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Angels Place Taylor Ward On IL, Recall Jo Adell

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The Angels have announced that outfielder Taylor Ward has been placed on the 10-day IL, categorizing his injury as a mild right hamstring strain. The move is retroactive to June 4. Fellow outfielder Jo Adell has been recalled to take his place on the roster.

Ward was one of the most pleasant surprises of the first few weeks of the season. Through May 2o, he was hitting an astounding .370/.481/.713 for a wRC+ of 242. Since then, however, a couple of injuries have slowed him down. He collided with the outfield wall while making a catch in the club’s game on May 20, causing some pain in his neck and shoulder. He eventually returned to action, but this hamstring issue flared up. Between the two maladies, he’s only been able to make 27 plate appearances over the past two weeks, hitting .167/.259/.333 in that time.

It doesn’t seem Ward is in line for an extended absence, as manager Joe Maddon tells reporters, including Sam Blum of The Athletic, that they’re hoping he’ll miss “minimal time.” While he’s out, Adell will step in and take another shot at finding success in the big leagues. Over the past few seasons, Adell has tantalized with excellent production in the minors but hasn’t yet been able to get into a groove at the MLB level. In 92 games over the past three seasons, his career batting line is .207/.249/.351, 63 wRC+.

Much like Ward, the Angels jumped out to a hot start but have been slowed recently. They are currently mired in a 10-game losing streak that has dropped their record to 27-27. Despite that awful slump, they’re still in possession of the final Wild Card playoff spot in the American League, though four teams are within a game and a half of them.

Outrights: Mayers, O’Brien

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We’ll kick off the morning here with a pair of recently DFA’ed players who’ve cleared waivers and remained with their prior clubs…

  • Right-hander Mike Mayers went unclaimed on outright waivers and was assigned to Triple-A Salt Lake by the Angels. While he has enough service time to reject that assignment in favor of free agency, Sam Blum of The Athletic tweets that Mayers has accepted the assignment. That’s entirely unsurprising, because although Mayers has sufficient service time to reject the outright, he does not have the requisite five years of service time needed to also retain the remainder of his salary upon rejection. In other words, rejecting the assignment would’ve meant forfeiting the remainder of this year’s $2.15MM salary. Mayers, 30, posted a 3.34 ERA, a 30.5% strikeout rate and an 8.0% walk rate in 105 innings with the Angels from 2020-21, leading to that $2.15MM payday in arbitration. The 2022 season has been a struggle, however. In 16 2/3 frames, he’s allowed four home runs and seen his strikeout rate plummet to 18.7% — all en route to a 5.40 ERA. The Angels designated him for assignment last week.
  • The Mariners announced that right-hander Riley O’Brien cleared waivers and has been assigned outright to Triple-A Tacoma. Seattle picked O’Brien up in an April trade that promised a PTBNL to the Reds, and the two parties completed that swap this week when Seattle sent 20-year-old Rookie-ball infielder Luis Chevalier to Cincinnati. O’Brien, 27, threw one scoreless inning for the Mariners and has a 2.70 ERA with 14 punchouts in 10 Triple-A frames so far, but he’s also walked 11 hitters in that time. Seattle moved him to the bullpen after he’d spent the bulk of his pro career as a starter in the Rays’ and Reds’ systems. He’ll continue to work on his adjustment to a relief role in Tacoma but will no longer occupy a spot on the Mariners’ 40-man roster.

Angels Release Austin Romine

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The Angels have released catcher Austin Romine, according to his transactions log at MLB.com. Sam Blum of the Athletic tweets that the veteran backstop triggered an opt-out clause in his minor league deal. That left the Angels to decide whether to select him onto the 40-man roster or grant him his release.

Romine is one of a handful of veterans who have three automatic opt-out dates under the terms of the new collective bargaining agreement. Players who qualified for major league free agency at the end of last season — based on having six-plus years of big league service — who signed a minor league deal during the winter had opt-out possibilities on each of April 2 (five days before Opening Day), May 1 and June 1. Romine forewent his first two opt-out chances but triggered the final provision.

The 33-year-old will now head back out onto the open market in search of a new opportunity. As a catcher who has appeared in parts of 11 big league seasons, he shouldn’t have much trouble finding another minor league job elsewhere. A longtime backup with the Yankees, Romine has suited up with the Tigers, Cubs and Angels since leaving the Bronx. He’s a career .238/.276/.357 hitter over 437 MLB games.

Romine appeared in ten games with the Angels’ top affiliate in Salt Lake this season, hitting .273/.368/.394 with a homer in 39 trips to the plate. He also saw action in three big league contests as a designated COVID-19 substitute when the Angels lost both Max Stassi and Kurt Suzuki to the virus list last month. Romine was returned to the minors when that duo made it back onto the field, and Los Angeles will continue with the Stassi – Suzuki pairing.

