Angels righty Garrett Richards may be due for a longer DL stint than had first been expected, as Pedro Moura of the Los Angeles Times reports. Richards has yet to pick up a ball since going down with a biceps strain. Given the time he has already missed, and the lack of progress thus far, it seems increasingly likely that some kind of rehab stint could be required. There’ll no doubt be some added caution taken given that Richards is only just returning from a lengthy rehab of a UCL injury. The Halos are going with J.C. Ramirez in his stead; he’ll take the ball to start a game in the big leagues for the first time tonight, as J.P. Hoornstra of the Orange County Register writes.
Angels Rumors
Angels Place Andrew Bailey On 10-Day DL
- The Angels have placed righty Andrew Bailey on the 10-day DL to rest his inflamed shoulder, per a club announcement. He’ll be replaced on the active roster by fellow righty Daniel Wright. It’s not yet clear just how long Bailey will be down. For Wright, this’ll be his third call-up to the majors; he saw action last year with both the Reds and Angels, working both as a stater and from the pen.
Garrett Richards Headed To 10-Day DL
Angels righty Garrett Richards is headed to the 10-day DL with a biceps strain, as Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register was among those to tweet. Reliever Mike Morin has been recalled to take his spot on the active roster.
An MRI did show that Richards has not suffered an elbow injury, Pedro Moura of the Los Angeles Times reports on Twitter, but “irritation” in the biceps muscle will nevertheless force him to take a rest. The move was backdated to yesterday, when Richards left his first outing of the season early with the injury.
Indications immediately after the game were that it wasn’t terribly concerning, and today’s news does not seem to change the prognosis. That said, any arm issues will receive added attention in Richards’s case given that he’s returning after treating and rehabbing a partially torn UCL.
While the non-surgical course allowed Richards to return much quicker than he would have, it seems reasonable to anticipate that the organization will handle him with added care. He was throwing rather well yesterday before the bicep flared up. Over 4 2/3 scoreless innings, he sat in the 96-97 mph range with his fastball and allowed three hits and a walk while striking out for batters.
Richards Headed For MRI On Friday
After exiting his first start of the season with biceps cramps, Angels ace Garrett Richards will undergo what the team is calling a precautionary MRI tomorrow, per a club announcement. Manager Mike Scioscia told reporters, including Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register, that the team’s medical staff is “confident this isn’t connected to his other situation last year,” in reference to the torn ulnar collateral ligament that Richards suffered last season. While the majority of players with UCL tears ultimately fall to Tommy John surgery, Richards opted for a stem cell therapy treatment that allowed him to rehab without surgery and pitch throughout Spring Training. The Halos are hopeful that Richards can help to anchor their staff in 2017, though obviously this isn’t the start they envisioned.
West Notes: Richards, Trout, D-Backs, Leyba
Angels righty Garrett Richards completed his remarkable return to the major league hill, but he had to leave early with what has been diagnosed initially as a biceps cramp, as Pedro Moura of the Los Angeles Times reports. The club says that the fireballing righty was pulled for “precautionary reasons,” and Richards says that “everything’s fine” with his elbow. For the time being, at least, he won’t even undergo an MRI; indications are that he could be able to take his next scheduled start.
- Speaking of Richards, you’ll want to read the interesting piece that Moura penned recently regarding his stem-cell therapy to treat a partially torn UCL. Taking that course rather than electing surgery is perhaps not as unique as is publicly known, the article explains, with other players quietly undergoing the treatment during the offseason. It wasn’t an easy call, explains Angels team doctor Steve Yoon, but the combined approach has led to “dramatic” improvement in his ligament.
- Angels fans will also want to take a look at Moura’s excellent look back at how the organization landed Mike Trout in the 2009 draft. Richards went to Los Angeles in the same draft, as did a host of other major leaguers. But landing Trout with the 25th choice was one of the greatest heists in Rule 4 history.
- The Diamondbacks are lining up a significant investment in their operations in the Dominican Republic, as Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. CEO Derrick Hall explains that investing in a facility — either through renovation or new construction — could help the team draw quality youngsters under the new international spending rules, which won’t allow organizations to exceed their pool allocations.
