him.
B. S. Trout to Yankees starts with Judge….then Frazier, Sanchez etc. that’s what a generational player costs.
Miguel Cabrera cost Maybin and Miller.
lol completely different
I don’t expect Kela to be given full reign to the closers role til towards the end of this year, if not next season because of his shoulder issue that hasn’t fully healed.
So we can all agree that Trout is a 0 WAR player now right
Well if you think about it, him not being with the team has negatively affected them not only because he’s not on the field, but also their morale/mindset. His BSWAR has got to be around -2.0 if you factor that it, though I am no sabremetrician!
Profar to the Padres doesn’t make much sense to me anymore. I think the earliest the Padres could field a competitive team would be 2020 so his service time really drains all of his value to them.
Even if he’s the stating point and they send a longer term asset, I just don’t see the point of acquiring him when he’ll be a FA before the team will be any good. I’d rather see Preller go for low level prospects with upside.
I used to really like the Profar to the Padres idea, but that was 3 years ago. Now it’s a hard pass. The Padres need to leverage Hand and Solarte into their SS of the future, and the Rangers don’t have anyone good enough that fits that mold.
Yeah, Profar is exactly what the Padres need. A no-hit, no-glove, 0.0 career WAR shortstop with 2 years left of team control. That’s how you start negotiations…
Profar and a case of expired Boomstick hot dogs. Maybe throw in a Josh Hamilton autographed bat for cash back.
The Hamilton autographed bat line made me laugh out loud 😉
Dontrelle Willis was the big draw in that trade. Wow, did he fall fast
Turner would look pretty good in San Diego..
I REALLY hope you aren’t referring to Trea Turner
jacob turner.
Well..he could’ve meant to say.. he WOULD’VE looked pretty good in San Diego
What’s the hype about Profar anymore? I get that he’s still young and he can turn it around, but he’s looking dangerously like a bust, and his lack of significant team control knocks his value down a lot too. I know that it’s been emphasized that he’d only be a starting point in a deal for Hand, but to me he wouldn’t really move the needle at all.
yeah the team control is what kills it for me he would be on the team as long as hand
You just wouldn’t trade trout…ever!
Miami traded Cabrera because he would have never signed long term there. Trout is playing in a baseball city, for a team that wants to win. As soon as they get out from hamilton’s contract they will be able to make some moves. Pair that with some healthy pitchers and trout can carry that side to the promised land
true true true. 2019 and on the Angels would be competitive again