Just hours after the club placed superstar Mike Trout on the injured list with a hamate fracture, the Angels fans are surely reeling after watching a franchise icon exit due to injury for the second consecutive night. Two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani left his start this evening with what the club announced as a right middle finger blister. Outfielder Jo Adell then pinch-hit for Ohtani the next time he was due up to bat.
Following the game, Ohtani told reporters (including Sam Blum of The Athletic) through his interpreter that he wasn’t sure how his hitting would be impacted by the injury in the short term. With just three games left until the All Star break, it would be understandable if the club decided to proceed with caution and give their superstar extra time off to heal and prepare for the second half. Ohtani, who was elected to the All Star game as the starting DH for the AL, noted he does not expect to pitch due to the injury, though he did not comment on whether he would participate as a hitter.
The blister issue comes on the heels of Ohtani having his start, originally scheduled for yesterday, pushed back a day while he dealt with a cracked fingernail. As noted by Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register, the fingernail issue hadn’t fully healed prior to tonight’s game and contributed to the blister, which worsened as the start went on. Ohtani indicated that he’s hopeful he’ll be able to make his next start, which would likely be slated for the Astros series that immediately follows the All Star break.
Ohtani wasn’t the only big name player to exit tonight’s 8-5 loss to the Padres with an injury, as third baseman Anthony Rendon fouled a ball off his shin and exited the game. Per Fletcher, Rendon’s x-rays came back negative and he was diagnosed with a shin contusion. After the game, Rendon used crutches while speaking to reporters. As noted by Blum, the veteran infielder told reporters that he expects to know more about whether or not he’s headed for a stint on the injured list tomorrow but that “it’s not looking good” regarding his ability to return to action in short order.
Anaheim’s awful fortune in the injury department comes as the club looks to stop a 4-10 skid that has seen them fall to an uninspiring 45-43 record. That record leaves the Halos seven games back in the AL West and four games out of a Wild Card spot as they try to make the most of Ohtani’s final season under team control before he can hit the open market this offseason for what is perhaps the most anticipated free agency of all time. Going forward, they’ll look to keep things afloat in the run up to the trade deadline on August 1 and Trout’s return, which is expected to occur sometime next month.
We’re cursed.
That is all.
Started in 86. 2002 was a freak occurence. Wasn’t supposed to happen.
2002 was the Baseball gods punishing Bonds
Good point Rsox
Why didn’t ‘baseball god’ punish the largest enlarged head in Boston? Besides, there is one and only God, you know?
Halos are done. DONE
Baseball Gods didn’t punish Bonds. They folded like the little beeyatchies they are and walked him intentionally
The baseball gods are punishing us all by subjecting us to the drivel and tomfoolery spouted off weekly on Fox by said syringe head from Boston, the insufferable Mr J-Lo and the bland Captain Jeter. Baseball commentary for the non existent casual fan demographic they’re going after.
Can’t argue with that, Theo.
Well, only because of that freak winning streak. But yeah, the Angels were in for a fight if MN didn’t happen to upset the A’s in the first round.
Adam Kennedy’s 3HR’s in game 7 sure as heck helped!
Ironically my first year as a fan. I was a kid and confident Wally would carry us to greatness fit the rest of my life.
Now I feel bad for making my son an Angels fan ha ha.
HHJJ, me too practically. That was a great year to become a fan. I could see how it could have hooked ya for life. My loyalty is with Trout these days not the Halo’s.
1986 that was the Donny Moore series right? Correct me if I’m wrong but was it Dave Henderson that hit a homerun off him to put Boston ahead? I would’ve been roughly 19 months old.
2002. Garrett Anderaon bases clearing double in I believe the 3rd. Into the RF corner.
and Dodgers last World Series ring was 1988. 2020 will forever be an asterisk.
Baywatch 2002. Good times back then
This can definitely ruin his weekend
It’s not a curse. It’s God punishing the team and Arte for stealing Pujols from the Cardinals.
I thought getting the diminished Pujols that the Angels did was God’s punishment for stealing Pujols from the Cardinals.
Probably just reality’s way of paying Arte back for actually believing Pujols states age despite all evidence to the contrary.
Middle finger blisters heal quicker when soaked in-cider !
