The Angels placed catcher Max Stassi on the IL this evening, the team announced, and selected the contract of catcher Austin Romine to take his place on the active roster. As Stassi’s IL stint comes without an injury designation, it’s likely COVID-related, which would mean his time on the injured list has no minimum duration.
Signed to a three-year extension this March, Stassi has joined the rest of the league in getting off to a slow start this season. Through 19 games behind the plate, the 31-year-old has hit .200/.288/.354 (91 OPS+) with three home runs and strikeouts in more than one third of his at-bats. While Stassi is striking out in droves, he’s also walking at a career-best rate and is part of a league-best offense that’s been buoyed by otherworldly performances from outfielders Mike Trout and Taylor Ward.
With Stassi’s absence, the first-place Angels have now seen their Opening Day catching tandem hit the IL, with Kurt Suzuki hitting the IL for COVID-related reasons just a few days ago. Any lack of continuity behind the plate should be of some interest to Halos fans, as the duo has helped steer the team’s rotation into a top-10 run prevention unit this season.
The 33-year-old Romine will join the club for his 11th big league season, forming a new catching duo with recent call-up Chad Wallach. Signed to a minor league deal by the club in March, Romine is fresh off an injury-ruined season with the Cubs in which he hit .217/.242/.300. Those numbers have rebounded in a small Triple-A showing this year, but more importantly for the Angels (and their pitchers) the veteran catcher will bring a reputation as a sturdy defender to the big league club.
This isn’t good, now we’ll have 2 black holes at the bottom of the line-up.
Stassi is hitting .200 and striking out nearly 40% of the time
Not saying the other two guys are going to mash, but Stassi wasn’t an offensive bright spot.
I don’t expect much from the catching position offensively. Stassi and Suzuki know and handle the staff well. With both out, this could go horribly.
It’s not like Romine has never caught before. And it’s been 1 game, but Wallach looked fine last night
I think most fans are more comfortable with Stassi and Suzuki behind the plate compared to Wallach and Romine. It shouldn’t be a huge deal. After the Rays, we have some lesser competition, the As and the Rangers compose the next 4 series. After Sunday’s win, we have all the momentum in the world. Let’s keep it rolling.
Yeah our triple a depth is really getting tested. Rengifo was having a nice season in triple a, hopefully he can step up up the middle and give us a little more offense, but we’re really running thin at the bottom of the order
More than two. Just saying.
With Ward out of the lineup, we don’t have a RF, 2b, SS or catcher who can hit.
Marsh and Rendon are not tearing the cover off the ball.
That leaves Trout, Ohtani and Walsh.
And its more of a guaranteed loss with Detmers pitching today. Team is 2-3 with him pitching.. and his era doesn’t help.
Well Vegas has the Angels as a slight favorite. If it is a guaranteed loss, you should probably put your house on the Rays and you should get another house basically for free.
Um, yeah, how is that going…….
I think Detmers is starting to figure it out in the bigs.
Guaranteed loss. Typical Angel hater. Detmers is throwing a no hitter through 6. Try and think before you write.
@kellin hmmm guarenteed loss to no hitter. How do you like them apples, hater?
So much for the guaranteed loss!
He had a 5+ ERA going into tonight. I’m glad he figures it out tonight. If you think I’m an angels hater, try reading some of my other comments on this thread.
It’s one game. Let’s see if he’s the real deal or not. The team has had quite a few pitchers who were supposed to be amazing and ended up not. Yes, he’s young and got brought up quickly. Christ. I make one comment before the game starts and people on this message board. Lol.
@Kellin…..don’t quit your day job.
Looks like you might need a new chrystal ball.
Haha
ERA at this point of the year is volatile. It’s a terrible way to evaluate a pitcher. His curveball is good, his fastball not so much. He needed another pitch, and he threw the change up last night around 30 times.
If that pitch is working for me, he should be more than adequate.
I realize fans are reactionary, and are driven by recency bias. But Detmers was the number one pick. No one should have been too down on him.
PWN3D!
Well, I was actually speaking in support of Detmers. I thought he was showing signs of looking really good BEFORE the no-no.
