Angels right-hander Chris Rodriguez recently underwent capsule repair surgery on his throwing shoulder, general manager Perry Minasian told reporters (including Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register). He is expected to miss the majority of next season recovering.
It’s unfortunately familiar territory for Rodriguez, who only made three minor league appearances between 2018-19 because of back issues. (He also didn’t appear in a game in 2020 because of the canceled minor league season). Public prospect evaluators have raved about his upside on the mound for years, but there’d been questions about whether he could stay healthy enough to live up to his potential even before this latest development.
Rodriguez made his big league debut in 2021, working 29 2/3 innings across 15 appearances. The 23-year-old posted a 3.64 ERA despite subpar strikeout and walk numbers (21.6% and 11.2%, respectively), largely on the strength of a huge 54.7% ground-ball rate. Rodriguez averaged nearly 96 MPH on his power sinker, so it’s little surprise batters had such difficulty elevating the ball against him. That showing likely would’ve put him in the mix for a high-leverage bullpen role come Spring Training, but the Angels will now have to navigate at least the first couple months of the season without him.
In other Angels’ news, Minasian told reporters that outfield/first base coach Bruce Hines will not return in 2022 (via Sam Blum of the Athletic). The GM also confirmed the previously-reported departures of catching coach José Molina and third base coach Brian Butterfield.
Dang! wanted to see how well he does as a starter!
Lol
Thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.
Prayers and thoughts for a fast heal
Shots and beers for Speedy Gonzalez.
Well, that sucks.
Not good.
The Mets are cursed from stupidity and the Angels are cursed by injuries. Seems like 20 years ago now since Trout was in the postseason
Angels gonna be active pursuing pitching. Wouldn’t be surprised if they go after Verlander, Greinke, Scherzer and land at least 2.
Nah, instead they’ll pay top dollar for an infielder… and miss the playoffs again
Greinke looked terrible in the 2nd half. Only pitched in the postseason because McCullers was hurt. Verlander coming off TJ at his age, risky. Scherzer a “dead arm.” Brewers trade Freddy Peralta for Jerad Walsh, who’s from Wisconsin
Why would Walsh being a Wisconsin native matter? The Brewers’ blueprint for winning is pitching. I doubt they would weaken that when they can find other ways to address their weaknesses.
They’ll go after Scherzer, but I think they’ll come away with Verlander and Robbie Ray. Verlander is throwing and already hitting 95. He could wind up being a relative bargain. Verlander, Ray, Ohtani, Sandoval becomes quite a core rotation, and the Angels have a ton of depth at 5 and 6 that is quality.
The Angels will be active but will come up empty yet again. Looking at the top free agent pitchers, it’s far more likely they return to their former teams than move on. There’s no way the Dodgers let Scherzer or Kershaw walk, Ray seems likely to return to the Jays, Gausman most likely returns to the Giants, and no thanks on JV or Greinke.
It’s doubtful the Dodgers keep both Scherzer and Kershaw– and Kershaw did not receive a qualifying offer, so obviously the Dodgers don’t believe there is a deal for Kershaw at $20MM a year anymore. Does Kershaw agree? Angels aren’t looking for Kershaw, but the Rangers and possibly the Astros will be. Verlander’s wife is a model and wants to live in Los Angeles. His arm is healthy and last night I heard he was hitting 97 free and easy, so the Angels on a one-year deal with an option, and possibly incentive laden deal is highly possible. Everyone knows they Angels are missing high end starters and they can be the missing piece. They will want assurances that more will be done. Robbie Ray isn’t going back to Toronto, and Grienke isn’t going back to Houston. I don’t think the Angels have any interest in Grienke at this point in his career. Gausman back to SF makes sense, but they like short term deals– so it will come down to money and the length of deal Gausman receives. But you’re right– the Angels have not been able to land the big fish the last few years, so the odds are against them and they might come up empty. I can see them trading Adell for Luis Castillo, and then signing either Robbie Ray, Verlander, or Scherzer. The low cost of Castillo would then enable them to stack their bullpen with Iglesias and Jansen, and add a league average or better right fielder… Rosario, Joc Pederson, Duvall– someone in that realm. We shall see what is available to them.
