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Latest On Andrelton Simmons

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Injured Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons is closing in on a return, manager Joe Maddon said Monday (via Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times). Simmons, who landed on the IL on July 28 with a left ankle sprain, has progressed to taking batting practice.

Ankle problems have slowed Simmons since last season, during which the 30-year-old totaled only 103 games played. Simmons’ well-known defensive wizardry continued then, but his offense dropped off a cliff compared to his respectable 2018-19 performance. Still, as Jeff Todd of MLBTR explained, Simmons entered this season as an especially interesting pending free agent. Thanks to the shortened campaign and the time he has already missed, though, Simmons doesn’t have much time to rebuild his stock before a potential trip to the open market.

Since Simmons went down in the first week of the season, the Angels have turned to David Fletcher at short. Fletcher has been highly productive so far, and the Angels surely want his bat in the lineup every day, but he’s versatile enough on the defensive side to move around the diamond. That will give Maddon the freedom to pencil the two in on a daily basis when Simmons is able to return.

Angels Designate Jose Rodriguez

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The Angels have designated righty Jose Rodriguez for assignment, per a club announcement. His 40-man spot was needed for southpaw Jose Suarez, who was reinstated from the injured list and optioned to the team’s alternate training site.

Soon to turn 25, Rodriguez first reached the majors in 2019 as a swingman for the Halos. He has only allowed six earned runs in 21 1/3 MLB innings, but he has managed only a 13:12 K/BB ratio and has also coughed up five long balls. The Angels obviously don’t expect that high-wire act to continue succeeding.

If and when he earns his way back to the bigs, the 22-year-old Suarez will hope to improve upon a challenging debut season. He was tagged for 23 long balls and limped to a 7.11 ERA in 81 frames last year. The Los Angeles organization will certainly remain patient given Suarez’s history of high strikeout rates as a minor-league starter.

Angels Recall Patrick Sandoval For Start, Option Luke Bard

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The Los Angeles Angels optioned Luke Bard to their alternate site today, recalling Patrick Sandoval in his place, per Jason Martinez of Roster Resource over at Fangraphs.

Sandoval made his major-league debut last season going 0-4 across 10 appearances (9 starts). His first start of the season came last week in a 10-2 Angels win over the Mariners. Sandoval didn’t get the win as he lasted only 4 innings, though he more than did his part in contributing to the win. Sandoval threw 62 pitches – 40 for strikes – notching 4 strikeouts, walking one, and giving up 2 runs (though only 1 was earned). The 23-year-old southpaw entered the year as the Angels’ #7-ranked prospect per MLB.com, #6 by Fangraphs. The Angels certainly hope/expect the lefty and his 55-grade curveball will establish himself as a rotation mainstay – a role they’ve struggled to consistently fill over the years.

Sandoval made his second start of the season tonight, going six strong innings while allowing two runs. He’s quickly becoming a favorite of manager Joe Maddon. While the plan was for Sandoval to throw between 70-80 pitches, Maddon allowed him to hang around for 94. Sandoval continues to develop nicely after the Angels acquired him from Houston for Martin Maldonado just before the 2018 trade deadline.

Bard, 29, is looking to establish himself as a righty out of Maddon’s pen. Across 32 appearances last season, Bard logged 49 innings with a 4.78 ERA/4.81 FIP, showing off his ability to hold the line for multiple innings at a time if need be. He has just one inning so far this season – it was scoreless. In all likelihood, he’ll find himself back in the Angels’ pen before too long.

Poll: Big-Budget Long-Term Payrolls

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Looking at long-range payroll commitments, there’s a fairly sizable gap between the top-five spenders and the number six club (the Padres, at a total of $396MM). Here’s that top-five:

Rank Team Total
1 Angels $651.00
2 Yankees $612.00
3 Dodgers $533.36
4 Nationals $488.68
5 Phillies $488.50

That list isn’t remotely surprising. Some other deep-pocketed teams have pared back or simply not yet agreed to blockbuster extensions with existing stars. The handful of teams listed above have each recently agreed to monster contracts with one or more superstars.

Looking at a team’s future outlook involves quite a bit more than its contractual commitments. We’d want to consider controllable young talent, the prospect pool, and a wide variety of business factors in assessing which organization is best-situated for the long haul.

Here, though, we’ll just focus on the deals that are already locked in. First, I’ll re-list each of those five teams’ eexisting commitments. Then, you will vote for the one that you’d most prefer to have were you operating a large-budget franchise. (Click on the links to expand the image.)

The Angels feature two mid-prime superstars, including the greatest player of this generation.

The Yankees have an ace, a former MVP who could still return to his former glory, and a group of quality players.

The Dodgers had only limited future commitments until they struck a bold deal to keep one of the game’s best players.

The Nationals are all-in on high-grade rotation pieces.

The Phillies spent big to pluck high-end talent from division rivals.

Which is the best slate of contract commitments? (Poll link for app users; response order randomized.)