Minor MLB Transactions: 5/30/22

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Wrapping up some minor moves from around the game…

  • The Angels announced that Jose Rojas has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A.  The utilityman was designated for assignment a week ago to clear space for other players returning from the injured list.  Rojas had only a .348 OPS over 23 plate appearances this season, after hitting .208/.277/.399 in 184 PA during his 2021 rookie season.  During his brief MLB career, Rojas has already seen time at five different positions, playing mostly right field but also getting time as a left fielder, second baseman, third baseman, and a couple of games at first base.

Angels Place Anthony Rendon On 10-Day Injured List Due To Wrist Inflammation

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5:45 PM: The Angels have officially announced the move, placing Rendon on the 10-day injured list with the designation of right wrist inflammation. In a corresponding move, Janson Junk was recalled from Triple-A and placed on the active roster.

7:42 AM: Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon will be placed on the 10-day injured list prior to today’s game against the Blue Jays, manager Joe Maddon said last night.  An MRI revealed the issue in Rendon’s wrist, but there was otherwise no structural damage.

Rendon suffered the injury while taking a swing in Thursday’s game, and he didn’t play in last night’s contest between the Jays and Angels.  Tyler Wade stepped in as the starting third baseman, and with Rendon sidelined, it would seem like Wade and Matt Duffy would form a platoon at the hot corner until Rendon is ready to return.  In the minors, Jack Mayfield is at Triple-A and on the 40-man roster, so he is probably the likeliest candidate to receive a call-up so the Halos can replenish their infield depth.

After missing much of the 2021 season due to hamstring, groin, and knee problems, Rendon has bounced back this year to hit .242/.335/.403 with five home runs over his first 173 plate appearances.  This production translates to a 116 OPS+ and 118 wRC+ — still solidly above average, if below the superstar numbers Rendon posted with the Nationals and in his first season (2020) in Anaheim.  It could be that the best is yet to come for Rendon this season, as his .358 xwOBA is well ahead of his .329 wOBA.

The Angels have been one of the league’s better-hitting teams, though the injury bug has started to bite some key bats.  Rendon’s trip to the IL is the most impactful of these injuries, as Taylor Ward returned to the lineup yesterday after missing a few games with a stringer.  Shohei Ohtani wasn’t in last night’s lineup due to a sore back, though the two-way star was able to pinch-hit.

Anaheim City Council Votes Against Sale Of Angel Stadium

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TODAY: The Angels appear to be moving on without any legal disputes, announcing in a statement that “given that the City Council unanimously voted to cancel the stadium land agreement, we believe it is the best interest of our fans, Angels Baseball, and the community to accept the City’s cancellation.”  As per the terms of the deal, since the arrangement fell through, the city of Anaheim will return a $50MM escrow payment made by Moreno.

MAY 25: In a unanimous vote on Tuesday, the Anaheim City Council ruled against selling the 150-acre Angel Stadium site to a management company created by Angels owner Arte Moreno.  Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times and Alicia Robinson of the Orange County Register each had details of last night’s ruling, as well as a summary of what has become a major political story in southern California.

It was almost two and a half years ago that the city of Anaheim reached tentative agreement on a deal that would have sold the Angel Stadium property to Moreno’s SRB Management group for $320MM.  Beyond just the ballpark itself, Moreno’s group was looking to heavily develop the area surrounding the stadium, building everything from commercial and retail space to housing and restaurants.

However, the agreement has long been the target of criticism from Anaheim residents and civic officials, and a federal investigation is currently being conducted into alleged corruption, violations of state laws, and insider information being shared as part of the stadium deal.  Anaheim mayor Harry Sidhu was personally cited in the investigation, and he resigned his position earlier this week.

Moreno (or representatives from the Angels or SRB) have yet to comment on the council’s ruling.  It isn’t clear what the immediate next step could be, though as Shaikin writes, “a long and nasty legal battle” could take place between Moreno and the city of Anaheim over the collapsed deal.

As the situation relates to the Angels, their lease at Angel Stadium runs through the end of the 2029 season, with a club option to extend that lease through 2038.  (The land deal included a clause that would have kept the Angels in Anaheim until at least the 2050 season.)  Given the issues at play and the chance that Moreno’s group could be battling the city in court for years to come, it remains to be seen if Anaheim will remain the Angels’ long-term home, or if Moreno will start exploring new sites elsewhere in SoCal or the greater Los Angeles area.

Angels Select Juan Lagares, Designate Mike Mayers

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The Angels announced that they have selected the contract of outfielder Juan Lagares. In a corresponding move, right-hander Mike Mayers has been designated for assignment.