AMPUTATE!
the “A” on the cap now stands for “Adios.” and their season suddenly goes down the drain.
Time to clean house top down.
And the hits keep coming. Can all this be a silver lining to convince Moreno to trade Ohtani rather than losing him for a comp pick in the offseason?
When will they dump Trout’s contract? Semien for Trout dump for dump?
Semien has hit a solid .261 with 37 HR’s, 137 RBI’s and has missed only 1 game since joing the Rangers. If nothing else at least he’s been durable
You just took a dump with that comment. Now flush please.
It’s weird how sometimes the Angels are overcautious with injuries, and some cases lke this one the finger wasn’t fully healed so got worse. And now they want to have Trout come back from his injury in record time. And those are the stars!
Angels desperately need new training and medical staffs. That is where baseball teams win a lot of games. Last year Trout’s injury was a direct result of a terrible training plan from the team. This years Ohtani injury is all on the medical staff.
These are hyper alpha super competitors. Competent, confident, convincing professionals need to be directing these laser beams away from self injury and burn out.
I thought the ump threw him out for flipping him off.
And the Angles will yet again not even finish above .500. Knew it but Angles fans were optimistic and denied reality and said I am is ah dum duhm. Maybe I am but the Angles SUCK and are the worst team in baseball because they always disappoint BIG TIME. At least you know the A’s and “Royals” will suck and don’t toy with the emotions of their fan base.
Rendon injured? No way!
If Rich Hill had exited with a blister, would there be an article here about it?
Equal rights and coverage for all pitchers!
MLBTR knows their audience. Would you be commenting if this was a Rich Hill blister article?
YBC, haven’t been perusing the posts for a while.Is the job req still open for the Ohtani expert? Gotta speak Japanese and Swahili, played at least 6 years in the NPB, have at least 6 Ohtani and or Hello Kitty Bobbleheads, Be a Halo fan, know Arte personally..I think those were the requirements? Did they ever hire that guy?
If Rich Hill had a blister injury in an empty forest, would it make a sound?
POP!
look to be fair, we used to get like 10 rich hill blister articles a season, thats an old tired run of news…..
I think MLB should just shut the whole league down. I don’t know how they survived over a hundred years before Ohtani, but they sure can’t survive now.
The worst part is all these major injuries have snowballed in the last two or three weeks. There’s a theory online that the baseball gods are taking it out on Nevin for that brawl last summer against Seattle
I wonder if the Angels would have any thoughts in a Nimmo + Mauricio + Jett Williams for Mike Trout deal. Gives them a potential all star CF in Nimmo, Mauricio is almost major league ready and can fill in at 3rd and 2nd, and Williams who is still developing. Would also relieve the Angels of payroll and Trout’s injury history suggests hes only going to get more injured + his play will worsen
Nimmo is a very solid player, but he does not define what it is to be an All-Star.
The Angels hang up the phone before you can finish saying Nimmo
Trout has a full no-trade clause. Why would Cohen even do that? I don’t think it would be crazy to say that Nimmo could out-perform Trout over the next five years at a way lesser salary.
@YankeesBleacherCreature Trout is just flat out better than Nimmo. I like Nimmo, don’t get me wrong, but this team needs a 3rd hitter desperatly. Trout would be the perfect 3rd hitter and could possibly be a factor in Ohtani coming to the Mets next year
Rendon to the IL? Well just knock me over with a feather.
Hate to say it as an Angels fan, but if I were an Astros fan I wouldn’t care less about what anybody said positively or negatively the ‘Stros. I would be extremely happy and content my team has built a consistent winner no matter how it’s done,as long as they continue to do what is necessary to win any way possible.
That tells us a lot about you.
Saw him give up back to back homeruns. Thought to myself he is human after all.
Run Ohtani. Atlanta would love to have you.
An Ohtani contract doesn’t seem to mesh with Atlanta’s player personnel strategy.
In general, looks like they commit long term to younger players and keep everyone’s earnings in a range. Having that one alpha dog making a ton of money above everyone else seems to not be them.
The last time Ohtani had a blister, it required Tommy John surgery.