Ward is back
Ward is not in any lineup I’ve checked.
Romine was great on the Yankees. His bat was so so but he was a solid backup catcher for years.
I look at the ‘18 Sox who won >100 games, they had two no bat good frame/glove catchers and they did just fine…
Well this sucks. But at least we have decent depth. And Thaiss has been getting behind the plate and can play other positions. I’d like to see us give him a shot again. But we are better with Max and Kurt behind the dish…get healthy boys. And stay away from the clubhouse!
Any team that gives ABs to Wade, Rengifo and Mayfield doesn’t have depth
You’re high, Rengifo has plenty of time to develop
He 25 and hasn’t hit. He can’t hit now. He hasn’t hit in the past. And didn’t hit in Spring training.
… so Adell has until he’s 25?
Adell raked against RH pitching. He’s already a much better hitter than these guys. He still should be in AAA because there are things he needs to work on.
Rengifo is a very flashy, loud player who is long to the ball, both offensively and defensively. He can square one up with that long swing, but it’s not enough.
I’d like to see Duffy play 2b. I know he can hit. I’d like to see Rengifo and Mayfield down in AAA playing with Adell
Maybe Rengifo just turned things around. He hit a double to the wall and scored off a Velasquez base hit. Yay us.
Maybe he did. But he still hit just over 200 this spring. Nine up nine down foe Detmers, maybe he turned thing around. Maybe Kluber doesn’t have it. And Adell has a BB tonight.
We’ll know more in a couple weeks.
I like Adell. He’s working hard and getting better. But it’s worth noting that his hitting vs RHP may not qualify as raking just yet. He only has 43 ABs vs RHP which is a very small sample size. More importantly, his SO to Walk ratio is 18/0 and his BABIP is an unsustainable .409.
Again, I like Adell and I’m rooting for him. The Angels are better if Adell can play up to his potential.
Very small sample size, but still. He walked twice tonight in AAA, which is exactly where he should be. He’s too promising to be a 4th outfielder. He needs to work on control of the strike zone and defense.
As players, I don’t like Wade, Rengifo or Mayfield. I also thought Ward was a serviceable 4th outfielder…. It’s not like I’m always right.
None of us are always right. I wanted to resign Cobb who is now struggling after getting off to a good start. I didn’t think anyone would sign Albert last year. Nor did I think anyone would sign Freeman to a six year contract… I could go on.
Cobb is throwing really well. I think it’s far too early to say you were wrong.
Adell just hit a HR. He’s batting 455 with 2 HRs. Marsh and Walsh have to play everyday and Adell has things to learn.
@Angels It is true none of us are always right, but you and I were the few that understood that this was one of the Angel’s best chances in years. How many post were there, Lorenzen sucks, Thor isn’t going to be good, we need a shortstop, Perry doesn’t know what he is doing posts did we have to defend against. this off season?
It makes the season thus far so much more rewarding.
Adell walked 4 times at AAA tonight. Just putting it out there.
Cheers, MrAngelFan. Angels are must see TV right now – Trout hits two dingers, Rendon hits a bomb batting lefty, Walsh makes the best error ever (and applauds the official scorer who got it right), Detmers throws a no-no, etc. Tune in tomorrow…
Angels are definitely having fun right now. Poor Brett Phillips. Could you imagine being told to sneak your 55 mph eephus pitch by the likes of Trout and Ohtani. Definitely tuning in tomorrow, Shohei is pitching, so everyone will be watching.
@Halo11Fan….yes, I’ve noticed.
Any team that had to give AB’s to Eckstein. Kennedy, and Spezio doesn’t have depth.
Fregosi knows nothing about baseball… got it
I’m confident Thaiss is getting time behind the dish in Salt Lake.
So we’re in first place, one of three teams to get to 20 wins, our pitching has been decent to very good, and you guys are wringing your hands over Stassi having a short stint on the IL. Some of you need to have something to complain about. This is the topic for today I guess.
My sentiments as well
To be fair there’s a ton of Angel fans {generations} that have no idea that games are won on the mound in the MLB so this is all new territory for them as far as gameplay….
