TODAY: Washington told Jeff Fletcher and other reporters today that Moncada’s thumb has “some deep bruises” but “nothing is torn,” so “we’ve got to let it settle down before we start letting him try to hit.” The manager isn’t yet sure if Moncada may or may not need an IL stint to begin the season.
MARCH 15: The Angels have had a number of health woes throughout the spring, with among the most recent being concern that a nagging hamstring issue could keep infielder Luis Rengifo off the club’s Opening Day roster. Fortunately for the club and Rengifo, however, things appear to be trending in the right direction with less than two weeks remaining until the Angels begin their season in Chicago against the White Sox. As noted by Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register, Rengifo started the club’s spring game yesterday at third base and declared to reporters (including Fletcher) that he would be ready for Opening Day. Manager Ron Washington was more reserved, but acknowledged that Rengifo does have enough time to be ready for the start of the season so long as he avoids any further setbacks.
That Rengifo figures to be ready for the start of the season is surely a huge relief for the Angels. After all, the switch hitter was the club’s top offensive performer last year aside from Mike Trout, who was limited to just 29 games due to injuries last year. Rengifo was not healthy in 2024 himself, playing in only 79 games with 304 trips to the plate, but in those limited appearances he hit a solid .300/.347/.417 with a wRC+ of 117. Rengifo is currently penciled in as the club’s starting second baseman, though he has the versatility to handle third base, shortstop, and the outfield corners as well. With second baseman and 2024 first-rounder Christian Moore seemingly already knocking on the door of the major leagues with a phenomenal spring, it’s easy to imagine that versatility being key to Angels’ plans for Rengifo in the near future.
In other positive injury news, Fletcher relays that shortstop Zach Neto has been making progress as he works his way back from offseason shoulder surgery. Neto has already been ruled out for Opening Day, but isn’t expected to miss much of the regular season as he’s already ahead of his expected schedule. The 24-year-old has yet to progress to facing live pitching, but is preparing for game action by standing in the box for the bullpen sessions of his teammates and is currently throwing from 105 feet, nearly the full length from shortstop to first base. The Halos’ top hitter by both bWAR and fWAR last year, Neto figures to slide back into his job as the club’s everyday shortstop sometime in April as things stand.
Not all of the latest news out of Angels camp is positive, however. As noted by MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger, third baseman Yoan Moncada was scratched from yesterday’s lineup due to thumb soreness. He remained out of the lineup today, and while there’s been no indication of the severity of the issue to this point, it’s at least somewhat concerning given the veteran’s lengthy injury history and the issue’s proximity to Opening Day. If Moncada’s thumb issue were to prove more serious, non-roster invitee J.D. Davis may be best positioned to take advantage of the vacant job at third base although fellow non-roster invitees Tim Anderson and Carter Kieboom could also theoretically be in the mix.
Kieboom, such a waste of an epic baseball name
He’d be a great relief pitcher who gives up walkoffs
I’m not sure what’s worse: a front office who keeps thinking they can rely on habitual injured players or a medical and training staff who suck at their job. Maybe it’s both.
Signing injured guys knowing your medical staff sucks would seem to be a front office issue, definitely not a logical thing to be doing
Rengifo and Neto are good players.
Part of me would like to extend Rengifo but the injury thing is a real concern.
Hopefully he has a blistering May/June and we get a great return for him.
If this Spring is any indication, we will be sellers for sure. I predict we finally get our first 100 loss season this year.
Your so wrong. We will never lose 100 games. Plz get that out of your end. We will win 90 to 100 games.
@val
Admirable optimism. Fangraphs projects 76 wins and PECOTA says 74 wins, both projecting another last place division finish for your Halos.
What planet are u from
Planet pecota. It was discovered by Planet x.
That’s a big dumb lie. Never believe that non sense. Last place will be Oakland. Our angels will be 1st or 2nd place a d win the west. Get excited. And your halos too. Your on this page
Earth. Duh. just like you and everyone else.
hahahahahah. yeah ok.
Yes so stop with your lies. Thanks. Get excited for the season to start
Let us know when and if you return to reality.
What? Um I’m in reality now thank you.
@bivouac. He’s in a simulator, and instead of coming on command. He’s obligated to respond on mlbtr with nonsense. I like angels, but it wouldn’t surprise if the Sacramento a’s edge them out.
