Lost in the endless sea of delicious tacos, (sometimes) beautiful weather and a team trip to an escape room, the first spring training of the Brad Ausmus era has been a relatively quiet one for the Angels.
Since the club reported to camp at Tempe Diablo Stadium in mid-February, we’ve had the chance to introduce some new faces (including a new closer and a high-profile one looking to have a fresh start). The top Angels prospect since Mike Trout got his first taste of big-league spring training, even if Jo Adell’s run was cut short by a Grade 1+ left hamstring strain and Grade 2+ right ankle sprain. The actual Mike Trout’s future remains unclear for now, however.
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We talked contracts, two-way players (and the new rules that affect them), and we’ve talked about quirky batting stances, scuba diving, hockey pucks and aux cords.
So what’s next? Opening Day is 10 days away, so let’s look at the remaining questions and observations that remain before the Angels’ season starts in Oakland.
The rotation
For now (*knocks on wood*), when it comes to rotation depth, the Angels seem to be in as good a spot as they’ve been at any point since Billy Eppler took over as general manager.
That is not to say they have gone through this spring with a clean bill of health.
Andrew Heaney, one of the contenders entering the spring for the Opening Day starting gig, resumed throwing on Sunday as he deals with elbow inflammation. The left-hander missed the beginning of last season with the same issue but rebounded to lead the Angels with 180 innings pitched, and he has said he is hopeful he can “nip it in the bud.” He’ll start the season on the injured list. Heaney said he’ll tweak the way he trains next offseason to try to curb what has been a recurring issue since his return from Tommy John surgery.
Tyler Skaggs, another candidate to start Opening Day, tried incorporating a new pitch — “I’m not authorized to tell you what it is,” he joked — but instead dealt with some forearm fatigue. He’s back on track and should be ready to start the season, but his schedule is now a little off-line. Save for a glute strain on the first day of workouts, Matt Harvey has been healthy and looked sharp, as has Trevor Cahill. One of those two guys might get the ball for the first game of the season.
If Heaney starts the season on the IL, that leaves two rotation slots: Jaime Barria and Felix Peña.
Barria has the obvious inside track to make the rotation after a solid showing last year as a 21-year-old rookie, when he posted a 3.41 ERA in 26 starts. He became increasingly hittable over the second half and began overusing his fastball and sinker, so he’s hoping a new curveball he’s debuted this spring can make his slider and changeup more effective.
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The Angels might tap into something similar with Peña — according to Inside Edge, he had a 48.6 whiff rate on curveballs and sliders last season, the fourth-highest in baseball. He’s also looked to improve his changeup. The right-hander has potential as a swingman, but he showed his most progress last season as a starter, with a 4.18 ERA in 19 appearances (17 starts).
The Angels will have depth in the minors if they need it. Nick Tropeano has big-league experience and should resume throwing bullpens as soon as he rehabs his right shoulder bursitis. Dillon Peters, acquired this offseason from the Marlins via trade, impressed the Angels this spring and the club is particularly enamored with the spin rate on his fastball — something he feels he didn’t tap into enough with Miami.
Top Angels pitching prospects Griffin Canning and Jose Suarez got their first tastes of big-league camp this spring, though Suarez was limited to one inning of Cactus League action as he dealt with shoulder soreness. He and Canning, the club’s 2017 second-round pick who rose up three levels last season, could see action in the majors this year and could come up in a pinch.
Position battles
These have pretty much settled themselves out, be it via roster maneuvering or pure performance.
Kevan Smith (.273/.273/424 in 33 at-bats this spring) hasn’t necessarily separated himself from José Briceño (.150/.261/.350 in 23 plate appearances) to back up Jonathan Lucroy behind the plate, but he’s out of options and Briceño is not. While Briceño is the superior receiver, Smith gets on base at a higher clip. I’d expect Briceño to start the season at Triple-A Salt Lake with Dustin Garneau as catching depth.