- Diamondbacks prospect Domingo Leyba is slated to miss about two months of action with “a small tear” in the anterior capsule of his right shoulder, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports (Twitter links). Leyba, who came to Arizona as a part of the three-team deal that also delivered Robbie Ray, with the D-Backs sacrificing Didi Gregorius, is considered one of the organization’s top prospects. The 21-year-old infielder put up solid numbers last year at the High-A and Double-A levels after a disappointing 2015 campaign. Over 548 total plate appearances, he slashed .296/.355/.429 with ten home runs.
Outrighted: Hessler, Vargas, Yates
Here are the latest minor moves of note from around the game:
- The Padres announced that lefty Keith Hessler and righty Cesar Vargas have both been outrighted after clearing waivers. Both were designated for assignment recently; the former will head to the highest level of the minors, while the latter will go to Double-A. Hessler, 28, pitched to a 3.38 ERA last year but managed just nine strikeouts against 11 walks over his 18 2/3 frames. As for the 25-year-old Vargas, he’ll need to climb back to the bigs before he’ll get a shot to pick up where he left off last year, when he carried a 3.34 ERA over his first six starts — only to suffer a season-ending injury during his seventh.
- Righty Kirby Yates has been outrighted by the Angels, per a team announcement. The 30-year-old hasn’t managed to hold down big league job in his prior opportunities, and will need to wait for another shot at Triple-A. He threw 41 1/3 frames last year, posting a 5.23 ERA with 10.9 K/9 and 4.1 BB/9. Yates has typically performed well in the upper minors, though, and ought to provide the Halos with some depth.
Angels Notes: Revere, First Base
- Fletcher also suggests, once again, that the Angels could be forced to make some type of roster move to alleviate the first base mix once Luis Valbuena returns from an injury next month. Valbuena figures to receive the bulk of the time at first base, leaving the Halos with a pair of right-handed-hitting complements in the form of C.J. Cron and Jefry Marte. While it was Marte who drew the start last night despite a lefty pitcher being on the hill, manager Mike Scioscia tells Fletcher that the decision to start Marte was merely a means of getting him into the lineup early in the season without asking him to sit for too long.
- Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register spoke to Angels outfielder Ben Revere about his reserve role with the team and the difficulty of trying to reestablish oneself as a player that can be relied on every day while receiving only limited at-bats. Revere isn’t down on himself after losing out on the left field job despite a vastly superior spring to that of starter Cameron Maybin. “No matter what happens, if I go the whole year being a backup, I’m going to try to get No. 9 (Maybin) to have the best year of his career,” Revere says. “…Spring training doesn’t mean a damn thing. It’s all about performing when it counts. It starts now.”
- Fletcher also suggests, once again, that the Angels could be forced to make some type of roster move to alleviate the first base mix once Luis Valbuena returns from an injury next month. Valbuena figures to receive the bulk of the time at first base, leaving the Halos with a pair of right-handed-hitting complements in the form of C.J. Cron and Jefry Marte. While it was Marte who drew the start last night despite a lefty pitcher being on the hill, manager Mike Scioscia tells Fletcher that the decision to start Marte was merely a means of getting him into the lineup early in the season without asking him to sit for too long.
Offseason In Review: Los Angeles Angels
This is the latest entry in MLBTR’s Offseason In Review series. The full index of Offseason In Review posts can be found here.
Mike Trout continues to lead a team in transition as the Angels attempt to regroup following an injury-marred 2016 campaign.
