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Angels Notes: Soler, Trout, Stephenson

By Nick Deeds | June 7, 2025 at 10:54pm CDT

Slugger Jorge Soler exited today’s Angels game in the second inning, and the Angels later announced that it was due to groin tightness. Soler was already known to be day-to-day due to the groin issue in recent days, but evidently it flared up during this evening’s game against the Mariners. An update on Soler’s status will likely be available after the game, but the issue is made a bit more complicated than it would be otherwise due to the status of Mike Trout.

Soler has typically served as Anaheim’s DH this season, although he’s hit a lackluster .217/.291/.377 (88 wRC+) to this point in the year. In more recent weeks, however, Soler has become the club’s everyday right fielder while Trout returns to the lineup as the everyday DH. As noted by Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register earlier today, Trout is working his way back towards a return to the outfield by doing some drills on the grass. Manager Ron Washington relayed that Trout was feeling good after those drills, but they’ve still been “minimal” and haven’t “really challenged” the veteran star. That would seem to indicate Trout is still at least a few days away from returning to right field on a regular basis in games.

A return to DH’ing on a regular basis would surely be less strenuous on Soler’s ailing groin, but that won’t be possible until Trout returns to the outfield. The three-time MVP is 10-for-25 with three walks, a double, and a homer since returning from the injured list and clearly won’t be sitting in deference to Soler. If Soler isn’t healthy enough to play the field, that could leave the Angels with little choice but to place him on the injured list. Should that come to pass, some combination of Matthew Lugo, Chris Taylor, and perhaps Scott Kingery could see time in the outfield, assuming the Angels don’t call up another outfield option like Kyren Paris.

In other news around the club, MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger writes that right-hander Robert Stephenson has undergone two MRI exams since being placed on the injured list due to inflammation in his right biceps. Bollinger notes that those exams revealed no structural damage, and relays that Stephenson told reporters that he’s dealing with a stretched nerve, which he described as a “freak injury.” The unusual nature of Stephenson’s injury means that he has no clear timetable for return, and the right-hander added that there’s no treatment for the issue other than rest.

That suggests he could be unable to throw for quite a while, which would be an incredibly frustrating turn of events for a pitcher who missed the entire 2024 season due to Tommy John surgery and made it back to pitch just one inning before he once again hit the shelf. The 32-year-old turned in 38 1/3 dominant innings for the Rays during his most recent healthy campaign in 2023, pitching to a 2.35 ERA and striking out a whopping 42.9% of opponents faced. That showing was impressive enough that the Angels awarded him a three-year, $33MM deal that offseason, though they’ve yet to get much of anything out of it due to Stephenson’s injury woes.

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Los Angeles Angels Notes Jorge Soler Mike Trout Robert Stephenson

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Post a Comment

36 Comments

  1. HalosHeavenJJ

    5 days ago

    Stephenson is Perry’s worst signing by a country mile.

    $33 million guaranteed and 1 inning pitched thus far with no more on the horizon.

    4
    Reply
    • SoCalBrave

      5 days ago

      He could be, still too early to know. The contract could be worth it if he pitches well in that 4th year for only $2.5M

      6
      Reply
    • twopitchmix

      5 days ago

      Hindsight is 2020 though, it’s not his fault. It’s a bad deal because no production or availability but that’s what can happen with pitching these days. Burnes is only the most recent example

      9
      Reply
      • holecamels35

        5 days ago

        Giving him a 3 year deal though no matter how good he looked had a ton of risk. He was injured quite often before even signing that deal.

        7
        Reply
      • JoeBrady

        4 days ago

        twopitchmix
        Hindsight is 2020 though
        ======================
        Stephenson was mediocre for his entire career. He has a 4.63 career ERA.

        1
        Reply
        • GoogleMe

          4 days ago

          Why would you look at his entire career? It is quite evident he is a different pitcher than when he entered the league. He use to average 92mph and is now out 97mph. It is a huge difference.

          He is also a fly ball pitcher. Pitching in GABP and in Colorado probably did him no favors.

          He has a low walk rate and high SO rate in recent history. There is reason to believe he could be a good setup man, but he needs to be available to prove that.

          4
          Reply
        • JoeBrady

          4 days ago

          GoogleMe
          Why would you look at his entire career?
          =====================
          Because he was mediocre for his entire career prior to his last 7 weeks with TB. If he had 1-2 good years, after a mediocre career, then I would weigh that more highly. But 7 weeks, at age 30, capturing the fountain of youth? No.

          2
          Reply
        • outinleftfield

          4 days ago

          Which doesn’t matter at all.

          #1 – the first 3 seasons of his career he was a starter. The last 4 a reliever.

          #2 – GM’s don’t look at a 7 year career, they look at the past 3 seasons with the most recent one the most important. All of us have heard former GM after former GM say that on MLB Network and more than a few active GMs. .