If Zack Cozart is ready for the start of the season after his Grade 1 left calf strain, as it appears he will, then the infield seems just about set. Tommy La Stella will almost certainly open with the club as the backup utility infielder who can fill in at first, second, third and shortstop. Luis Rengifo, who had an outside shot at making the team after rising three minor-league levels last summer, was optioned to the minors on Saturday, and first base prospect Matt Thaiss has had a strong camp but is simply blocked by Albert Pujols and Justin Bour at the big-league level.
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That leaves Taylor Ward and David Fletcher, who made their big-league debuts last season. Given that almost all of Cozart’s work this spring has come at third base, and that Fletcher showed an ability to play both second and third capably last season in posting 2 bWAR as a rookie, it seems that Fletcher is the front-runner to get that roster spot.
Peter Bourjos’ biggest competition to make the Angels’ roster as their fourth outfielder, Michael Hermosillo, still hasn’t played in a Cactus League game. Jarrett Parker, a fellow non-roster invitee, has hit well this spring but isn’t as good a defender as Bourjos. The former Angels outfielder, who had a 4.9-win bWAR season in 2011, has reworked his swing this offseason and can play every outfield position well.
How do the Angels handle the Pujols/Bour/Ohtani conundrum?
Well, the Angels can wait on this and see if any injuries simplify the equation.
Shohei Ohtani is expected to be out until at least May as he rehabs from Tommy John surgery. Given the complicated two-way nature of his rehab, the Angels are slow-playing him.
“No reason to rush,” Ohtani said Saturday through his interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara.
Ohtani began hitting overhand pitching (from a coach) in the batting cage for the first time on Sunday, his biggest progression to date. The next step will be getting him on a field for batting practice, likely followed with a live BP session and then simulated games. He’ll go with the club to Anaheim and continue rehabbing there, even as the club starts the season on the road.
“Once you put him on the field, you can see the outfield wall and you want to hit it over,” Ausmus said Sunday of the timetable for Ohtani’s progression. “When you’re in the cages and it’s soft toss or overhand soft toss, you’re still constrained by the nets. You put them out here and they see 360 feet down the line, 400 to center field. There’s a little added energy in the swing. So I think it’s a bigger step getting on the field.”
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Ohtani recently began throwing, but they are light tosses at about 30-percent intensity and aren’t yet stretched beyond 50 feet.
Until Ohtani gets back to action at the plate, the Angels will be able to put the positionally-inflexible Bour and Pujols in the lineup at the same time, likely with Pujols seeing most of his time as a designated hitter to preserve his legs.
Pujols has remained publicly bullish on his ability to play first base for extended periods this season and has hit well this spring (.414/.469/.655 in 29 at-bats), but the addition of the left-handed-hitting Bour could force the two into a platoon once Ohtani comes back.
The Angels are being extra careful with Shohei Ohtani’s rehab. (Orlando Ramirez / USA TODAY Sports)
Your standard Mike Trout update
Mike Trout remains very good at baseball.
Projecting the roster
It’s early, and Opening Day rosters don’t mean too much with the constant churn of the season. But here’s how the Angels could shape up on March 28 in Oakland.
Rotation
LHP Tyler Skaggs
RHP Trevor Cahill
RHP Matt Harvey
RHP Jaime Barria
RHP Felix Peña
Most likely Opening Day starter: either Trevor Cahill or Matt Harvey, with Harvey’s schedule making the most sense.
Bullpen
RHP Cody Allen (closer)
RHP Ty Buttrey
RHP Hansel Robles
RHP Luis García
LHP Dan Jennings
RHP Cam Bedrosian
RHP Justin Anderson
RHP Daniel Hudson
It sounds like the Angels will roll with eight relievers to start the season, due to the position flexibility of their position players and the fact that their starters aren’t fully stretched out. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Luke Bard or Taylor Cole break camp with the club as well.
Infield
C Jonathan Lucroy
C Kevan Smith
1B/DH Justin Bour
1B/DH Albert Pujols
INF/OF David Fletcher
SS Andrelton Simmons
INF Zack Cozart
INF Tommy La Stella
Outfield
LF Justin Upton
CF Mike Trout
RF Kole Calhoun
OF Peter Bourjos
The Angels would, of course, need to clear 40-man spots for Jennings, Hudson and Bourjos. Right-hander Noé Ramirez and two-way player Kaleb Cowart both are out of options and would have to be designated for assignment to be removed from both the 25-man and 40-man rosters. They could also DFA one of their other players who they’ve already optioned to minor-league camp, though that leaves them susceptible to a waiver claim.