Major League Signings
- Luis Valbuena, 3B: two years, $15MM plus mutual option for 2019
- Jesse Chavez, RHP: one year, $5.75MM plus incentives
- Ben Revere, OF: one year, $4MM plus incentives
- Andrew Bailey, RHP (re-signed): one year, $1M plus incentives
- Total spend: $25.75MM
Trades And Claims
- Acquired OF Cameron Maybin from Tigers for RHP Victor Alcantara
- Acquired 2B Danny Espinosa from Nationals for RHP Austin Adams and RHP Kyle McGowin
- Acquired C Martin Maldonado and RHP Drew Gagnon for C Jett Bandy
- Acquired RHP Austin Adams from Indians for cash (this player is a different right-handed pitcher named Austin Adams than the one the Angels dealt in the Espinosa trade)
- Acquired RHP Brooks Pounders from Royals for RHP Jared Ruxer
- Claimed RHP Kirby Yates from Yankees (later designated for assignment)
- Claimed RHP Blake Parker from Yankees; the Angels later lost Parker on waivers to the Brewers, but claimed him again later in the offseason and then outrighted him
- Claimed RHP Abel De Los Santos from Reds (later outrighted)
- Claimed RHP Vicente Campos from Diamondbacks
- Claimed SS Nolan Fontana from Astros
- Lost C Juan Graterol on waivers to Reds; the Angels later claimed Graterol from the Diamondbacks, but ultimately lost him on waivers to the Blue Jays
- Lost RHP Ashur Tolliver on waivers to Astros
- Acquired RHP Justin Haley in the Rule 5 Draft and traded him to the Padres for cash
Notable Minor League Signings
Yusmeiro Petit, Bud Norris, John Lamb, Dustin Ackley, Eric Young Jr., Ryan LaMarre, Tony Sanchez
Extensions
- Kole Calhoun, OF: three years, $26MM plus club option for 2020
Contract Options
- Yunel Escobar, IF: $7MM or $1M buyout (exercised)
Notable Losses
Jered Weaver, C.J. Wilson, Bandy, Geovany Soto, Jhoulys Chacin, Johnny Giavotella, Gregorio Petit, Rafael Ortega, Tim Lincecum, Ji-Man Choi, A.J. Achter
Needs Addressed
In his second offseason with the Angels, GM Billy Eppler completed transactions at a furious pace. Many of them were much ado about little, as you might infer from the list above — the series of moves involving Blake Parker and Juan Graterol are telling, as is the fact that Eppler made trades involving two separate pitchers named Austin Adams. Gone were the Albert Pujols-type big splashes that defined previous Angels offseasons, despite the salary-clearing departures this winter of former star pitchers C.J. Wilson and Jered Weaver. That isn’t to say, though, that Eppler didn’t take serious steps to improve his club. It’s more that his team had so many glaring holes that he had to make a number of small moves rather than one or two big ones.
The Angels’ first big offseason transaction helped define how the rest of their winter would go. The team entered the offseason needing to upgrade in their rotation and outfield, and at catcher and second base. Of those positions, the one that boasted the most free-agent talent was outfield, where Yoenis Cespedes, Dexter Fowler, Jose Bautista, Ian Desmond, Josh Reddick, Carlos Gomez, Michael Saunders and many others were available.
Rather than pursue any of those players, the Angels quickly traded for Cameron Maybin from the Tigers. The cost was minimal — the Angels gave up only Victor Alcantara, a hard-throwing but raw righty who probably profiles as a reliever in the long term.
Maybin looks like a bargain at the price of his $9MM option, which the Angels immediately exercised after trading for him — he batted .315/.383/.418 in 2016, a slash line that would fit well in just about any lineup. Beneath the surface, though, lies a .383 BABIP, a number that seems virtually certain to fall dramatically in 2017. Also, Maybin’s center field defense has declined as he’s aged. Defensively, he should be fine in left, where the Angels plan to use him, but his ground-ball-heavy offensive game seems unlikely to produce the power typically associated with that position.
The Angels also added Ben Revere, who provides Maybin with a left-handed complement and the Angels with some speed off the bench. Revere, alas, batted .217/.260/.300 for the Nationals last year. Revere’s own .234 BABIP looks ripe for positive regression, particularly as he’s recovered from an oblique injury that hindered him in 2016. Revere is also just 28 and would appear to be a useful bench player at the very least, particularly given his baserunning ability.
Revere has even less power than Maybin, though, and it’s hard to shake the impression the Angels missed an opportunity to add a middle-of-the-lineup bat, particularly given the way the offseason unfolded. They might well have been able to land a more potentially impactful player, or perhaps even two — Eric Thames, Steve Pearce, Matt Joyce and Saunders all come to mind — had they not acted so quickly to add Maybin, who ZiPS and Steamer both project will produce less than a win above replacement this year. There’s a bit of 20/20 hindsight involved in that assessment, but perhaps it should have been clear from the beginning there was plenty of talent available.