Angels have never lost 100 games because they have always been on some level of win-now mode, even when they were rebuilding. Like now. The big difference is that they foolishly switched from a pitching/defense organization to offense and top heavy WAR, the latter of which failed due to constant injuries and struggles by their stars. There is no Mark Langston/Chuck Finley. There is no Nolan Ryan/Frank Tanana. No Dean Chance. On the position player end, there is no Tim Salmon. No Vladdy. No Reggie Jackson. No Don Baylor. No Bobby Bonds. Not even an end of his rope Frank Robinson. Maybe I’m stuck in the age of superstars. But even though I love O’Hoppe and Neto, there is something missing. This team now has the make up of a team that has to pile on an endless list of 1-3 WAR payers in order to compete. That is, unless the Angels are the same point they were going into 1995 when their young players suddenly broke out and turned a team that had one winning season since 1986 into a juggernaut lineup.
Trout. Neto was a 5 WAR player last season. That is an All Star. O’hoppe is a great young player. Perry added some players that are incrementally better than the guys they replaced and they add up to the Angels being 4 or 5 wins better than last season. If Trout is healthy for 100 games then maybe 7-8 wins better.
Krol – I agree. We have the same problem this year that we’ve had for the last decade or more – pitching. Winning begins and ends with pitching. Our rotation is mediocre as is our BP. Guys like Suarez have a moment of solid performance and the Angels think that’s their new normal and hang on to them for years waiting for them to repeat it. It never happens and here we are. I can name countless others with the same result. No team in history has batted their way to a World Series.
To me, the only bright spot with our pitching staff is the back end of the BP.
Also, Adell, who has had plenty of time to break out, is still striking out at an alarming rate. He has shown that he can’t hit major league pitching yet there he is in a platoon in CF. Dude’s never had a full year in the minors. The Angels ruined his development because of it.
Adell is horrible
Will Anderson and Moncada make the club?
Of course moncada is our starting 3rd baseman.
Is Monday a better player than JD Davis?
I will answer my own question. Yes, more upside. Davis is a consistent league avg to 1 WAR guy and Yoan has had a few 4-5 WAR years.
@val4christ23. Moancada wasn’t really hitting in spring training. He was just walking alot i guess it works. This just means Anderson will be the 2nd baseman. Paris probably the 3rd baseman. It’s probably better it’s happening earlier so we can see how Davis, and Anderson look instead of just losing before the season starts by them opting out for not making the roster.
Moncada is a lock. Anderson probably will, that moves to definitely will if Rengifo is hurt.
Rengifo well be ready for opening day. Anderson will be here too
As a White Sox fan I hope they do well and bring joy to your club
TA is a no. Moncada is a yes. As always with Moncada the question is will he be healthy. Newman and Rengifo will probably get more games at 3B than he does.
It is nice to hear good injury news for the Angels for a change. It would be so nice to have both of those guys ready even close to opening day.
Glad to hear Rengifo and Neto are close. Hopefully Moncada’s thumb injury is minor.
Prov 356: I hope you’re doing well sir; God Bless.
Thanks Clipper. Things are great and we’re blessed beyond what we deserve. Hope you are too.
I don’t know anything about Christian Moore except he has all of 98 plate appearances in AA where he whiffed almost 30% of the time. What is with their constant rushing of prospects to the majors?
Poorly run franchise with no depth that is very shortsighted.
Ha! I guess that sums it up.
It’s the opposite. At least in terms of drafting college players and skipping most of the minor leagues. Angels may be tapping into something that leads to a change in MLB’s approach to drafting and rebuilding. Much of MLB is talking about what the Angels are doing. Even if it doesn’t result in a winning team this year or the next, why keep drafting out of high school and waiting years and years for most of these kids to either quit, become a minor league contract journeyman, or end up trade fodder for a salary dump?
The last first round pick the Angels took that has already gotten an All Star pick at some point in his career was CJ Cron (All Star in 2022 with COL) who was the 2011 draft pick. Now Neto likely will get one but that’s hardly the draft model to prop up as elite.
It’s not like there wasn’t talent in the areas where they have been drafting either.
Most players are better off skipping out farm system. It slows, not advances their progression.
