Jared Walsh

Jared Walsh Clears Waivers, Accepts Outright Assignment With Angels

By Steve Adams | August 1, 2023 at 1:18pm CDT

The Angels announced Tuesday that first baseman Jared Walsh went unclaimed on outright waivers and has accepted an assignment to Triple-A Salt Lake. He’ll remain in the organization but no longer occupy a spot on the 40-man roster.

Walsh broke out with a hefty .280/.331/.531 slash and 38 home runs in 176 games from 2020-21, cementing his place on the Angels’ roster in the process. However, the now-29-year-old late bloomer has seen his production plummet in the two seasons since, due largely to alarming health issues. Walsh underwent thoracic outlet surgery last summer, ending his season after 118 games of .215/.269/.374 output at the plate.

The 2023 season has been even more concerning. Walsh was placed on the injured list early in the season due to persistent headaches and insomnia. Walsh detailed his struggles in an interview with Blum earlier in the season: “It’s been hell. Not knowing what’s going on, not understanding what’s happening with my body….And not being able to get answers, not being able to figure out why I can’t do basic tasks. It’s been pretty concerning for me.”

Walsh was thankfully at least able to return to the field, but the results have been nowhere near his peak levels. In 78 big league plate appearances, he’s batted just .119/.244/.224 while striking out in a third of his plate appearances. He’s batted .231/.394/.410 in 99 plate appearances since being optioned to Triple-A, but he’s still fanned in 30.3% of those trips to the plate.

Between those struggles, the uncertainty surrounding his health, and the approximately $883K that’s still remaining on this year’s $2.65MM salary, Walsh didn’t drum up any interest from other clubs. He could’ve rejected this assignment in favor of free agency, but doing so would’ve required forfeiting that remaining $883K. As a player with more than three years of service time who’s been outrighted off the 40-man roster, he’ll be able to become a free agent at season’s end — unless the Halos add him back to the 40-man roster and keep him there into the offseason.

Angels Designate Jared Walsh For Assignment

By Steve Adams | July 27, 2023 at 10:02am CDT

The Angels announced Thursday that they’ve designated first baseman/outfielder Jared Walsh for assignment and transferred righty Ben Joyce to the 60-day injured list. That pair of transactions opens space on the roster for newly acquired right-handers Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez. Giolito will make his team debut tomorrow against Toronto, tweets Sam Blum of The Athletic. Lopez is with the Angels in Detroit and will be available out of the bullpen during today’s doubleheader, tweets Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register.

The health troubles that have plagued Walsh are both frightening and immensely unfortunate. There’s little doubt they’ve derailed what looked to be a burgeoning big league career, and he’ll now either be traded, placed on waivers or released. He’s being paid $2.65MM this season and owed about $955K between now and season’s end.

Given the alarming nature of his health troubles and this season’s struggles, it’s far from certain that another club would trade for Walsh or place a claim if he lands on outright waivers. If Walsh clears waivers, he has enough service time to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency, but doing so would mean forfeiting the remainder of that salary. As such, he’d likely accept an outright assignment to return to Triple-A Salt Lake.

Angels To Promote David Fletcher

By Mark Polishuk | June 24, 2023 at 12:04pm CDT

12:04PM: Walsh and infielder Michael Stefanic have been optioned to Triple-A to make room for Fletcher and Escobar, Sam Blum reports (Twitter link).

10:13AM: Back in April, the Angels optioned David Fletcher to Triple-A and then outrighted him off the 40-man roster. After two months in the minors, Fletcher is heading back to the Show, as FanSided’s Robert Murray (via Twitter) reports that the Angels are calling Fletcher back up to the active roster. The corresponding move isn’t yet known, but it marks something of a mini-overhaul of the Angels’ infield, between Fletcher’s return and yesterday’s acquisition of Eduardo Escobar from the Mets.

Fletcher had only two hits in his first 16 plate appearances of the 2023 season, leading the Halos to finally make a tough decision on a player who looked like a building block just a couple of years ago. Anaheim signed Fletcher to a five-year, $26MM contract extension in April 2021, and unfortunately, the infielder’s productivity has since tailed off. Fletcher hit .260/.295/.327 over 893 PA in 2021-22, with a hip injury costing him a big chunk of the 2022 campaign.

However, it looks like Fletcher might have found something at Triple-A Salt Lake, as he is hitting .378/.432/.478 over 197 PA. Fletcher does have a huge .407 BABIP, and numbers from the Pacific Coast League should be taken with a grain of salt in general given the league’s hitter-friendly nature, but it’s hard to argue that Fletcher hasn’t been doing all he can to earn another shot on the Angels’ roster.