          Stephenson was 15% better than MLB average the 3 seasons before the Angels signed him. In 2023 he had his 2nd season in the last 3 with an ERA around 3.10. 3 of his last 4 full seasons he was 25-54% better than MLB average. That is why he was signed to a relatively big dollar deal.

          Reply
        • outinleftfield

          4 days ago

          Joe, that is completely wrong. In 3 of his 4 full seasons before signing with the Angels as a reliever he was 25, 40, and 54% better than MLB average. Before that he was a starter.

          I know you like to argue and most of the time you bring a good argument, but on this you are wrong.

          Reply
      • HalosHeavenJJ

        4 days ago

        The dude was hurt when the contract was a signed.

        A $33 million co tract to a guy coming off the only good 3 month stretch of his career is bad enough. When he’s injured, it is just stupid.

        I’ve disliked this deal since day one.

        3
        Reply
        • JoeBrady

          4 days ago

          I always assumed he was throwing his arm out in his final 7 weeks.. Pitchers will change pitch selection and hide injuries prior to a new contract.

          1
          Reply
        • outinleftfield

          4 days ago

          You praised it when he first signed. Thought he would stabilize the pen.

          Reply
      • RyÅnWKrol

        4 days ago

        All teams do it. Player has a great walk year, gets a great deal that offseason and those rarely work out on the field. And MLB won’t learn because the players union is too powerful to just say “okay”.

        Reply
    • Steinbrenner2728

      5 days ago

      In all honesty, it’s kind of sad seeing fans worry about Arte’s money.

      4
      Reply
      • HalosHeavenJJ

        4 days ago

        Yeah, so sad that fans want players who actually play getting paid.

        It’s not like those resources could’ve been spent in a starter or position player and actually helped the team.

        Reply
      • mlb fan

        4 days ago

        “Arte’s money”…Fans are worried about their team’s future and place in the standings, not “Arte’s money”.

        1
        Reply
      • JoeBrady

        4 days ago

        Steinbrenner2728
        In all honesty, it’s kind of sad seeing fans worry about Arte’s money.
        =================================
        There is not a single person in the entire universe, outside of Arte, that worries about Arte’s money.

        However, I do assume that most Angel fans would like Arte’s payroll investment to be done as effectively as possible. You can’t have a $219M payroll and get a -0- return on $65M of that $219M, and expect to win.

        3
        Reply
    • GoogleMe

      5 days ago

      Perry hasn’t made to many big signings. Kikuchi, Tyler Anderson and Iglesias are the only ones that come to mind that were bigger. Iglesias was the only one that was more than 3 years.

      Still too early to tell, but ya so far, Stephenson has been the worst. That may change when it is all said and done.

      1
      Reply
    • Halo11Fan

      4 days ago

      Way too early. He could easily pitch 2 1/2 years. As far as his worse singing…. How may good signings has he made?

      Reply
  2. gold masters

    5 days ago

    Stephenson will come through during the playoff run. He can sure pitch.

    1
    Reply
  3. bkbk

    4 days ago

    Trouts stick looks AWESOME. Please keep him healthy.

    5
    Reply
    • Gwynning

      4 days ago

      .2 WAR and a besides-his-rookie-season career-low OPS = AWESOME (?)

      He looks much older than his current 33 years suggests…

      Reply
      • outinleftfield

        4 days ago

        Gwynning, Trout has went 10 for 29 since his return. That is a .357 BA and his OPS in that stretch is .955

        His bat looks really good now that his legs are healthier.

        That his .775 OPS and 116 OPS+ are the lowest of his 15 year career just shows how insanely good he is.

        1
        Reply
        • Gwynning

          4 days ago

          Ah, thanks. I haven’t been watching the Halos, good looking out!

          1
          Reply
  4. JoeBrady

    4 days ago

    The 32-year-old turned in 38 1/3 dominant innings for the Rays during his most recent healthy campaign in 2023, pitching to a 2.35 ERA and striking out a whopping 42.9% of opponents faced.
    ===========================
    Not really. He was pretty weak thru 8/9/23, and pitched exceptional for all of 16 innings after that. Then the Angels decided that the previous 8 seasons of mediocre pitching were meaningless compared to 16 excellent IPs just prior to becoming a FA.

