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Ohtani Likely To Pitch Once Per Week; Angels Expect To Use Six-Man Rotation

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JUNE 30: Ohtani is “healthy” and ready to take on both pitching and hitting duties when camp re-opens, per GM Billy Eppler (via Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com, on Twitter).

JUNE 25: Angels manager Joe Maddon gave some good news on right-hander/designated hitter Shohei Ohtani yesterday, telling reporters that the two-way star will be utilized similarly to how he would in a normal 162-game season (Twitter link via MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger). That will line Ohtani up to pitch once per week as part of what Maddon expects to be a six-man Angels rotation.

The delayed start to the season looks to have given Ohtani ample time to fully recover from both his 2018 Tommy John procedure and last September’s left knee surgery. The Halos can now deploy him as their primary DH on days when he doesn’t pitch — and enjoy the benefit of a bat that has produced a career .286/.352/.531 slash — and consider him the highest-upside pitcher in their rotation.

We haven’t seen Ohtani on a big league mound since Sept. 2, 2018, but in that rookie year he worked to a 3.31 ERA with averages of 11 strikeouts, 3.8 walks and 1.05 home runs allowed per nine innings pitched. He’s still only totaled 51 2/3 frames as a pitcher in the Majors, but there’s plenty of reason to be bullish on the 25-year-old’s future in the rotation.

Maddon also said he’s “very” hopeful that fellow right-handers Griffin Canning and Felix Pena will be ready for the new Opening Day (Twitter link via The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya). Canning has been progressing through a throwing program after receiving an ominous elbow diagnosis back in Spring Training (“chronic changes” to the UCL and acute joint irritation). He was cleared of any tearing in his problematic ligament, though, and has had no setbacks since receiving an injection.

Pena, meanwhile, tore his ACL while covering first base last August. He underwent surgery that came with a recovery timetable of up to nine months, and it seems he’s progressed through that rehabilitation process without much issue. While he was questionable for the original opener, the 30-year-old swingman should be a solid multi-inning piece for the Angels now that he’s healthy and could even start some games. He’s made 24 starts in the past two seasons and pitched seven hitless innings of relief against the Mariners in last year’s memorable and emotional combined no-hitter.

Ohtani and Canning will be joined southpaw Andrew Heaney and newcomers Julio Teheran and Dylan Bundy in a revamped Halos rotation. Pena could be in the mix for the sixth spot to which Maddon alluded, although there will likely be several names in that competition. Matt Andriese, Patrick Sandoval, Jaime Barria, Jose Suarez, Dillon Peters and old friend/non-roster invitee JC Ramirez could all be considered. And regardless of who is tabbed to round out the unit come July 23-24, the Angels’ overwhelming rash of injuries in recent years serves as a reminder that depth is key and a rotation outlook can change in a hurry as health troubles arise.

Angels Notes: Ohtani, Canning, Ballpark

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Angels right-handers Shohei Ohtani and Griffin Canning have been steadily progressing in their rehab from elbow injuries: 2018 Tommy John surgery for Ohtani and “chronic changes” to the UCL as well as acute joint irritation for Canning. Updates on both players throughout MLB’s shutdown have been generally positive, and Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic continues that trend, tweeting that both righties have thrown a trio of live batting practice sessions at this point. Each has built up his arm to a workload of roughly 55 pitches. They’ll remain at that level for the time being, although if the 30 owners and the Players Association can come to an agreement on a deal to resume play in 2020, it stands to reason that each would further build up over the course of a rebooted “spring” training session in mid-to-late June. Spring Training 2.0 will reportedly be about three weeks in length. The Angels figure to be cautious with both right-handers, so it seems unlikely they’ll come out of the gate firing 100-plus pitches with regularity anyhow.

A bit more on the Halos…

  • The Angels are allowing workouts at Angel Stadium and at Tempe Diablo Stadium, their Arizona-based Spring Training facility, Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times reports. Players are permitted to work out in group of four, although they’re limited two players, plus an instructor, per area (e.g. batting cage, weight room). David Fletcher, Tommy La Stella, Albert Pujols, Ohtani and Canning are among the names who’ve been working out at Angel Stadium to date. GM Billy Eppler explains to DiGiovanna that the team is providing staggered 90-minute blocks for workouts with 30 minutes between them to allow sanitizing and cleaning of the equipment.
  • Angels owner Arte Moreno has asked the city of Anaheim for an additional 30 days to sufficiently detail his plans for the development project at the site surrounding Angel Stadium, per the L.A. Times’ Bill Shaikin. A plan was expected to be delivered by May 30, but the process has been slowed as consulting firms that play key roles have transitioned to work-from-home settings and virtual correspondence amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreno still has until Sept. 30 to make a final decision on the development plan. Back in December, Moreno and the city of Anaheim reached an agreement that would keep the Halos in Anaheim for another 30 years — a deal that included the $325MM purchase of the land surrounding Angel Stadium.

