The Angels issued a pair of unpleasant health updates Tuesday, revealing that right-hander Blake Wood will require the second Tommy John surgery of his career. Meanwhile, right-hander Matt Shoemaker has already undergone forearm surgery — specifically, a nerve decompression and a pronator teres tendon repair. Wood, obviously, will be out the remainder of the 2018 season and a significant portion of the 2019 season. As for Shoemaker, the Angels merely announced that “additional information will be provided when appropriate.”
The outlook on Shoemaker looks to subtract a second rotation piece from the rotation for the foreseeable future. J.C. Ramirez has already undergone Tommy John surgery and won’t pitch again this season. For the time being, that leaves the Angels with a rotation mix of Shohei Ohtani, Garrett Richards, Tyler Skaggs, Andrew Heaney, Jaime Barria, Nick Tropeano and Parker Bridwell atop the depth chart. While those are certainly seven capable starters, there’s no shortage of recent injury issues among the group, either.
It’ll be the second straight season in which Shoemaker has undergone surgery to address a nerve issue in his forearm. While the righty has shown to be a plenty capable rotation arm at times in the big leagues — he logged a 3.80 ERA in 431 1/3 innings from 2014-16 — he’s never made more than 27 starts in a season and has never topped 160 innings as a Major Leaguer. While the Angels surely hope to see him return to the roster by season’s end, Shoemaker’s lack of durability makes it difficult to count on him for any meaningful contributions moving forward.
Wood, 32, joined the Angels via waiver claim last season and has posted a 3.77 ERA with 32 strikeouts against 11 walks in 28 2/3 innings out of the Halos’ bullpen. However, he landed on the DL with an elbow impingement late in April, which eventually prompted further testing and eventually revealed the UCL damage.
Now, with surgery to address that damage set for this Friday, it appears that the injury could ultimately spell the end of Wood’s time with the Angels. Wood entered the season with five years, 131 days of MLB service time, meaning he’ll be a free agent at season’s end. He’ll finish out the season on the 60-day DL, and while he could certainly return to the Halos on a minor league deal, he’ll also be able to gauge interest from all 30 clubs on the open market.
First!
Loser!
Wow, unbelievable. They really did not want the surgeries it was just their turn. The Angels are pitcher killers
No one WANTS the surgery, but they need it.
It’s the Angels they line me up
Sorry line me up
Damn auto correct line them up
What was it the first play of the 96or97 season you slipped and you were done for good.
Don’t forget Nick Tropeano. He has been solid. That Angels problem is their bullpen, not their rotation.
This just in Breaking newsTrop needs TJ surgery
That comment was unnecessary
So was yours
Their BP is 12th with a 3.68 ERA, their rotation is 9th with a 3.79 ERA…..
Want Kirby Yates back?
Wow, They are getting hammered by arm injuries
Since 2012
The only west coast team that isn’t dealing with a slew of pitching injuries is the Padres.
Tyson Ross and Craig Stammen in a package deal Angels?
For who Pujols and Blash? Lol
I don’t think you’re getting a 3.13 and 1.73 ERA for your teams scraps
That’s my point we have no one to trade without seriously weakening the team.
Not true, two or three of Jo Adell, David Fletcher, Matt Thiass, Brandon Marsh and Jose Suarez could easily get Ross and Stammen. Ross is in a walk year, he’s not -that- valuable. Angels do have prospect firepower in that group of guys.
Same thing that the Angels always do. Trade away unproven young controllable talent that solidifies other teams for fringe aging players that never meet exceptions. Hence, one of the worst minor leagues in MLB. And a wild card team that may get to the divisional round and then out. No thanks, Eppler is smarter than that.
You implied the Angels have nothing to trade, I showed you they do. Honestly they could do better than Ross and Stammen if they put those 5 on the trade table….maybe even enough to take a shot at the Astros.
That is true and also my point. Keep the young talent unless you can get a top of the rotation starter
How much would it cost to get just stammen? Ross seems unnesassary as the rotation isnt the problem its the bullpen. Jim johnson is trash
Stammen probably costs you guys Chris Rodriguez. I would do it though. Mike Trout’s career isn’t going to last forever, take advantage of every opportunity you can to get him to the playoffs again.
The Angels have a little prospect capital now, 3 top 100 guys on most lists. The problem is trading what little we have for the chance at a Wild Card. Houston is still the class of this division by a pretty wide margin.
If Eppler makes any moves, it will likely be of the salary absorbing kind. Like Upton last year.
I believe they have 4 or 5 in the top 100 since it was last updated last week
Why give up that young talent for THOSE pitchers. Get me a top of the rotation guy under contract and may then maybe I see that happening. Stoneman type moves
Would the rangers deal Cole Hamels to a division rival like the Halos?
No
Didn’t know you were Jon Daniels
I am “In disguise” Angels fan. If that is your real name? Or is Bobby Grich?
I don’t see any reason to panic about the rotation. 6 starters have been good to great and Bridwell isn’t bad (though not as good as last year’s numbers would seem to indicate).
The Angels need bullpen help, and they need it sooner rather than later. I’d love to see them make an offer for Herrera from KC…beat the competition.
I’m so scared for Ohtani’s arm, he really did pick the absolute worst team to be a pitcher on – the Angels medical and pitching staffs should be tried for crimes against baseball. How many TJ’s will it take before they realize that every single thing they think they should do to pitchers is wrong?
Good thing he can hit too lol
Can’t hit when you get TJ, Gleyber Torres already missed a year from it, lol
True
That’s what I was saying when Middleton was diagnosed with UCL damage, but I got attacked by everyone
You got attacked by mindless idiot homers aka the scourge of any attempted unbiased baseball discussion. You were right.
So sorry cry baby
A dodgers fan talking trash on the Angels ? No way
I’m a Bachmann-Turner Overdrive fan, not a Dodgers fan, sigh. I don’t stan or homer for any team – they all do things wrong and have problems.
It has zero to do with Angels coaching staff.
It might help to know most every team’s fansite has the same thread. Each team’s fanbase thinks theirs is the only one with arm injuries to the pitching staff.
Besides which, the damage which leads to UCL problems is cumulative over many years of playing, going back to age 8-10, not the result of “bad training technique” in the pros.
GeoKaplan….you know it’s true, I know it’s true, orthopedic surgeons know it’s true…JTO will tell you it’s from learning a 2-seamer or such.
Yup, its throwing the same pitches from childhood to the pros then suddenly adding a pitch in an offseason and not fully developing the proper mechanics for it. Happens over and over and over and over….
If peoples genetics and throwing motion are bad, how is it the teams fault? Angels drafted or traded for certain players with a skill set that is prone to being injuried. Nothing really a staff can do….
Take a look at the Dodgers rotation and you’ll see a worse situation.
Tropeano, not Bridwell
The reds would pay the Angels heavenly to take Homer Bailey off their hands. I figure pay next year’s 23 million plus the 5 million buy out. Angels cover remaining 2018 salary of around 13 million
What the…..never mind god home kid
If the reds take on pujols sure!
How does not pitching over 160 innings make a players contribution not meaningful? At a time when few pitchers reach 200, and quality starts are measured at 5, pitching 20-30 less than a “reliable” rotation piece can be just as meaningful. Mike Pelfrey can pitch 160+. Hardly makes it meaningful. If Ohtani fails to pitch 160, will his contributions be meaningless?