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Angels To Sign First-Rounder Will Wilson

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The Angels have agreed to sign first-round pick Will Wilson, per a team announcement. Wilson will receive $3.4MM, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports. That falls short of the $3,885,800 recommended slot value for Wilson’s selection (No. 15).

Wilson’s a shortstop from North Carolina State who was considered a consensus top 25 prospect entering the draft. FanGraphs (No. 15), ESPN’s Keith Law (No. 19), MLB.com (No. 21) and Baseball America (No. 22) are each bullish on Wilson, who slashed .339/.429/.665 with 16 home runs in 221 at-bats during his final year at NC State.

In their free scouting report, Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com write Wilson “has a high floor as a steady up-the-middle defender with surprising power.” He may not possess the speed to stick at short, though, and could end up as a second baseman in the pros.

The Angels went into the draft with just over $7.6MM to spend on picks, so the Wilson signing will unsurprisingly eat into a large portion of that total.

Matt Harvey Suffers Setback

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Angels righty Matt Harvey has suffered a setback that will delay his return to the majors, skipper Brad Ausmus told reporters including Maria Torres of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link). Harvey has been on the injured list for just over two weeks.

It had been hoped that Harvey would get a breather, let the back issue heal up, and return to the majors after a limited rehab assignment. But his first (and thus far only) rehab stint did not go as planned.

Harvey took the mound for Triple-A Salt Lake City on Saturday, lasting only 2 2/3 innings before he was pulled. Before departing, he was tagged for eight earned runs on eight hits and two walks.

That’s obviously not the kind of showing he and the team were hoping for. Today’s news adds injury to insult.

When Harvey hit the IL, he was toting a 7.50 ERA in ten starts. Indeed, it seemed possible that the brutal results were as much a cause for the placement as the injury. (Harvey said he hadn’t experienced any symptoms since the IL placement.)

It isn’t clear just yet what the next steps are for Harvey. Ausmus acknowledged some concern in the veteran hurler. The Halos are now without both Harvey and fellow free agent signee Trevor Cahill, who’s dealing with a similarly nebulous blend of injury (elbow soreness) and performance issues.

Health Notes: Reds, Wood, Cedeno, Diaz, Fletcher

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On Saturday, Reds southpaw Alex Wood threw a bullpen session for the first time since April, writes Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. Wood has been dealing with lower back spasms since he was acquired in the same trade that sent Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp to Cincinnati, and setbacks suffered in March and April led to the lefty being shut down for about a month. While there is no timetable for his return to an MLB field and his Reds debut, it’s promising that Wood is once again throwing and feeling well enough to move forward with his recovery. As Sheldon notes, Wood will still need to build up a foundation before he can return to the field, a process that likely includes several more bullpen sessions followed by facing live hitters, and finally a minor-league rehab assignment. Barring any further setbacks, completing those steps will allow Wood to join a Reds team that has actually fielded one of the National League’s best pitching staffs. To be sure, Wood, who has some experiencing working out of a bullpen role with the Dodgers, would represent a luxury for the last-place Reds even if there is not a spot for him in the starting rotation.

  • Cubs left-hander Xavier Cedeno, out since May 21 with left wrist inflammation, will begin a rehab assignment today with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs, according to Jordan Bastian of MLB.com. Cedeno, who also began the season on the injured list, has managed just two innings for the Cubs, largely functioning as a lefty specialist. While he’s yet to allow a run, the 32-year-old has walked three batters and has struck out just one. Cedeno was signed by the Cubs last winter to a one-year deal worth up to $900k.
  • Astros shortstop Aledmys Diaz, who is currently rehabbing from a left hamstring strain, has suffered a setback, according to Jake Kaplan of The Athletic. It’s unknown how long the setback will keep Diaz, who hasn’t played since May 26, on the shelf, but with Carlos Correa out of the lineup, the Astros would like to get Diaz healthy sooner than later. By and large, it’s been Myles Straw and Jack Mayfield seeing the most action at short with both Diaz and Correa sidelined, and while they have filled in capably, neither can match Diaz’s above-average .831 OPS.
  • The Angels’ David Fletcher was out of the lineup for the second consecutive game today due to left shoulder soreness, tweets Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. However, he adds that manager Brad Ausmus said that a stint on the injured list looks unlikely at this time. It’s good to hear for an Angels team that has had to endure injuries to other infielders Zack Cozart and Andrelton Simmons, especially considering that Fletcher has arguably been the team’s second-best player this season.

Pitcher Notes: Angels, Padres, Mets, Rangers

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The Angels are set to place right-hander Trevor Cahill on the injured list with elbow soreness, according to Maria Torres of the Los Angeles Times. Manager Brad Ausmus suggested Cahill won’t miss more than one start, though. Regardless of how long he sits out, this has been a disastrous season for Cahill, who joined the Angels after a solid 2018 showing with the Athletics. The 31-year-old Cahill has recorded a 7.18 ERA/6.35 ERA with 7.18 K/9 and 3.12 BB/9 in 57 2/3 innings since the Angels inked him to a $9MM guarantee over the winter.