Griffin Canning Resumes Bullpen Sessions

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Angels righty Griffin Canning has taken another step forward in his recovery from this spring’s right elbow troubles. He posted video of himself pitching off a bullpen mound at Angel Stadium on Instagram earlier today (hat tip: Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic, on Twitter).

The 23-year-old Canning underwent an MRI early in Spring Training after experiencing discomfort and was diagnosed with “chronic changes”  to the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow and “acute irritation” in the joint. Ominous as the “UCL” portion of that diagnosis was, further testing revealed that there was no tear. He received a platelet-rich plasma injection, went through a period of rest and was cleared to begin throwing early last month.

A return to mound work not only shows that Canning is still setback-free but also lends increased optimism that he can be ready for game action when or shortly after the league resumes play. There are no set dates for a resumption of play just yet, but the league is reported to be prepping a proposal for the Players Association and expects to present that plan in the next few days.

Canning made his big league debut in 2019, tossing 90 1/3 innings over 18 appearances (17 starts) while compiling a 4.58 ERA with averages of 9.6 K/9, 3.0 BB/9 and 1.4 HR/9. A second-round pick in 2017 and top 100 prospect heading into the 2019 season, he’s viewed as a critical piece of the team’s rotation moving forward. He’s controlled all the way through the 2025 season, joining Shohei Ohtani as a potential building block in a rotation that is otherwise comprised of hurlers who are set to reach free agency this coming winter (Julio Teheran) or after 2021 (Andrew Heaney, Dylan Bundy).

Angels GM Billy Eppler Discusses Wheeler, Simmons, Ohtani, Canning

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Angels general manager Billy Eppler took part in an online Q&A session with fans on Friday, addressing many topics about his team.  Here are some of the highlights, with Eppler’s answers compiled by Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register…

  • The Angels were linked to Zack Wheeler’s market over the winter, and Eppler filled in some details about the team’s interest, saying “we pursued Wheeler pretty aggressively.”  That pursuit included a cross-country trip in November for Eppler, manager Joe Maddon, and team president John Carpino to meet with Wheeler in person.  Despite this courtship, Wheeler ended up signing with the Phillies, though the Halos may have faced an uphill battle to sign the right-hander for geographical reasons, as Wheeler wanted to stay on the East Coast and in closer proximity to his wife’s family in New Jersey.  Other suitors such as the Twins and White Sox also seemingly fell short of Wheeler’s services for the same reason, as Chicago’s offer was reportedly worth more than the $118MM Wheeler received from Philadelphia.
  • Fletcher reported in February that the Angels had yet to begin extension talks with Andrelton Simmons, and Eppler confirmed that the club hadn’t held any negotiations with Simmons and his agents prior to the league shutdown.  As per the GM, there had only been “internal discussions” within the front office at the start of Spring Training about a possible new deal for the defensive wizard.  Simmons is set to become a free agent in the 2020-21 offseason, and the shortstop would still be eligible for the open market even if the COVID-19 pandemic wipes out the entire 2020 season.  Of course, the league-wide transactions freeze also covers extension negotiations, so the Angels and other teams can’t talk contracts with any players during the shutdown.
  • Shohei Ohtani threw two bullpen sessions this week, Eppler revealed, including a 15-pitch session on Friday that consisted of only fastballs.  Ohtani continues to progress in his recovery from Tommy John surgery and should be ready to pitch when and if the season does get underway.  The two-way star was originally slated to return to the mound in mid-May, though since games surely won’t resume by that point, Ohtani likely won’t end up missing any time in the Los Angeles rotation.
  • Eppler also provided an update on Griffin Canning, saying that the young righty should start throwing off a mound within 7-10 days.  “His throwing program is back to 120 to 150 feet this week, at about 70 to 80 percent intensity,” Eppler said.  Canning was sidelined early in Spring Training due to elbow problems, including what the club described at the time as “chronic changes to the UCL and acute joint irritation.”  While there was much speculation that Canning would need Tommy John surgery, Canning instead received a platelet-rich plasma injection, as Eppler said that “surgery wasn’t recommended in Griffin’s case…ultimately the different physicians we had him see didn’t recommend it.”  The prospect of the season being canceled doesn’t have any bearing on whether Canning would eventually undergo a Tommy John procedure, as Eppler said “we would not proactively subject him to that surgery unless there was new evidence or a new injury that took place.”