As a Pirates fan, i take solace in the idea that year in and year out, we have no expectations. Contrast that with being an Angels fan with a great deal of talent. Every year, it seems something like this happens
I don’t see how it is possible at this point and have to ask if this changes our position with Ohtani. From my perspective our 3 best starting pitchers aren’ going to be enough to carry the team, the offense is going to struggle and once again, like last year we are fielding a team that I don’t even recognize. I am not going to sit back and blame management, especially with the moves and effort that I have seen this year. Simply unbelievable… So do you stop pushing water uphill and make the trade? Try to get younger and more durable? I mean what’s happening with Rendon is both shocking and dismal. It’s hard to hold onto hope when a cornerstone player appears to lack both heart and fortitude. I mean a bruise, seriously? I get the hip but bruises? Just a shame. Despite the efforts to build depth, there have also been multiple serious injuries to this team that simply couldn’t have been foreseen or planned for. I just can’t see us staying in contention moving forward. Career changing decisions are ahead. The last 2 days are season changing from where I sit.
Relax, dude. Its just a blister. He’ll miss a couple starts.
This is the first time I’ve ever been in favor of trading Ohtani.
With Trout out, other than Ohtani, they are below average to bad at every portion and the bullpen is once again horrible.
They need to get rid of their manager and GM. And Moreno needs to write the checks, market the team, and have about as much influence on the running of the team as me.
Halo – I completely agree. There are a few salvageable young players: Neto, Fletcher, Moniak, Thaiss, O’hoppe, (I would keep Trout too) etc. But having the same strategy for 20 years and expecting a different result year after year is insane. I believe Moreno only kept the team to squeeze every revenue dollar he can out of Ohtani knowing it would likely be his last year with the team. I also believe Moreno probably has a buyer lined up from his exploration last winter with the understanding that he would sell this winter.
My only caveat is I am not as down on Minasian as you are. I believe he can only do what Moreno allows him to do. The strategy has been the same with every GM over 20 years. They all can’t have the same failed philosophy on how to build a team. The common denominator is Moreno, who I believe is driving every acquisition decision.
Moreno doesn’t make moves that work and has had three years to fix the pen. I’m far from an expert, but I knew from second one Bachman was a horrible. His ceiling was a good RP.
I’m very skeptical once Moniak for the same reason people are skeptical of Adell. There is no way someone can be good with that high of a K Rate who walks so little.
His production is unsustainable.
Oh, and he can’t hit LH. His next hit against a LH pitcher will be his first. .030 lifetime average.
I meant Minasian doesn’t make moves that work. For almost three years I’ve been very vocal about his moves, wondering what the heck is he thinking.
I’ve been right much more often than he has and more often than anyone else here. So naturally I’m going to think he needs to go,
People can spin that and make excuses for Perry, but I think honest people would say that is true. His moves have not worked and I’ve been skeptical of most of them.
I agree. I just think those moves have been Moreno approved and monitored. Minasian can’t do anything without Moreno saying yes. I believe Minasian has been stifled by Moreno unless it falls in line with Moreno’s agenda to make himself money. That’s my speculation, not supported by known evidence.
What came first the chicken or the egg?
For one major reason, I wasn’t nearly as critical of Eppler or Dipoto. I didn’t think they had the staff. I realized why they went for the inside straight.
Until Perry, I’ve never been a get rid of the GM poster. Someone wasted these last three years. Since replacing Moreno ain’t gonna happen, I hope it’s Perry.
At least that’s a problem that can be solved. But nothing can explain Bachman. Nothing.
They’re 2 games over .500, and only 4GB of the last wildcard so they’re going to have to play out the next few weeks and see. If they’re in this same position in the standings when the deadline comes up I don’t think they can sell. It’s a tough look to trade a generational talent when you’re over .500 and less than a handful of games out of the playoffs.
Dodgers, Astros and Yankees are all on deck after they finish up with SD, so I think given all the injuries the most likely outcome is they continue to slide. Main point though is their performance over the next 2-3 weeks is going to determine whether they can trade Ohtani.
Yes CN, all true. I just don’t see how they will with the current roster. Their BP is bad, and other than Ohtani, they are below average to bad at every position.
GM Minasian-You need to offer Ohtani $500mil for 9yrs. Then trade Trout $35mil and Rendon $38mil. You’ll save $17.5mil and get MLB players proven, draft picks. I’ve bn a fan for 40yrs and you can’t let Ohtani go. A, Moreno make it happen!