The Angels also acted decisively to upgrade their infield, seemingly killing one bird with two stones by acquiring both Danny Espinosa and Luis Valbuena. The Angels pounced after the Nationals’ acquisition of Adam Eaton relegated Espinosa to a bench role, and Espinosa subsequently expressed unhappiness with the situation. The Angels sent two fringe pitching prospects to Washington, and settled with Espinosa for $5.425MM for his final season before he becomes eligible for free agency. Espinosa’s offensive profile is unusual for a middle infielder — he hit 24 home runs last season, but struck out 29% of the time, leading to a .209 batting average that doesn’t figure to improve much in 2017. His defensive value still makes him a credible starter, albeit a below-average one; it’s no accident that the Nationals, a contending team, saw him as a bench piece.
Valbuena has primarily played third in the past several seasons, but with Espinosa at the keystone and Escobar at the hot corner, Valbuena will also likely play plenty of first base. Incumbent first baseman C.J. Cron is a righty and Valbuena is a lefty, but the pair will form somewhat of an odd semi-platoon, since Cron has batted a helpful .273/.317/.473 against righties in his short career (demonstrating reverse platoon splits that admittedly might well regress somewhat). Pujols had foot surgery in December that was set to sideline him for several months; although he now appears ready to go, that might have been a factor in the Angels’ pursuit of extra help for first base, since Cron could theoretically have replaced Pujols at DH with Valbuena playing first. And if Valbuena bats .260/.357/.459, as he did in 2016, his bat will play at any position.
Some negative regression seems likely there too, however, since 2016 was Valbuena’s best career offensive season. And chunk of Valbeuna’s value in past years has come from his ability to play a tougher spot on the diamond. As with the outfield, there were plenty of first basemen available on the free agent market, so there shouldn’t have been much need to pay $15MM to turn a good third baseman into one –although, of course, there’s something to be said for Valbuena’s versatility. Anyway, the Angels’ seeming infield logjam won’t be an issue for awhile, since Valbuena will miss the first month or so of the season after injuring his hamstring.
More analysis after the break …Read more
Angels Outright Austin Adams
- The Angels announced that right-hander Austin Adams has cleared waivers and been assigned outright to Triple-A Salt Lake. The 30-year-old Adams, not to be confused with the 25-year-old righty of the same name who was also with the Angels until being traded to the Nationals in the Danny Espinosa deal, was designated for assignment over the weekend. The elder Austin Adams has seen action in the Majors with the Indians in each of the past three seasons. He performed well in 2015 (3.78 ERA, 6.2 K/9, 3.5 BB/9, 46.8 percent ground-ball rate in 38 1/3 innings) but was rocked for 20 earned runs in 18 1/3 innings with Cleveland last year. The Indians shipped him to the Angels for cash or a player to be named later back in February.
Angels DFA Austin Adams, Kirby Yates
The Angels have selected the contracts of right-handers Bud Norris, Blake Parker and Yusmeiro Petit, all of whom will start the year in their bullpen, and designated righties Austin Adams and Kirby Yates for assignment.
Adams, whom the Angels acquired from the Indians in February, hasn’t produced positive major league results with his 96 mph fastball. The 30-year-old combined for a 6.29 ERA, 6.75 K/9 and 3.22 BB/9 in 58 2/3 innings with the Tribe over the previous three seasons. Last year was especially rough for Adams, who, despite a career-high K/9 (8.35), yielded home runs on 25 percent of fly balls and logged a 9.82 ERA in 18 1/3 frames. Adams has been far better at the Triple-A level, having posted a 3.47 ERA with 9.5 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 in 103 2/3 innings.
The Halos claimed Yates off waivers from the Yankees last October, after the 30-year-old pitched to a 5.23 ERA in 41 1/3 innings with the Bombers in 2016. Yates did manage personal bests in K/9 (10.89), ground-ball rate (43.6 percent), infield fly rate (18.9 percent) and swinging-strike percentage (11.6), but a .340 batting average on balls in play and an elevated BB/9 (4.14, up from a career 3.78) helped lead to unappealing results. Yates’ ERA last season was right in line with his 5.25 career mark across 97 2/3 innings with the Rays and Yankees. Like Adams, he has been much more effective in the minors, as evidenced by a 2.24 ERA, 12.7 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 in 128 2/3 Triple-A frames.