Griffin Canning Cleared To Begin Throwing Program

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Angels right-hander Griffin Canning has been cleared to begin a throwing program, general manager Billy Eppler announced to reporters Wednesday (Twitter link via Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register). Barring setbacks, he could be ready to throw off a mound at month’s end.

Canning, 23, was shut down early in camp after an MRI revealed “chronic changes” to the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow in addition to “acute irritation” in the joint. However, while the initial diagnosis was ominous, Canning was eventually cleared of any tearing to his ligament and received a recommendation for a platelet-rich plasma injection to treat the issue. That step came after getting a second opinion from non-Angels personnel, and the injection was administered just under a month ago.

Angels fans have been witness to a calamitous array of injuries on the pitching staff in recent years, and many are holding their breath with regard to Canning — hoping for the best but fearing a major surgery is in the offing. For the time being, that doesn’t appear to be in the cards, and the indefinite suspension of play will give the talented young Canning some additional time to work back to health.

A second-round pick by the Angels in 2017, Canning entered the 2019 campaign ranked among baseball’s 100 best prospects and made his Major League debut on April 30 after breezing through three starts in Triple-A to open the season (one run with a 17-to-2 K/BB ratio in 16 innings). He’d stick in the big leagues for the long haul, tallying 90 1/3 innings over 18 appearances (17 starts) while compiling a 4.58 ERA with averages of 9.6 K/9, 3.0 BB/9 and 1.4 HR/9. It may not have been the dominant debut for which many fans had hoped, but Canning held his own in the most hitter-friendly season in recent history, and his 13.8 percent swinging-strike rate and 32 percent opponents’ chase rate are both encouraging signs moving forward.

The Angels, of course, never added the top-of-the-rotation arm they coveted in the 2019-20 offseason, which makes a step forward from a healthy Canning all the more crucial to the club if they can get it. He and Shohei Ohtani could now have time to work themselves into mound form before a theoretical new Opening Day, which would allow the Halos to pencil that duo in alongside Andrew Heaney and newcomers Julio Teheran and Dylan Bundy in the 2020 rotation.

Latest on Shohei Ohtani, Griffin Canning

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Angels two-way player Shohei Ohtani has progressed in his rehab to throwing off of flat ground, Angels GM Billy Eppler tells reporters, including Fabian Ardaya of the Athletic (Twitter link). This seems to be in line with the timeline laid out last month, where he was expected to be able to rejoin the rotation by mid-May. Ardaya says that Ohtani could try throwing off a mound again in a couple weeks, which would be early April. And given that mid-May is the earliest the season could start, it’s seeming likely that Ohtani could be ready to go by Opening Day, regardless of when it is.

Griffin Canning, on the other hand, seems to be behind his rotation mate in terms of his rehab timeline. Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports on Twitter that Eppler says Canning is still about a week away from throwing. Canning’s timeline after that is less clear. Unlike Ohtani, who is following a fairly well-understood rehab process to come back from Tommy John surgery, Canning is seemingly trying to avoid an extended absence. His initial diagnosis last month did involve “chronic changes” to his ulnar collateral ligament, but no tearing. Shortly after that, he received “biological injections” to treat his elbow. (Fletcher’s tweet refers to PRP, or a platelet-rich plasma injection.) Whether this path back to health will be effective remains to be seen, but next week’s throwing sessions will be the first step in ascertaining as much.

As recently laid out by Connor Byrne of MLBTR, the delayed start to the season could actually be a boon to the Angels precisely because it reduces the amount of time that the team would need to hobble along with a weakened rotation. It’s now possible that the rotation could consist of Ohtani and Canning, along with Andrew Heaney, Julio Teheran and Dylan Bundy. This would potentially bump Patrick Sandoval, Matt Andriese, Jaime Barria and Dillon Peters into the bullpen or depth positions in the minors.

Griffin Canning To Receive “Biological Injections”

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Angels righty Griffin Canning will receive “biological injections” to treat his ailing elbow, the team announced and MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger was among those to cover on Twitter. The team says he’ll be “reassessed in three to four weeks.”

This news still leaves some mystery as to the underlying condition and to Canning’s outlook. But it confirms that he’ll be sidelined for a lengthy stretch, as had already become clear of late.

Clearly there’s still hope of avoiding an invasive procedure. But the Halos will assuredly need to bring Canning along cautiously even if these injections prove effective. It’ll be hard for the team to presume much of anything about his availability in 2020.

Canning had a strong debut showing in 2019 but ended the season earlier with elbow woes. Unfortunately, they followed him into camp.

