Angels right-hander/designated hitter Shohei Ohtani played catch Friday — his first time throwing since undergoing Tommy John surgery last year. The Angels tweeted video of the 23-year-old doing so, and Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times adds that he made about 60 to 70 light tosses from a max distance of “about” 12 feet (Twitter links). It’s an ever so minor first step in the electrifying young talent’s return to the mound — one that’ll be accompanied by a corresponding decline in his swinging for the time being. Ohtani’s hitting drills will be limited to soft toss for the foreseeable future, as the Halos proceed with extra caution regarding his right elbow. He’s reportedly targeting an early May return to the lineup as a DH.
More injury and rehab notes from around baseball…
- Orioles first baseman Chris Davis underwent an MRI on an ailing left hip that has kept him out of game action since Sunday, manager Brandon Hyde divulged to reporters (link via MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko). The test was described as “precautionary,” though, and Hyde indicated that Davis has been feeling better as the week has progressed. While spring stats don’t mean much, it’s hardly encouraging that Davis is 1-for-12 with seven strikeouts to begin Grapefruit League play. The soon-to-be 33-year-old turned in the worst season of his career in 2018, hitting just .168/.243/.296 with 16 home runs and a staggering 36.7 percent strikeout rate in 522 plate appearances.
- Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch tweets that Cardinals righty Carlos Martinez is still another five to seven days away from even being able to throw. Meanwhile, a calf strain will sideline utility infielder Jedd Gyorko for about a week. Martinez has been slowed by shoulder weakness this spring and already received a platelet-rich plasma injection, though a timetable on his readiness for game activity will remain murky until the team can see how he responds to throwing. There’s been talk of him working as a reliever in 2019, as he did late in the 2018 season. Meanwhile, Gyorko figures to be a key backup all around the infield. A longer-than-expected absence for him would open more playing time for Yairo Munoz early in the season.
- The Nationals will be without infielder/outfielder Howie Kendrick for “at least” 10 to 12 days as he nurses a hamstring strain, Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post tweets. Kendrick underwent an MRI earlier this week to evaluate the status of his hamstring after he suffered an injury during a game last weekend. Opening Day is less than three weeks away, so the strain could potentially jeopardize his readiness.
- Outfielder Nicky Delmonico has been diagnosed with a “mild” concussion, the White Sox announced Friday. The 26-year-old sustained the injury upon crashing into the outfield wall in yesterday’s Cactus League contest. Delmonico piqued the interest of ChiSox fans with a strong .262/.373/.482 slash (166 plate appearances) as a rookie in 2017, but his production cratered in 2018 as he batted just .215/.296/.373. He’s been vying for an outfield job in a mix that includes Jon Jay, Leury Garcia, Adam Engel Danial Palka and non-roster invitee Brandon Guyer. Top prospect Eloy Jimenez obviously looms in waiting, though the widespread expectation is that the Sox will keep him Triple-A for a couple of weeks to open the season, thus buying an additional year of control over the vaunted slugger.
I was reading way too fast and thought Shohei got designated for assignment.
Bring back the downvote
lol
Been away awhile, what was their reasoning for doing so?
people downvoting sentimental posts mostly.
This site is no fun without being able to downvote Xabial.
Ok. Bye!!!
The man does seem to run the show.
Thanks for the random negativity.
Is it to early to start asking for Chris Davis to get cut. Something like $90 mil still owed to him.
The Orioles farm is still too young to get called up and the MLB level team is overall mediocre to garbage. The money is guaranteed either way so why not keep him and let Davis contribute more losses for a higher draft pick?
agreed
That’s finding a positive in the negative!
Only if you can answer what the upside to cutting him is?
There’s always a chance the guy rebounds and becomes a trade candidate where the team only covers some (or even most) of his salary whiLe getting something back.
A release gives you nothing but a roster spot which, on an utter noncontender, doesn’t bring value
Listen as a former HS lefty I can still make better contact then him. I’d rather be 1 for 12 with 1 K and 9 groundouts
You wouldn’t make that much contact against major league pitching.
The Cardinals missed the boat when they didn’t trade Carlos Martinez several years back. We’ve already see the best of Carlos Martinez. He’s a definite head case now.
No they didnt. Carlos us affordable and supremely talented. Dont just dump a guy. By your standards Wacha, Waino and Carp should have been punted on years ago.
It comes off as racist when Cards fans only complain about injured Latin players, and call them lazy as well. But white guys dont get called to carpet, when they get hurt or report in sub standard condition ie shelby miller, Garret Stephenson, Whalden, Clement.
Its a crappy double standard
He didn’t live up to Pedro Martinez’ expectations. Big deal. He’s still a top 5-10 pitcher in the NL when he’s healthy.
Do not confuse hindsight with intelligence. If Martinez was healthy you would be sitting on your hands.
You still have to pay the guy after you cut him. Unless he is blocking some top 1B prospect, keep him. Orioles dont have anyone else on their roster anyway.