An Angel pitcher with an injury? Really? I don’t believe it!
So it begins . . .
+1 just for your username
When the Angels go a month without a major pitching injury, that’s news. This is business as usual.
^very true. tragic. smh
@Halo11Fan, The silver lining is finding out now and not later. They just need to find at least one solid SP this winter and another at the 2022 trade deadline. With Correa likely gone from Houston, that division might shift dramatically.
Who would be your first choice? Luis Castillo in a trade, or someone else? He was much better later on after an inexplicably slow start.
The Angels need to find a lot more than one solid starter this off-season…..
If they find a bullpen, one starter, and a stop gap at short, I’ll be very very happy. Heck, if they find a bullpen I’ll be very, very, happy.
Don’t be surprised if Jo Adell is traded for Castillo. Then they sign either Robbie Ray, Scherzer, or Verlander. I think Verlander at $25MM becomes a deal and Castillo saves them big money they can then roll over into Iglesias,, Jansen, and a right fielder.
Offseason is just starting and already Angels pitchers are getting hurt…
The comments people leave on here get dumber and dumber. I don’t ever comment because you guys leave me speachless!!!
I’d just like to thank the Dodgers for signing Heaney, so at least you have that disaster on your hands for a year…
Lmao yeah and watch he tweaks a delivery or relies on a different pitch mix and thrives in Dodger Stadium to the tune of 180ip, 14-6 w-l, sub 4.00 era, 170+ Ks etc. and all those other fancy stats.
once a pitch doesn’t go his way he breaks down.
Let’s be real here…Chris Rodriguez was NOT going to be a major contributor (regular starter) in 2022 even before today’s news. Maybe a spot starter / reliever / IL-MiLB-MLB shuttle bus driver.
To me Rodriguez was a long reliever, spot starter. And could have been a big part of the 2022 pen.
Yeah I suppose you’re right. He could’ve been the #3-4 guy out of the pen.
With all these oft-injured pitchers it’s become difficult to envision good things happening. Frustrating as hell.
Never saw him as a starter either but did see him becoming a closer/set up man of the future
might need to accept that he’s gotta pitch out of the pen with the injuries already piling up.
Can’t wait for 16 of the 20 pitchers that were drafted this past season to get Tommy John… can’t fight destiny.
US ANGEL FANS – oh cool all draft picks are pitchers this year!
ANGELS DRAFT PICKS – Oh S#%T!!
I wonder if investing more in minor leaguers health and conditioning could have prevented some of Rodriguez’s injury history… not sure why Angels pitchers get injured so frequently
being forced live in a roach infested apartment? malnutrition? lack of quality sports therapists? maybe lack of quality armature scouts? arte doesn’t spend money on anything that has no quick returns.
Actually feel really bad for the kid. 23 and has already had back surgery, with a rod in place I believe. Now shoulder surgery, not good. The shoulder is one area a pitcher can not see what his true outcome will be. So many great careers that we never got to see.
Shout out to Alex Meyer. When the nationals drafted him 2012 in the first round and then traded him to the twins for Denard Span the next year I thought they were crazy. They knew his deliver would never hold up. Got hurt the next year and the Angels scored him years later 2016, bum shoulder and all with Nolasco for Santiago. Finally started putting together a full season in 2017 then.. done. Angels gave him two more years to come back. Couldn’t even throw a game in the minors.. good luck Chris. Baseball hasn’t been too kind on your health.. but that sniker is whicked!
the angels need to sign rich hill to teach youngster how to take care of their pitching bodies.
Uh, Hill is hurt every season.
Getting the injuries off to an early start.
As much as I wanted to see Rodriguez as a SP, I think we all knew his body wouldn’t hold up. Realistically, I hoped a healthy Rodriguez would be a high leverage RP in ’22 and maybe a future closer.
Rodriguez pitching motion always made me nervous-disaster waiting to happen