College players. NCAA Baseball is a minor league system all on its own. Troy Glaus was drafted out of college and won the AL HR crown just 3 years later. The NFL drafts their next starting QB right out of college. Why can’t MLB do that? Angels are proving or just showing that baseball’s minor league system could just be arbitrary to the whole process of building for the future. Why draft players out of high school? That’s the big difference. Jim Edmonds was drafted at 18 and didn’t get called up until he was 23. Broke out at 25. Why not just go to college, play there, and get drafted at 20-21? Same thing. Might have broken out earlier if he had gone to college. Jim Abbott never played a minor league game after the Halos drafted him out of Michigan. In other words, the economic state of MLB is such that most organizations have to build from within these days just to be competitive. Gone are the days when a team could just sign Moises Alou to 3 year contract and get a possible .300+/30 HR/100 RBI season without breaking the bank. And I think MLB may possibly be looking towards a time when teams finally just draft their next star bat or ace starting pitcher out of college and right to the MLB roster. Or, just a much shorter stint in the minors to get ready. I think Perry Minasian is probably thinking about something like that, I think Nolan Schanuel holding his head above water so soon after being drafted is pretty remarkable. Taylor Blake Ward actually said that. Angels may be onto something with quicker rebuilding, and MLB is paying attention.
The Angels HAVE to do that. Perry has no choice. The “player development” staff in the Angels farm kills players instead of makes them MLB ready.
The NFL is a different animal.
I would lean towards college pitchers over HS pitchers.
Over the last 15 years, the breakdown of non-foreign Cy Young awards have been:
College – 21 total awards
HS – 7 total awards
I intentionally double counted multiple winners (Kershaw, Max, JV), since that meant that they were even better than just an ordinary draft pick.
But if one only drafted college pitchers, you would have missed Kershaw, Snell, Ray, Halladay. That’s 2 HOF pitchers right there.
So, it’s still a little tricky.
MVP’s are actually skewed more towards HS players:
College – 6 total awards
HS – 13 total awards
The others who won, who I did not include, were foreign born or pitchers.
Not sure if any of this means much, because there are a lot of good players that have never been named MVP. But it’s still interesting to see.
Still, it’s the most hope I’ve had for LAA in years.
2B Moore, SS Neto, 3B Moncada and Sub Regifo is solid if healthy. Too bad Trout couldn’t play 1B.
Where would Schanuel play?
@charlie. moore was raking. He cooled off and got hurt maybe he was playing through a injury. Some teams collect prospects like Pokémon cards, and never get called up or can’t make adjustments to hit in the mlb. Schanuel probably isn’t going to be a super star, but 250. With 15 hrs isn’t terrible for someone that had under 20 games in the minors. It just different philosophies with the same results because the draft is hit n miss.
I think the Angels best lineup has Rengifo in the outfield and Tim Anderson at SS. That moves Neto to second and gives the Angels the option to DH Trout exclusively, that’s what I’d do with Trout at this point.
I liked the possibility of Sheets getting some ABs this season too.
Anderson’s bat has been nonexistent the past two seasons and the Angels traded for Jorge Soler to be the DH. I agree that Trout should become a full time DH at this point in his career, to keep him healthy, but that, unfortunately, probably won’t happen until 2026 or 2027. Too bad, because that may be too late to keep his potent bat in the lineup regularly.
Trout should play left field, not right. He’s a noodle arm. Did you see that throw from RF he made Friday? Opposing team had the scouting report on that arm. He missed the cutoff by a country mile and just nothing behind it. Ward should play right.
If you think Trout’s arm is bad, then you need to watch Ward’s. There’s a reason Ward got moved from RF to LF. Everyone ran second to third on Ward back when he was in right.
Is this Gavin Sheets?
Maybe Larry Sheets is making a comeback?
He seems to have some strange amalgamation mashup of the Angels/White Sox circa 2021
Trout barely conceded CF, he’s not likely to give up playing the OF just yet. Also, if Trout is the DH than Soler is in the OF and thats not good either.