Latest On Simmons, Ohtani

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Angels skipper Joe Maddon provided an update on the injury situations of shortstop Andrelton Simmons and starter/DH Shohei Ohtani. Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times was among those to cover the chat (Twitter links).

In the case of Simmons, who is nursing an ankle injury, he’s not going to be activated as soon as eligible. Fortunately, it isn’t as serious as the one he suffered last year, but there’s still some healing left to be done.

Simmons is “still pretty sore,” Maddon explains, and will likely not be back in the “real immediate future.” Maddon continued: “From what I read today, it’s progressing but not as quickly as it could.”

Meanwhile, tantalizing talent Shohei Ohtani is expected to be back in lineup tomorrow. That’s a consoling development after the recent news that he’ll be sidelined from mound work for the foreseeable future after suffering a forearm injury.

Ohtani, who didn’t pitch last year due to Tommy John surgery, spoke to media members including MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger (Twitter link) this evening. The injury isn’t that severe, by Ohtani’s reckoning, which at least seems to indicate he’s not at risk of another procedure.

When asked about the possibility of ultimately focusing only on one side of the game, Ohtani said he’d rather keep trying to do both. At the same time, he indicated he’d be open to considering that possibility if the team made such a request. It seems unlikely at this point that the Halos would forgo a chance to see Ohtani reemerge on the mound.

Angels To Activate Julio Teheran

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The Angels will activate right-hander Julio Teheran from the injured list Wednesday, tweets Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. The team has yet to formally announce the move, but Fletcher notes that manager Joe Maddon indicated as much on a pre-game radio appearance last night. It’ll be Teheran’s 2020 debut and mark his first start as an Angel. The longtime Braves righty inked a one-year, $9MM contract as a free agent this past offseason.

Teheran, 29, opened the season on the injured list after receiving a positive Covid-19 test just before he was slated to report to Summer Camp. Teheran told the L.A. Times’ Mike DiGiovanna that he was symptomatic in late June and early July, but he was eventually able to join Angels summer camp about three weeks ago. He’s previously stated that he only believed himself to be about a week behind schedule, and Teheran reportedly tossed a three-inning simulated game with about 55 pitches thrown last week. He may not be fully stretched out just yet, but he should be able to up his pitch count from that level in tonight’s debut against the Mariners.

An early return from Teheran is a welcome sight for the Angels, who have already been dealt a brutal blow in the rotation after Shohei Ohtani suffered a strained flexor mass. He’s not expected to pitch again this year, leaving the Angels with a rotation mix of Teheran, Andrew Heaney, Dylan Bundy, Griffin Canning and a slew of fifth starter candidates. The Angels have enjoyed strong starts to the season from Bundy, Canning and Heaney, creating some hope that the staff will be able to withstand the loss of Ohtani. Lefty Patrick Sandoval and right-hander Matt Andriese have each started a game apiece as well.

Teheran once rated not only as one of the best pitching prospects in baseball but as one of the top five overall prospects in the game according to each of Baseball America, MLB.com and Baseball Prospectus. He posted a terrific 3.03 ERA in his first two full seasons back in 2013-14 but ultimately settled in as a durable mid-rotation workhorse. Over the past seven seasons in Atlanta, Teheran has averaged 32 starts and 190 2/3 innings per season, logging a cumulative 3.64 ERA with 7.9 K/9, 3.0 BB/9, 1.16 HR/9 and a 38.3 percent ground-ball rate.

Angels Don’t Expect Shohei Ohtani To Pitch Again In 2020

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Angels right-hander Shohei Ohtani went down Monday with a Grade 1-2 flexor pronator mass strain. It looked then as if Ohtani wouldn’t make a return to the mound this year because of his four- to six-week timeline to begin throwing again. Manager Joe Maddon confirmed Tuesday that Ohtani is likely done as a pitcher for 2020, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports (Twitter links). The team will reevaluate his forearm Wednesday, according to Maddon (via Maria Torres of the Los Angeles Times).

Fortunately, as an ultra-rare two-way talent, Ohtani’s not finished contributing for the year. Even though he probably won’t pitch again in 2020, Ohtani’s healthy enough that he’ll continue factoring in as a designated hitter. He has been quite successful in that role (not so much in the early going this year), though it’s nevertheless a loss for the Angels and the sport itself that the 26-year-old hasn’t been able to complete a season as a pitcher. The former Tommy John surgery patient has just 53 1/3 innings under his belt since he emigrated from Japan before the 2017 campaign.

Elsewhere on the roster, Maddon revealed that just-promoted outfield prospect Jo Adell will play every day. The elite farmhand, 21, will make his much-anticipated debut against the Mariners on Tuesday. The hope is that Adell and the return of all-world center fielder Mike Trout, who has been on paternity leave, will give the 3-7 Halos a desperately needed shot in the arm.