  • Cahill and fellow righty Matt Harvey (one year, $11MM) were the Angels’ highest-profile free-agent additions during the offseason. Harvey has joined Cahill in disappointing during an injury-limited campaign, but he’s on the way back. Harvey began a Triple-A rehab assignment Saturday, the team announced. The 30-year-old went to the IL on May 25 because of an upper back strain. He got off to a brutal start before then, posting 48 innings of 7.50 ERA/6.17 FIP pitching with 6.56 K/9, 3.94 BB/9 and 2.06 HR/9.
  • The Padres announced that they’ve placed reliever Adam Warren on the 10-day IL with a right forearm strain. The team recalled righty Gerardo Reyes in a corresponding move. The injury adds to what has been a trying season for Warren, a 31-year-old free-agent signing who has registered a 5.34 ERA/6.84 FIP with 7.85 K/9, 3.77 BB/9 and 2.83 HR/9 in 28 2/3 innings.
  • Mets reliever Justin Wilson is slated to begin a rehab assignment Tuesday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com tweets. Wilson’s not sure when he’ll return, but barring setbacks, it’ll have to be within 30 days. Elbow soreness sent Wilson to the injured list May 11, the second time the southpaw has been on the IL with issues in the joint this season. Not only that, but Wilson – whom the Mets signed to a two-year, $10MM contract in the offseason – has yielded five earned runs on nine hits with four walks (against nine strikeouts) in 9 1/3 innings in 2019.
  • The Rangers have activated righty reliever Matt Bush and assigned him to the Double-A level, per TR Sullivan of MLB.com. It’s an important step forward for Bush, who underwent surgery on a partial UCL tear in his elbow last September. However, the procedure didn’t stop the Rangers from bringing back the 33-year-old on a minor league deal. Bush debuted with the Rangers in 2016 and has since notched a 3.35 ERA/3.65 FIP with 9.1 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 in 137 innings.

Angels Reinstate Kevan Smith, Designate Dustin Garneau

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The Angels have announced that backstop Kevan Smith is back from the concussion injured list. To create space on the active roster, the team designated catcher Dustin Garneau for assignment.

That move also freed up a 40-man spot to make way for the team to bring up infielder Wilfredo Tovar. The final active roster space was created by optioning righty Jaime Barria.

Garneau, 31, will either end up landing elsewhere or back at Sale Lake City. He got on base at a healthy clip over his seven-game showing and was slashing .247/.368/.589 in 87 Triple-A plate appearances before his promotion. He has at times posted strong offensive numbers in the upper minors, but carries only a .198/.282/.321 slash in 302 trips to the dish over five seasons of action at the game’s highest level.

Angels To Select Wilfredo Tovar

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The Angels are preparing to select the contract of middle infielder Wilfredo Tovar. The Halos Prospects Twitter feed reported that the move was anticipated, with Maria Torres of the Los Angeles Times tweeting that he was indeed coming onto the MLB roster.

Tovar made it up to the bigs briefly with the Mets in 2013 and 2014, but hasn’t been back since. He has played exclusively at Triple-A in the intervening seasons. This year, Tovar carries a .285/.329/.404 slash with three home runs over 210 plate appearances.

Corresponding roster moves aren’t yet known. The Halos have eight relievers on the active roster at present, leaving them with just three bench players. Adding another player capable of handling shortstop  is particularly important given that the team is still going without Andrelton Simmons.

Justin Upton To Begin Rehab Assignment Friday

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Angels left fielder Justin Upton has missed the first two-plus months of the season because of a toe injury, but he’s now closing in on his 2019 debut. Upton will begin a rehab assignment Friday at the Single-A level, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports. Barring any setbacks during his rehab, Upton will rejoin the Angels within 20 days.

The 31-year-old Upton’s long absence will deprive him of an opportunity to post a fourth straight 30-home run season. Upton swatted exactly 30 in 2018, his first full season with the Angels, after sticking with the team on a five-year, $106MM contract. Overall, Upton slashed .257/.344/.463 (124 wRC+) in 613 plate appearances, continuing a career-long trend of above-average offensive production. He also totaled at least 3.0 fWAR for the seventh time since 2008, his first full season in the majors.

Upton’s loss looked disastrous for the Angels when it happened, though they’ve stayed afloat in left field without him. Brian Goodwin, whom the Angels claimed off waivers in late March, has combined with David Fletcher and Cesar Puello to give the Halos enough offense at the position. Goodwin’s numbers have plummeted of late, though, so Upton’s return should be a timely one for an LA club whose wild-card hopes are still alive.