After spending his entire big league career with the Mets, Lagaras joined a new organization for the first time last year, signing a minor league deal with the Angels. He ended up getting into 112 games for the Halos last year, hitting .236/.266/.372 for a 71 wRC+. Generally regarded as a glove-first player, that production was just a bit below his career batting line of .252/.293/.363, 80 wRC+. The 33-year-old signed another minors deal with the Angels just over two weeks ago and has played seven games for Triple-A Salt Lake Bees, hitting .308/.379/.462 in that time.

The club has a strong regular outfield mix of Mike Trout, Brandon Marsh and Taylor Ward. However, Ward has been sidelined recently after colliding with the outfield wall while making a catch. Over his first 30 games, he was hitting out of his mind to the tune of .370/.481/.713 for an absurd 245 wRC+. But he hasn’t played since May 20 because of soreness in his neck/shoulder area that resulted from that collision. Tyler Wade has been getting some starts in right field recently to cover for Ward, though he’s far more experienced on the infield in his career and hasn’t hit much this season. The Angels will hope that Lagares can provide better coverage until Ward can return to regular action. Manager Joe Maddon tells reporters, including Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com, that Ward still can’t play the outfield but isn’t going on the IL because he could still come into a game as a pinch hitter.

As for Mayers, 30, he was drafted by the Cardinals and ended up seeing big league action with them in four seasons, from 2016 to 2019. However, he never got much of an extended look, logging more than 20 innings in only one of those campaigns. After being claimed by the Angels, he had an excellent showing in the shortened 2020 season, throwing 30 innings with a 2.10 ERA, 35.5% strikeout rate, 7.4% walk rate and 32.8% ground ball rate. Last year, he wasn’t able to sustain that over a full season but still had a good year, throwing 75 innings with a 3.84 ERA, 28.6% ERA, 8.3% walk rate and 37% grounder rate. Unfortunately, things have gotten worse this year, with Mayers sitting on an ERA of 5.40 through his first 16 2/3 innings and his strikeout rate collapsing to 18.7%.

Despite those poor results on the season so far, opposing teams could be interested in his services based on his success in prior seasons. He also came into this year with four years and twenty days of service time, meaning a team that adds him to their roster could retain him for next season via arbitration. Mayers and the Angels avoided arbitration for 2022 by agreeing to a $2.15MM salary.

Injury Notes: Civale, Ross, Odorizzi, Canning

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The Guardians are placing starter Aaron Civale on the 15-day injured list because of left glute tightness, writes Joe Noga of Cleveland.com. It’s not expected to be a long-term absence, with manager Terry Francona telling reporters the organization was debating whether he would even need to spend two weeks on the shelf. The skipper suggested Civale is likely to continue throwing bullpen sessions during his absence, and the hope is that “the next time he pitches he won’t have to be worried about this.”

Civale has had a rough go of things this season. The right-hander has been tagged for a 7.84 ERA through seven starts, allowing six home runs in 31 innings. His strikeout and walk rates are right in line with last season’s marks, and Civale posted a 3.84 ERA in 124 1/3 frames in 2021. His ground-ball rate has plummeted this year, however, and he’s seen a spike in opponents’ average exit velocity and barrel rate. Civale will try to get his results back on track once he’s eligible to return a couple weeks from now. Konnor Pilkington is set to be recalled to start tomorrow’s game against the Tigers in his place.

The latest on some other injured pitchers around the game:

  • Nationals starter Joe Ross was pulled after three innings during yesterday’s rehab outing with Double-A Harrisburg, manager Dave Martinez told reporters (including Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com). The 29-year-old experienced renewed tightness in his elbow and is headed for an MRI. That’s obviously a worrisome development, as the outing marked Ross’ first game action since he was diagnosed with a partial UCL tear in his elbow last August. That ended his season, and he also underwent surgery to remove bone chips from the joint this spring. Ross, who threw 108 innings of 4.17 ERA ball last year, is in his final season of club control via arbitration.
  • Jake Odorizzi returned to the mound yesterday, throwing a bullpen session before the team’s game against the Guardians (video provided by Mark Berman of FOX 26). It’s fairly remarkable the Astros right-hander was back throwing that quickly, as we’re just nine days removed from him being carted off the field at Fenway Park. Odorizzi suffered a left leg injury that kept him from walking off, but an MRI later revealed that his Achilles tendon remained intact. The 32-year-old suffered some ligament and tendon issues and was placed on the 15-day injured list, but it doesn’t appear he’s in for a particularly long-term absence.
  • Angels starter Griffin Canning hasn’t pitched in the majors since last July 2. Optioned to the minor leagues, he made just one start with Triple-A Salt Lake before being diagnosed with a stress fracture in his lower back that ended his 2021 season. The righty opened this year on the 60-day injured list, and while there’d been some hope he could return by June, he suffered another stress reaction recently that’ll push his timeline back further. Canning told reporters (including Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times) that after meeting with a specialist, he’s elected not to undergo a surgical procedure. There’s no timetable for him to resume throwing, but Canning still hopes to make it back at some point this season. The former second-round pick has had myriad health issues over the past couple years, keeping him to 43 MLB appearances since the start of the 2019 campaign.