With Adell now in the mix, the Angels will platoon fellow corner outfielders Justin Upton (a right-handed hitter) and Brian Goodwin (a lefty) through year’s end. That isn’t the outcome the Angels envisioned when they signed Upton to a five-year, $106MM contract before 2018, but his production has been lacking since last season. Goodwin has been a bright spot dating back to 2019, on the other hand, and he’s off to a dazzling .333/.412/.667 start over 34 plate appearances this year.

Shohei Ohtani Diagnosed With Strain Of Flexor Pronator Mass

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Angels right-hander Shohei Ohtani has been diagnosed with a Grade 1-2 flexor pronator mass strain, the team announced. Ohtani is unlikely to begin throwing for at least four to six weeks. He’s day-to-day as the club’s designated hitter.

Considering the timeline the Angels provided, it doesn’t seem probable that Ohtani will factor into their rotation again this season. With so little time left in the season, a bullpen role might be a best-case scenario. Either way, it’s yet another awful blow to Ohtani’s attempt to become a two-way star in the majors. He has dealt with multiple injuries – including Tommy John surgery – that have limited him to 53 1/3 innings since he emigrated from Japan as a much-ballyhooed prospect prior to the 2017 season.

Ohtani didn’t pitch at all last season after undergoing TJS, and his return from the procedure didn’t go well this year before this latest issue. He made two starts and could only muster a combined 1 2/3 innings, in which the 26-year-old allowed seven earned runs on three hits and eight walks (with three strikeouts). Ohtani’s average fastball also fell below 94 mph, well under the near-97 mph mean he posted as a rookie.

Already off to a dismal 3-7 start this season, the Ohtani news is one of the last things the Angels needed at the 10-game mark. Fortunately for the Halos, there have been bright spots in their starting staff this season in the form of Dylan Bundy, Griffin Canning and Andrew Heaney. Some combination of Patrick Sandoval, Matt Andriese and Julio Teheran figure to round out their Ohtani-less rotation.

While the loss of Ohtani takes away a potential front-line starter from their staff, it shouldn’t stop him from factoring in as a DH option. Even when he was recovering from TJS last year, Ohtani turned in a solid .286/.343/.505 line with 18 home runs and 12 stolen bases across 425 plate appearances. He’s off to a rough start at the plate this year, though, having batted .148/.179/.407 with a pair of HRs in 28 PA.

Angels To Promote Jo Adell

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The Angels will promote top prospect Jo Adell, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network (via Twitter). The club is off tonight, so he’ll have his first shot at playing in the majors tomorrow evening.

Adell entered each of the past two seasons as a consensus top-ten prospect leaguewide. Selected out of high school in the first round of the 2017 draft, he has certainly hit his ceiling as a prospect. Now we’ll see whether he can do so as a major leaguer.

Given the timing of the promotion, Adell will not be able to accrue a full season of MLB service this year. He’s now on track to reach free agency after the 2026 season. If he holds down a roster spot from this point forward, Adell will surely qualify for arbitration in advance of the 2023 season as a Super Two player.

The 21-year-old Adell has generally thrived on his way up the ladder. He didn’t impress at Triple-A last year after a late-season promotion, but he showed well in the Arizona Fall League and doesn’t really have anything left to prove. All told, Adell owns a .298/.361/.518 batting line in the minors.

Most prospect watchers expect Adell to grow into added power. He’s already driving the ball all over the field and has the wheels to take extra bases. That speed also serves Adell well in the outfield, where he also possesses a big arm.

There’s really not much not to like. Adell does have some swing and miss but not so much that it’s considered a likely hindrance. As with any prospect, there’s a wide variance of potential outcomes. But Halos fans have every reason to be excited to welcome another premium talent to the roster.

Shohei Ohtani Underwent MRI On Pitching Arm

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Two-way star Shohei Ohtani expressed discomfort in his right arm following today’s start against the Astros, per various reporters (including Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com). He’s been sent in for an MRI, the results of which have not yet come back.

There’s surely hope disaster will be avoided. But it’s tough not to be at least somewhat alarmed. Ohtani worked his way back to the mound this season following October 2018 Tommy John surgery. Yet he certainly hasn’t looked as dominant as he’d been.

Ohtani battled control problems throughout Summer Camp, and his two regular-season starts have been unmitigated disasters. He’s walked eight of sixteen batters faced, allowing seven runs in 1.2 innings along the way. Perhaps more worrisome, Ohtani’s velocity plummeted by the end of today’s outing, Bollinger points out (via Twitter). While he touched his customary 97 MPH at one point, his fastball was into the 89-90 MPH range before he departed, Bollinger notes. Of course, that could simply reflect fatigue at the end of a long, stressful inning or mere minor discomfort.

There’s little overstating the 26-year-old’s general importance in Anaheim. He’s proven an elite hitter since coming over from NPB. Even as he worked his way back to pitching from surgery, he didn’t miss a beat at the plate. He was similarly brilliant on the mound over his first 10 MLB starts (3.31 ERA/3.57 FIP in 51.2 innings), making him a key member of an uncertain Angels’ rotation. Surely, the hope remains his body will enable him to regain that remarkable form.

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