While the Halos did add two notable arms to their rotation, trading for Dylan Bundy and signing Julio Teheran, the rotation remains an area of weakness on paper. The Angels do have some options on hand, but they’ll need a few hurlers to establish or reestablish themselves as quality big league starters. For what it’s worth, they’ve shown well collectively to this point in camp, as Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register notes on Twitter.

Griffin Canning To Seek 2nd Opinion On Elbow

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Ongoing elbow questions have clouded the outlook of Angels righty Griffin Canning. The team isn’t quite ready to announce a decision on a course of action, as Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports on Twitter.

Canning was previously said to be slated for testing today. Now, he’s scheduled for a second opinion — though there’s still no public knowledge (quite understandably) regarding the initial examination.

The 23-year-old hurler emerged as a key part of the Halos’ rotation plans last year. But he also ended the season on the injured list owing to elbow troubles and has dealt with other issues in the joint in the past.

The Angels rotation remains a point of focus after a trying 2019 campaign. Even if Canning avoids a significant stay on the injury list, it now seems he’ll join Shohei Ohtani on the injured list to open the 2020 season.

Maddon: ‘Hard To Imagine’ Griffin Canning Not Starting Season On IL

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The Griffin Canning health situation has drawn quite a bit of attention in Angels’ camp recently. Manager Joe Maddon told reporters (including Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times) this afternoon “it would be hard to imagine” a situation in which Canning doesn’t begin the season on the injured list. Canning was unable to participate in his scheduled throwing session yesterday due to persistent trouble in his elbow, Maddon adds (via Shaikin). He’ll instead undergo testing next Wednesday or Thursday to determine if the issue is related to his joint or to a ligament, tweets Fabian Ardaya of the Athletic.

Until those results come back, it’s difficult to know exactly what to make of the situation. Still, it’s worrisome for a few reasons. Health concerns have dogged Canning dating back to his time at UCLA, and he ended last season on the shelf with elbow inflammation. A few days ago, Canning was diagnosed with “chronic changes” to his UCL and “acute joint irritation” in the elbow, hardly a promising start to the spring for the 23-year-old.

Canning’s health is especially important to an Angels’ staff that’s thin in the rotation. Shohei Ohtani won’t make a return to the mound until at least mid-May, leaving Andrew Heaney, Julio Teheran and Dylan Bundy to front an uncertain starting group. Beyond that trio, Jaime Barria, José Suarez and Felix Peña are on hand to fill out the back end, but none was especially good in 2019. Canning, likewise, struggled a bit with run prevention (4.58 ERA), but posted solid strikeout (25.0%) and walk (7.8%) rates as a rookie. The club is no doubt hoping for positive news on the health front and a step forward in results from the former second-rounder.

Injury Notes: Canning, Snell, Robles

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Griffin Canning’s ongoing health concerns will remain nebulous until tomorrow at the earliest. The message from Angels manager Joe Maddon certainly paints the situation as unusual, per The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya (via Twitter). Whether there’s mixed messaging coming from the medical staff themselves, or if this particular injury is causing undue confusion isn’t totally clear from Joe’s comments. What is clear is that the next step is assessing how Canning reacts to his throwing session today. Canning is one of the wild cards in the Angels’ rotation, and it’d certainly be disappointing to begin the season with a significant setback. An update is likely to come tomorrow from Angels camp. In the meantime, let’s check in on some less serious injury news around the game…

  • Rays ace Blake Snell received a cortisone shot in his “outer elbow,” tweets Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. He is expected to resume throwing as early as Tuesday. As important as Snell is to the Rays’ rotation, they also have admirable depth there with young players like Brendan McKay, Brent Honeywell Jr. and Anthony Banda likely on the outside looking in at this stage. Still, Topkin notes that the Rays are not worried about the southpaw’s health. Snell is coming off an injury-shortened season in which he made just 23 starts, pitching to a 4.29 ERA/3.32 FIP. The ERA ended up higher than expected, but the peripherals point to Snell being close to the same guy who won the Cy Young award in 2018, albeit with less BABIP luck.
  • Washington Nationals centerfield Victor Robles underwent an MRI on his left oblique recently. Nats fans can breath easy as the results came back negative, per MLB.com’s Jessica Camerato. Robles is already back in the cage, but the plan is to remain cautious for the time being. Given Robles’ importance to the Nats, it certainly makes sense to take their time with him this early in spring. The Nationals don’t have a ton of depth behind Robles, with Michael A. Taylor serving as his primary backup. While Taylor is an above-average defensive outfielder, his struggles at the plate led him to spend most of the 2019 season in Double-A.
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