Is Davis’s contract worst ever?
you could make a case for Jordan Zimmerman with the tigers, but yes Chris Davis’s contract has to be the worst ever
Miguel Cabrera’s will eventually bypass it.
Cabrera already had a good enough first season on that contract that that is already impossible. He’s still a feasible MLB player this far into the contract and Davis disappeared almost immediately. Yes it is worth more money, but some value is still better than negative value, no matter the difference in price.
its up there with that Chan ho park deal the Rangers did
Uhg forgot about that.
he was hurt but the rangers kept sending him out to pitch.
1000% the worst and no other contract comes close, with the deferred money the O’s are paying him for the next 18 years.
No question, because the signs that he would stink were already there.
Probably, because you can’t even justify them giving it out in the first place.
Everybody but the Orioles knew he’d never be worth it the day it was announced.
Homer Bailey was pretty stupid.
It’s funny in the “Angels can’t win so Trout should leave debate,” nobody talks about how Trout would basically get at least 5 years with Ohtani and Adell and more likely than not Simmonds as a foundation for whatever 10ish year deal he signs.
Yeah, it’s pretty bizarre that the mainstream media completely ignores the fact that the Angels are in a pretty good position to retain Trout. The core you mentioned (+Upton) is a strong group and there are several legit prospects expected to be ready around 20-21. I mean it’s entirely possible he leaves but there’s an equally reasonable case to be made for him sticking around and being smart in doing so. One is constantly written about, the other…
The media ignores that because they know the average fan isn’t paying attention to farm systems, and still thinks winning just magically happens with free agents and trades. For all we know, a Trout could easily choose to stay based on the Angels having an actual talented young future core, unlike when he first came up. That’s how organizations are functioning in today’s game any way.
I don’t think the media ignores it, it’s just that they don’t see the Angels jumping over the Astros anytime soon. Unfortunately for the Angels, that won’t be before 2021, and by then it could very easily be too little too late. The A’s won 97 games last year … that is a really solid season, and the Astro’s topped their surprise season. Not looking good for the Angels. In 2021 it’s going to take more than just money and “potential” to retain Trout
Blah blah blah free Mike Trout = I am jealous that the Angels have the best player of all time and my favorite team has little chance of getting him.
The Angels future looks bright without tanking and tear down. Will it work? I hope so. Go Angels!
I’m not sure that Carlos will ever live up to the hype that’s been said about him! If he indeed is just a head case then I’m also surprised that Molina hasn’t just lost it with him! Hope he can at least pitch out of the pen
Crush has turned in a big Crash.
Maybe he cant see the ball as well since pissing hot for amphetamines
I know that Ohtani wants to get back on the field as soon as possible, but I almost wonder if it’s worth it for the Angels to make him wait until he’s completely healthy to play at all, hitting or pitching. Sure it’s unlikely that he could reaggravate an arm injury while being a DH, but it’s just that… unlikely, not impossible. He’s good enough and the Angels have enough invested in him that caution may be the best move. Of course, whether or not they are contending will dictate some of this too.
Sadly, the best thing for the Orioles would be if Chris Davis had an injury serious enough that it forced his retirement. Insurance would then cover a large portion of his salary and they could move on. As it is, Davis will continue to underperform and his huge contract will hurt the O’s chance of rebuilding the team quickly.
cam bedrosian can’t pitch!
Agreed-agreed-agreed! Eppler, please don’t let the Angels break camp with that piece of crap!!
Tick Tock… how much longer until the Angels FO takes a hint, sees the writhing on the wall, and trades Mike Trout to the Phillies? I hope, for the sake of the Angels, they trade him at the deadline, Phillies or not. It’s whats best for the Organization, “if” they actually want to be a serious WS contender. No need to let Trout rot in the meantime.
if you are waiting for that to happen, you will wither away sitting down and waiting! get well soon!
The Phillies don’t have enough to get Trout. It starts with Nola. They need a lot more!
Not for 1.5 years of Trout. You can’t even ask with a straightface for a pitcher like Nola with anything less than 3 years. Trout is great and all but he is not going to command the return many think. Of course there could be a moron GM who bites, but let’s assume they all want to keep their jobs. 1.5 years with a 30mil plus salary doesn’t get you that type of return. All that said, the biggest return will come at this years deadline or sooner. Look at MM, the Orioles really whiffed on that return by holding onto him longer than they should’ve.
The other factor is, Trout has a full no trade, and the FO maybe want to agree to his desired destination. Of course trout can block if not. Will he? Who knows but that is an aspect of it all.
The Angels won’t get fair value for
Trout, since he is head and shoulders above what will come
Back in a trade, but they risk getting basically nothing if they don’t trade him.
The Angels FO essentially has 4 chances left to resign him, 3 windows to trade him. The smart move is to trade him, and boost the upcoming core that will be ready near the rail end of his prime, if lucky. They’ll also have to out wait the yanks/redsox/Astros era.
Writing is on the wall, hopefully the Angels FO has their prescriptions up to date, if not it is gross negligence to let him walk for draft compensation.
Don’t expect a callback for that GM job you interviewed for, mate.
Delmonico with his injury du jour.