Anderson is 31, his bat is nonexistent and his defense isn’t what it was, Neto is arguably the Angels best player right now so why move him off of his position for an aging veteran whose range is diminishing and has gone 400 AB’s since his last Home Run
Andersons legs may be shot as he was unfortunately felled by an injury during a rundown w the Sox, but he’ll give 100% when on the field. Ironically both TA and Moncada had exceptional runs in the World Baseball Classic for teams USA and Cuba before getting felled in the snake bit ’23 season
Anderson hit .300+ in consecutive seasons when he had it going, don’t discount the guy because he has been through some difficult times, he has the ability to hit .300 in MLB, not too many players have done it.
You haven’t watched TA play in the past few years or this spring, have you? He is a waste of roster space, even in AAA.
Neto is an all star player at SS. Much better than TA. In his entire career TA never put up a single season as good as Neto was last season.
Anderson on any team is pure desperation.
Not really, the guy put up some really good numbers, hitting over .300 in MLB these days is very difficult, Anderson has done it multiple times over a season, good speed, a little power. I like TA at SS for the Angels.
TA bonded really well w Trout when they were leading Team USA at the World Baseball classic. If anyone can get them going collectively it’s Wash. Kinda like the Angels as a dark dark sleeper
Been a long time since Anderson has been even an average MLB hitter. The last two season he has a .544 OPS and 51 OPS+. 50% below league average. In spring training he has a .651 OPS, 73 points below Cactus league average.
Wash said before today’s game that while he was hopeful that Neto and Moncada would be available soon, that today we would see pretty much the opening day lineup. Anderson didn’t play at all. I didn’t even see him on the bench.
Unless both Neto and Newman are injured, Anderson will not be the SS for the Angels. He will either opt out or start the season with the Bees and hope he can return to actually hitting the ball.
Thanks for the local update, will see your Angels opening weekend
While be at Comiskey on 29th and 30th.
Are writing this for Tim’s mom?
Yomama. She says hi
I like Anderson to return to form this year.
Angels are honestly a house of cards. Time to burn the whole thing down and start fresh.
Nothing to burn down. They have a lot of rookies and young players in starting roles as it is.
@Ignorant Son-of-a-b
The key issue isn’t whether they have young talent; it’s about how those players are developed and integrated into a cohesive, competitive unit. A “youth movement” without the proper supporting infrastructure—a solid farm system, consistent player development programs, and strategic long-term planning—does not guarantee success.
Furthermore, the Angels’ problem isn’t just about player acquisition; it’s about roster mismanagement, such as poor injury prevention strategies, inconsistent coaching, and failure to build around their marquee players like Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout. If the team is unwilling to align its financial and roster decisions with a more patient, long-term vision, then they risk wasting valuable assets. The true “burning down” needs to occur not in the personnel, but in the organizational approach, which remains structurally flawed and inconsistent in terms of long-term success. Simply relying on rookies without addressing the fundamental issues around the team’s infrastructure could lead to another cycle of mediocrity.
York, until Arte is gone, there is nothing that can be done. He refuses to spend on scouting, analytics, player development staff and facilities, and even spring training facilities.
The Angels didn’t have a pitching lab until this season, the spring training facility had the weight room in a tent for years, and the major league players were housed and worked out on the minor league side.
The problem is Arte.
The Cardinals’ “pitching lab” is an abandoned Little League field in East St. Louis. Some enthusiastic staffer hung an old mop bucket on the back stop horizontally. There is a sign painted on cardboard wired to the fence that says “throw it here”.
Mo and the front office expect this “investment” to begin paying off any time now. The rest of the league will be intimidated by the Cardinals’ “process”. Jail is the next logical step.
Angels could be two or three front line starters from competing legitimately, in my opinion, if you can keep Trouts bat in the lineup.
The Angels are one ancient owner selling or leaving this plane from being able to build a competitive organization and MLB team.
They have already done that. Unless you’re the Dodgers and spending endless amounts of money on your roster, most teams have to lose while rebuilding.
Halos are in a MUCH better position personnel-wise this Spring than last Spring.
Also think development is heading in a positive direction.
I suspect Yoan Moncada has posters of Anthony Rendon on his wall. He came west to join his idol on the IL.
Every Angels update is depressing.
Moncada is going to hit this year and Angels fans will be happy that they have salvaged two seasons of 30M on Rondon.
Moncada’s injured. What a surprise!
Just hope that Kyren Paris and Matthew Lugo make the team. They both have looked good in spring and certainly deserve it.