    1
    Reply
    • darkstar61

      4 days ago

      Not true

      He was allowing no one to cross the plate in 13 appearances (11 IP) until mid May, had a horrible week and a half run, then went to the Rays and was fantastic in 42 appearances (38.1 IP) from June 1st until the seasons end, never allowing an OPS above .529

      He was also good in very few appearances (13, with 13.1 ip) the year prior in Pittsburgh, with just the week and a half prior to being traded being the only bad stretch the last 2 seasons

      That said, it was a pretty small sample size in the scheme of things, and much of that production was for a Rays team that is notorious for getting more out of mediocre arms than any other club. The Angels giving him the contract they did is the same shortsighted, wishing for a short trend to continue nonsense the Angels have become known for the last decade plus

      4
      Reply
  5. BobGibsonFan

    4 days ago

    Just curious… has any World Series champion not have a Hall of Famer on their roster?
    I know teams in the past 10 years wouldn’t because they aren’t eligible. But just wondering.
    I do believe every team prior to the 1981 Dodgers had at least one Hall of Famer on their roster.
    1981 Dodgers, but Dusty Baker will probably get in as manager. Tommy Lasorda is in as manager.
    1997 Marlins, Maybe? Moises Alou should probably get in with the veterans committee. Jim Leyland is in as manager.
    2002 Angels KRod? Maybe. No one else has a shot. Mike Scioscia has a chance
    2008 Phillies Jimmy Rollins? Chase Utley? Maybe
    2015 Royals Salvador Perez, most likely. Joe Nathan? Maybe?

    4
    Reply
    • Hubert

      4 days ago

      2016 Cubs?

      1
      Reply
      • YankeesBleacherCreature

        4 days ago

        Aroldis Chapman won his first WS with that team. I think he’s worthy based on his stats and dominance but it depends on how much voters weigh his off-the-field issues.

        1
        Reply
    • darkstar61

      4 days ago

      2008 Phillies will have Hamels going in next year I believe, although hes a borderline candidate. He’ll probably benefit from a weak class

      2002 Angels and 2005 White Sox are unlikely to see one

      2016 Cubs probably only have Chapman as a shot

      2016 Royals most likely is Perez

      1997 Marlins likely would’ve seen Sheffield in already if not for Roids and being so unliked. Don’t know who they have after as no one stands out as a great shot

      Posey might cover all the 2010s Giants clubs

      2011 Cardinals will at least have Pujols as an obvious

      Yeah every team before 1981 had at least one

      3
      Reply
      • BobGibsonFan

        4 days ago

        Thanks for the confirmation. I started looking and gave up fairly quickly. I think I got to the mid 60’s from present day

        Reply
    • RyÅnWKrol

      4 days ago

      I saw an article about this almost ten years ago but didn’t save it anywhere. It was color coded with all championship teams listed, with Hall of Famers up to a certain year due to eligibility. There were only a handful of teams that didn’t have one like you mentioned. I think the 1988 Dodgers are on that list. After reading it, I began compiling a list of things that all/most championship teams have. Fewer starting pitchers used, often among the fewest. Top 3-5 their respective league in Runs, Runs Allowed, and ERA, with Runs Allowed and ERA normally in the top 3. And future Hall of Famer/s. There could be more, like a correlation with farm system rankings a few years prior. But that could be relevant in today’s game due to more teams going younger, tanking, and using Moneyball-like approaches to compete against rich teams.

      1
      Reply
  6. Hammerin' Hank

    4 days ago

    When Chris Taylor was signed, people were on here saying that Jo Adell’s time with the Angels was running out. I think he’s safe now as he’s been hitting well lately. 3-for-3 with 2 homers off Castillo last night.

    3
    Reply
    • JoeBrady

      4 days ago

      I already had this discussion with Pads Fan. Adell has been hitting well since the end of April, with a .958 OPS. And while not really a CF, he can make the routine plays.

      Any assessment of Adell also has to reflect possibly the worst development job of any prospect ever.

      Reply
      • outinleftfield

        4 days ago

        Adell is a headcase. Anyone that has watched him day to day or ever met him will tell you the same. How the team handled his development was absolutely fine. What hasn’t been fine has been Adell’s lack of focus and commitment.

        He goes on streaks where he is great and streaks where he is the absolute worst. In June last year he had a .138 BA and .460 OPS. In August he has a .277 BA and .816 OPS. We saw where he ended up. In June 2022 he had a better stretch than he is on right now. He followed it up with a pathetic July and ended up at .224/.637. If you think for a minute that how he has hit the last 2 weeks is any indication of where he will end up by the end of the season you have drank the koolaid or his “potential”. You will be disappointed.

        Adell is on pace for a 1.0 WAR this season. About the same as last season. He needs to just go away.

        Reply
  7. GoogleMe

    4 days ago

    @Hank I don’t see CT replacing Adell. Adell’s SO rate is 23%, which is quite remarkable considering what it used to be. Adell’s stats are not great, but he is far from the worst player on the team. Since CT can play every position, I would rather him play 2nd. This is more of weak point for the team. Rengifo has been a disaster since wrist surgery.

    Adell has little trade value. If they Angels trade someone, it will probably be Ward, since he has more value and is a FA sooner.

    1
    Reply

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