Angels Designate Jose Rojas For Assignment

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The Angels announced a series of roster moves Monday, reinstating catcher Max Stassi and right-hander Archie Bradley from the injured list. In order to open roster space for the returning veterans, the Halos optioned catcher Chad Wallach and lefty Jose Suarez to Triple-A Salt Lake. Infielder Jose Rojas, meanwhile, was designated for assignment. A 40-man move was necessary due to the fact that Stassi had been on the Covid-19-related injured list and was thus not counting against the 40-man roster.

Rojas, 29, has seen Major League time at second base, third base, first base and in both outfield corners. He’s a .199/.261./.377 hitter through 207 plate appearances in that time but does possess a much more appealing track record in Triple-A, where he’s logged a .274/.340/.496 slash in 950 trips to the plate. Rojas swatted 31 home runs with Triple-A Salt Lake back in 2019, although that came during a season when the baseball is widely believed to have been juiced both in the Majors and in Triple-A.

A former 36th-round pick, Rojas still has a pair of minor league options remaining, meaning any club that picks him up via waiver claim or a small trade will be able to shuttle him back and forth between Triple-A and the big leagues as some additional outfield/infield depth both this season and next. The Angels will have seven days to trade Rojas, attempt to pass him through outright waivers or release him.

Mariners Sign Justin Upton

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TODAY: Upton’s deal contains a 10-team no-trade clause, Bob Nightengale reports.  Upton has had partial or full no-trade protection in all three of his major multi-year contracts (with the D’Backs, Tigers, and Angels), and he’ll retain some measure of control over his future should the Mariners look to flip him before the trade deadline.

MAY 21: The Mariners have signed outfielder Justin Upton to a one-year, Major League contract.  The club has officially announced the move, and in a corresponding transaction designated righty Adrian Sampson for assignment to clear roster space.  Upton will report to the Mariners’ extended Spring Training camp in order to ramp up for his eventual debut with the team.

USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reports (Twitter link) was the first to announce the Upton signing, and noted that Upton will earn around $550K on the deal, or the prorated portion of the MLB minimum salary.  The M’s will cover the $550K, while the Angels will still owe Upton the remainder of his original $28MM salary for the 2022 season.

The Angels released Upton just before the season began, ending the outfielder’s four-plus year run in Los Angeles.  Originally acquired from the Tigers in August 2017, Upton was already under contract through the 2021 season but held an opt-out clause, and agreed to forego that clause when the Halos tacked another year onto his deal.  The extension added $17.5MM in new money to Upton’s contract and locked up through the 2022 campaign.

Unfortunately, it was a deal the Angels came to regret, after Upton struggled during the 2019-21 seasons.  Due to both injuries and a simple lack of production, Upton has hit .211/.299/.414 with 38 home runs over 784 plate appearances in the last three seasons.  Between this lack of hitting and declining glovework in left field, Upton has been almost exactly a replacement-level player, generating only 0.1 fWAR since the start of the 2019 season.

In his prime, of course, Upton was an outstanding player, with a resume that includes four All-Star appearances, 324 career homers, and a .262/.343/.471 slash line over 7592 PA with five different organizations.  Selected by the Diamondbacks with the first overall pick of the 2005 draft, Upton is a very familiar face to Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto, who worked in Arizona’s front office during Upton’s time with the club.

For the minimal cost, there isn’t much risk for Dipoto and the Mariners in seeing if Upton still has anything left at age 34.  With Mitch Haniger on the injured list until around July, Jarred Kelenic demoted to the minors, and Kyle Lewis still working his way back from injury, the M’s have a need for outfield depth.  Jesse Winker and rookie phenom Julio Rodriguez have two of the spots spoken for, with Adam Frazier, Dylan Moore, and Steven Souza Jr. all recently seeing starts on the grass since Haniger was lost to the IL.

Sampson was only claimed off waivers from the Cubs earlier this week, and now might be moving on from Seattle without a single appearance in either the minors or majors.  The swingman’s 2022 resume thus far consists of a single MLB inning with the Cubs and 19 2/3 innings with Triple-A Iowa.  The Washington native did break into the majors with his home state Mariners back in 2016, marking the first of Sampson’s five Major League seasons — the righty has a 5.13 ERA over 189 1/3 innings, with 125 1/3 of those frames coming with the Rangers in 2019.

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