Arte and Wash will take the veterans to Anaheim and when the team is in last place by Memorial Day and Trout goes home for the rest of the season they’ll cut them and bring up the kids
Paris should make the team. He’s looked good both at the plate and in the field. Also versatile.
Lugo no. Just no roster spot for him. He’s looked good too. Should be first called up for an outfield spot as soon as there is an injury.
Lugo has been primarily an infielder and only recently shifted to outfield. So, he could bring tremendous versatility to the roster. I understand that he’s unlikely to make it, but he deserves a spot ahead of Moniak and JD Davis.
@orange2001. I agree lugo is probably a lock next year. Maybe ward gets traded and they decide between adell and moniak, it’s definitely a make or break year for both of them.
Lugo will definitely make his MLB debut this season. Between Moncada, Rengifo, Ward, Adell, Moniak and sadly Trout, you know there will be injuries not long into the season.
Paris has definitely opened some eyes. It’s just spring training, but still.
Prior to his “lost” 2024, he had respectable minor league numbers of .252/.380/.424.
I have no idea what happened last year, but if he’s more like his old self – and remember, he *just* turned 23 – he could be helpful.
The talent appears to be there, and with his obvious swing adjustments, I’m very curious how this plays out for him.
Anticipating big step forward for Jo Adell this year. (Trying to send good vibes.)
I would take him being MLB average. He doesn’t even have to be good, just average. He has been so horrible for so long that most of us have lost hope.
moncada again
Moore in having a phenomenal Spring? Have they seen him try to play second?
Hopefully it’s nothing serious with Moncada and looking forward to seeing Neto play again. That said, “thumb…soreness?” Goodness, how times have changed.
I get thumb soreness playing my Playstation as well lol
Already keeping an eye on Rengifo for your Yankees I see lol
True story! lol.
Writer says Christian Moore had a “phenomenal Spring.” Is he watching these Spring games? Moore has been okay. Just okay. Definitely NOT phenomenal. But nonetheless, a positive showing for a close to MLB ready prospect. I didn’t expect anything more, but promising for sure. Overmatched on occasion. Looks better than expected fielding 2nd, but phenomenal? No.
“The club’s top offensive performer last year aside from Mike Trout, who was limited to just 29 games due to injuries last year.”
Blahahahahahaha, oh man I couldn’t stop laughing.
Trouts OPS+ kicked the butt of everyone else for 24 season w/ just 29 games.
Just think what could be if he didn’t tap out till the all star break, hahaha.
Trade him up here, maybe he can get us that one win needed for October baseball in the 64 games played average he has for the past 5 yrs.
Blahahahahahaha, absolutely hilarious,
Is Christi0an Moore really having a ‘phenomenal” spring? He has 1 XB hit and 14 K in 40 PA.
Just cut Rendon. Already have to pay him anyway. Might as well put Moncada in the DL and keep Anderson, Davis, and Keiboom up and hope one of them catches lightning in a bottle.
If the Angels keep Rendon on the roster and he doesn’t play at all in 25 as expected, they at least get insurance to pay 75-80% of his salary. If they waive him, they get nothing.
I don’t think tendon has insurance. Best thing for the club is if he would retire and I think it only counts half his salary against the cap.
Nationals are paying 35mm cap hit in 25/26 season for Strasburgs “retirement”
Don’t know why you’d think Rendon’s cap hit would just half because hes no longer on 40 man/with the organization.
The other half would magically disappear cause of retirement?
The whole damn league would be giving out golden watched all year long if the cap hit halved with a 40 man retirement.
You and I both know MLB contracts are fully guaranteed and so that includes the full cap hit being applied, regardless of a player’s “status”
Is that just wishful thinking on your part so TA can stick around the Mendoza Line for 88 games?
Hopefully you go to H&R Block so they can at least get your taxes half right!
Lugo reminds me of Nolan arrenando
Noda good
Big year, remember the titans, remember the 02 angels
So, Moncada was brought in as insurance for Rendon. But who was brought in as insurance for Moncada?!
Newman. Who ended up being insurance for Neto too.
I like Rengifo. He’s got a great protective swing. Has great versatility. Would have loved to see my team pick him up last year on a trade. Solid under valued piece.
@pogo. He’s not a bad hitter, but his defense is worse than the metrics say. Plus he will throw to wrong bag often just mental gaffes that makes you shake your head