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Sights and sounds
Spring training can get long and monotonous (PFPs are thrilling, but only for a couple days), but sometimes there are moments that break the monotony and bring us joy. Those moments should be celebrated. Here are some of them.
Quotables
“Do you always stop at a yellow light?” — Angels center fielder Mike Trout, on getting caught in-between on a stop sign from third-base coach Mike Gallego.
“I don’t know, maybe more?” — Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger, when asked what Mike Trout would get after Bryce Harper’s 13-year, $330-million deal.
“His mom.” — Angels manager Brad Ausmus, when asked where Torii Hunter Jr., the son of former Angel Torii Hunter, got his athleticism.
“Super super utility guy.” — Angels two-way player Kaleb Cowart, describing his role.
“GOLLY!” — What Arizona right-hander Zack Greinke yelled as he allowed a home run to Jonathan Lucroy in a B game on Tempe Diablo’s back fields.
“He’s patient zero.” — Ausmus on how the Angels are approaching the two-way rehab of Shohei Ohtani.
“It was that old-school Limewire. You download the wrong thing, you’ve got a bug on your computer. I went through a lot of computers.” — Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs on how he used to get his music.
“They have so much time to be weird.” — Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons on pitchers.
“He’s the Dos Equis guy. He’s the most interesting man in the world.” — Ausmus on non-roster invitee Forrest Snow.
“Come on, baseball team!” — An enthusiastic man four hours into a spring training game.
“Even the best player can improve. That’s how they become best-er.” — Ausmus on Trout.
“Do you dream in Japanese?” — Ausmus to Angels senior manager of communications Grace McNamee.
Scenes of spring
Here is an iPhone photo of @JeffFletcherOCR taking an iPhone video of batting practice. Welcome to spring training. pic.twitter.com/l5oFTCK6pX
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) February 13, 2019
The Tempe Diablo Stadium press box is either inhabited by a ghost or has a self-opening and closing door when it gets super windy. pic.twitter.com/xmm6abGGJZ
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) February 21, 2019
Just spring training things. pic.twitter.com/RW3ZwTShgk
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) March 1, 2019
Jaime Barria’s rat tail is now braided. pic.twitter.com/ejPBACzsuM
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) March 10, 2019
Kaleb Cowart, a two-way player, is throwing a live BP against Jared Walsh, also a two-way player.
Jared Walsh called his shot. pic.twitter.com/L2WqK8cuSX
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) March 10, 2019
A couple Hall of Famers: Vlad and Albert. pic.twitter.com/lzPVCvpIxi
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) March 14, 2019
File this under “spring training things" pic.twitter.com/SPgQvDQN4A
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) March 14, 2019
Shoutout to the dude at Tempe Diablo Stadium wearing a shirt that reads “MY LAST YEAR BEING BROKE.”
That’s the spirit, buddy.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) March 9, 2019
Shohei Ohtani’s looking fresh. pic.twitter.com/uG1FiuHigf
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) March 14, 2019
A dude named Santa is playing shortstop for the Mariners. What a gift.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) March 10, 2019
Just witness someone, in a fit of road rage, throwing a roll of duct tape out their driver’s side window at the car in the next lane and hit their window squarely. Neither side escalated the situation, as it was then settled.
Never change, Arizona.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) March 7, 2019
PEORIA, Ariz. — “GORGEOUS BOURJOS!” a fan yelled.
His friends looked at him confused.
“What?” the fan said. "It’s totally a thing. I’m going to make a t-shirt."
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) March 17, 2019
Top photo of Matt Harvey: Ross D. Franklin / AP Photo
Fabian Ardaya is a staff writer covering the Los Angeles Dodgers for The Athletic. He previously spent three seasons covering the crosstown Los Angeles Angels for The Athletic. He graduated from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication in May 2017 after growing up in a Phoenix-area suburb. Follow Fabian on Twitter @FabianArdaya