Not enjoying the success while it’s happening, I’m stumped on that one tho
What Angel fan is not enjoying the success? It doesn’t sound like you are being fair to me.
Maybe bkbkbk, But I doubt he’s an Angel fan
My judgments mainly come from my Angel friends who are in daily fear the other shoes gonna drop any minute b/c “they have no 2b” or “have to depend on rookie OF’ers”
They don’t seem to acknowledge the pitching aspect very well at all, but they havent seen this level of pitching in over a decade so I see where the rust comes from
Also Angel threads in here have been {very} nervous it feels on a whole for a team playing great baseball.
I felt Prov’s post was very on point to my interactions Ive encountered with Angel fans these first 30 games
I picked the Angels for a playoff spot preseason, Im not surprised the tweaks they have made has them here to date. Love that Patty Sandoval kid ya got there Halo, he’s fun to watch work
Oh trust me, I’m totally lording it over a Dodgers fan friend of mine that the Angels have gotten to 20 wins before they have!
True…..and it only required Halos to have played 3 more games than the Dodgers. That’s the thing about stats; you can read/twist them any way you want to.
JAD – You totally missed the point but whatever.
Prov366 – and what exactly was the point, that the Angels made it to 20 wins before the Dodgers? True that…….and if the Dodgers had 32 games under their belt as do the Angels my money is the Dodgers would have won that race (though I suspect they didn’t even know it was a race). The point is there is no point to be made……just as long as the halos are playing October baseball.
My point was people are being negative when the Angels are playing their best baseball in years.
Just saying our lineup has a lot of holes. It does. Everything else is good.
When Ward comes back, and Marsh and Rendon start hitting more, this team should score even more runs.
So Suzuki then Stassi. At least we have experienced catching depth in AAA. Not exactly barn burners, but guys who shouldn’t embarrass themselves.
Hopefully all are well soon.
Any team that had to hive AB’s to Eckstein. Kennedy, and Spezio doesn’t have depth.
You must think very highly of yourself to post this lame comment twice.
Has to be the dumbest comment of the year.
In 2oo2, the worst of those guys was Eck who had an wRC+ of 105. I highly doubt any of those guys will match that this year.
Your comments are hilarious. Keep em coming! Looking for more great moves by Maddon tonight.
And you don’t explain why. I understand why you don’t, because you can’t. Your post are either extremely simplistic, stupid or filled with hyperbole.
This thread is a good example of each.
Am I getting to you, 11?
Matt Thaiss is watching his career dwindle away as this was a perfect opportunity for him to earn a spot on MLB….but no he hits .226 instead and injured like the others.
LETTUCE see how ROMINE does !!
It’s Romaine bro.
CLOSE ENOUGH !! (And I Knew That)
Bench Rengifo! He hasn’t hit in forever! Right, 11! Haha!
Maybe most solid emergency catcher duo ever.
Yip, 11 is right. We don’t have a RF. 2B, C, and SS, that can hit. Just 5 for 8 with 4 RBIs in 3 innings. LoL!
This is one Great Game! Where’s 11???????? He must be enjoying this!!!!!!! Hahahahahahahaha!!!!!!! What a Doomer.
Simplistic hyperbole. You at your best.
I get it, once again, you having the last word! You are truly a small person.
Let’s go Angels!!
NO NO!!!!!!!
And that is why the games are played, Doomers. Nothing is predictable. You start making assumptions and you end up being wrong once again. Right, 11.
Great to see you again Fregosi, enjoyed the game tonight for sure!
Let’s go Angels!!
Talk about a fun game! A No-no and a Homer Fest! Fun to watch, Buddy!
Buddy!!! How are you doing? (It’s phi447)
We are cruising and doing well…thanks!
We hope the the best for you and yours!
I knew who you were, your posts are always great, fair and spot on. That’s your signature, a fair man!
Oh yeah, go Angels!!
Congrats Angels fans! Rendon’s switch-hitting homerun was also fun to watch.
Well this aged nicely. Wallach caught a no-no and homered. Plus missed two other home runs by inches. So much for him being an emergency catcher