John Curtiss Elects Free Agency

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Right-hander John Curtiss has elected free agency in lieu of accepting an outright assignment from the Angels, as first reflected on the Pacific Coast League’s transactions log. Curtiss had been designated for assignment earlier in the week.

Curtiss, 26, will now be able to seek a new opportunity with any club seeking bullpen help. He once ranked among the more promising arms in the Twins’ system, but Minnesota cut him loose this offseason and flipped him to the Angels in exchange for minor league infielder Daniel Ozoria. He’s only tallied 17 1/3 innings in the big leagues and has yet to find much success (6.75 ERA), but Curtiss has a strong track record at the Triple-A level.

In 101 frames at the top minor league level, Curtiss has a 3.21 ERA and has averaged 11 strikeouts per nine innings pitched, though he’s also averaged 4.8 walks per nine frames. He’s struggled there this season, logging a 5.91 ERA and 29-to-13 K/BB ratio in 21 1/3 innings, but his ability to miss bats should hold appeal to another club in need of some bullpen help.

Latest On Andrelton Simmons, Justin Upton

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Angels star shortstop Andrelton Simmons has been out two weeks because of a Grade 3 ankle sprain, and it doesn’t appear he’ll be back anytime soon. While Simmons has progressed to swinging a bat, there is still no timetable for a comeback, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com tweets. Meanwhile, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register points out the type of sprain Simmons is dealing with tends to require an eight- to 12-week absence. If that holds up, Simmons won’t grace the Angels’ lineup again until at least late July.

The 29-32 Angels have gone 7-7 without Simmons, a defensive virtuoso and solid hitter who exceeded the 5.0-fWAR mark in each of the previous two seasons. Simmons added 1.2 fWAR to his career ledger in 195 pre-injury plate appearances this year, batting .298/.323/.415 (100 wRC+) with three home runs and five steals on six attempts. Along the way, the 29-year-old posted the majors’ third-lowest strikeout rate (7.7 percent, trailing only teammates David Fletcher and Tommy La Stella) and third-highest in-zone contact percentage (98.0). Simmons, Fletcher and La Stella are among many Angels who have been almost incapable of striking out this year, which explains why the Halos own the majors’ best K rate as a team (16.3 percent).

The Simmons-less Angels have mostly deployed Fletcher at short, La Stella at third and Luis Rengifo. Assuming Fletcher and La Stella continue to perform well, they seem likely to divide their time between third and second once Simmons comes back. However, a return from injuried infielder Zack Cozart could complicate matters.

The infield’s not the only place where the Angels’ lineup is battling injuries. They’re also without big-hitting left fielder Justin Upton, who hasn’t played this season on account of sprained toe. The 31-year-old is progressing toward a rehab assignment, though, according to Jeff Fletcher. While Upton produced another quality offensive campaign in 2018 – his first full season with the Angels – David Fletcher, Brian Goodwin and Cesar Puello have done well in his stead this year.

AL West Notes: Harvey, Blackburn, Bautista

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Overnight, we took a look at the latest on some notable Astros players and checked in on Rangers lefty Drew Smyly. Now let’s cover the latest roster developments for the three other AL West clubs:

  • The ailing back of Angels starter Matt Harvey seems to be mended, as he tells reporters (including Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic; Twitter link) that he has been symptom-free since hitting the IL recently. Skipper Brad Ausmus says that Harvey will face live hitters and then likely undertake a rehab assignment of unknown duration. The larger question is what, if anything, Harvey can do to emerge from his malaise on the mound. Fellow one-year free agent signee Trevor Cahill has also struggled badly. Otherwise, the Halos rotation may finally be rounding into form with Andrew Heaney’s return, the emergence of Griffin Canning, ongoing solid work from Felix Pena, and good health for Tyler Skaggs.
  • It looks like Athletics hurler Paul Blackburn will get his first shot at MLB action this year, as Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that he’s likely to come onto the roster to pitch this weekend. Blackburn, 25, has pitched to a 4.48 ERA in 16 starts over the prior two seasons but has remained on optional assignment at Triple-A to begin the present campaign. He carries a 4.55 ERA in 57 1/3 innings there, recording a 45:18 K/BB ratio and surrendering ten long balls.
  • Mariners righty Gerson Bautista seems ready to return from the injured list, as Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports on Twitter. The 24-year-old has been sidelined with a pec strain. He has already thrown a dozen innings on an extended rehab assignment and now has a locker waiting for him in Seattle, which certainly suggests an imminent activation. Bautista struggled in a brief debut showing last year with the Mets and ended up being dealt to Seattle as a part of a significant multi-player swap. While he didn’t mow down opposing MLB hitters in his first attempt, Bautista did show off a 97 mph heater and posted strong strikeout numbers last year in the upper minors. Because Bautista had been moved to the 60-day IL, his activation will require both a 40-man and active roster move. [UPDATE: The Mariners announced that Bautista has been activated from the IL, with right-hander Andrew Moore heading to Double-A to create roster space.]
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