In an interview yesterday with The Athletic’s Sam Blum (prior to the news of Fletcher’s call-up), Fletcher said he wasn’t sure why the Angels hadn’t already called up back up to the big leagues. There also seemed to be something of a lack of communication between Fletcher and the front office, as the infielder said “I haven’t heard much from them” since the Triple-A demotion, and that the team was somewhat vague on what it exactly wanted Fletcher to work on hitting-wise.

Anthony Rendon and Zach Neto are both on the Angels’ 10-day injured list, while Gio Urshela’s season may be over due to a pelvic fracture. These injuries have left Anaheim very thin in the infield, and while there may have been some question over why Fletcher hadn’t already been called up, the time is now for the Halos to again turn to the 29-year-old.

It remains to be seen how this new-look Angels infield will shake out, considering that both Fletcher and Escobar are multi-position players, and because some 40-man roster moves will have to be made to accommodate Fletcher’s return. Escobar will likely rotate between second and third base, while Fletcher could play either shortstop or second base. Brandon Drury has played the bulk of time at second base this season, but he has also seen a lot of time at first base, which could be a more viable option since Jared Walsh has struggled since returning from the injured list.

Angels Activate Jared Walsh, Designate Brett Phillips

By Mark Polishuk | May 20, 2023 at 5:41pm CDT

The Angels have activated first baseman Jared Walsh from the 10-day injured list, and designated outfielder Brett Phillips for assignment. (J.P. Hoornstra of the Southern California News Group was among those to report the news.) Walsh will be making his season debut after being plagued by insomnia and recurring headaches, and these neurological issues have plagued Walsh for over a year.

In a recent interview with The Athletic’s Sam Blum, Walsh detailed his issues, which ranged from lack of sleep to tremors to a loss of depth perception. “It’s been hell. Not knowing what’s going on, not understanding what’s happening with my body….And not being able to get answers, not being able to figure out why I can’t do basic tasks. It’s been pretty concerning for me,” Walsh said.

Fortunately, a stint at a specialized clinic seems to have gotten Walsh on the right track, to the point that is ready to make his return to the field. A rehab stint at Triple-A Salt Lake has borne some very positive results, as Walsh had a 1.176 OPS over 33 plate appearances.

Walsh hit .280/.338/.531 with 38 homers over 693 plate appearances for the Angels in 2020-21, but his production badly fell off last season due to both his neurological problems and thoracic outlet syndrome. Walsh underwent TOS surgery last September to hopefully correct that problem, though it remains to be seen how he’ll fare in his return to the big leagues.

Brandon Drury, Gio Urshela, and Jake Lamb have handled most of the first base duties for Anaheim this season, and Drury should continue to get the bulk of work at second base while Urshela can continue to get time at shortstop and play third while Anthony Rendon is on the 10-day IL. Shohei Ohtani’s presence keeps the Angels from juggling at-bats through the DH spot, but the club will likely be a little cautious about pushing Walsh too much, and Drury or Urshela seem likely to get some first-base starts when a right-handed pitcher is on the mound.

Phillips was signed to a one-year, $1.2MM deal during the offseason, but the Angels have a pretty stable starting outfield trio (Taylor Ward, Mike Trout, Hunter Renfroe) and two capable backups in Mickey Moniak and utilityman Luis Rengifo. This has made Phillips little more than a late-game fill-in for defensive purposes or as a pinch-runner, with only two starts and 16 PA over 19 games. Phillips has also collected only one hit in those 16 trips to the plate.

The Angels owe Phillips roughly $835K in remaining salary, and will remain responsible for that money unless another team claimed Phillips on waivers. If Phillips clears the DFA wire, a new team can sign him and then owe him only the prorated portion of the Major League minimum salary for any time spent in the big leagues, with Anaheim still covering the rest of the $835K. Given Phillips’ reputation as a strong defender, baserunner, and clubhouse presence, it would seem like there’s a good chance he’ll catch on with another team.

AL Notes: Rodon, Walsh, Brantley, Martin

By Anthony Franco | May 10, 2023 at 7:47pm CDT

The Yankees have been without Carlos Rodón to this point. New York’s big offseason acquisition was sidelined by a minor forearm strain in Spring Training and subsequently bothered by back issues. The back has kept him out of action and raised particular concern last week when Rodón told reporters that doctors had called his injury a “chronic” problem.

While that cast plenty of uncertainty as to when the star southpaw would be able to take the mound, it’s possible he starts ramping up in the coming days. Chris Kirschner of the Athletic tweeted yesterday that Rodón will work out on Friday after receiving a cortisone injection. It’s possible he progresses back to mound work as soon as this weekend, which would enable him to begin building strength via a throwing program.

The Yankees have also been without Frankie Montas and Luis Severino due to injuries. Montas is going to be out until late in the year, but Severino threw 3 1/3 innings for Triple-A Scranton Wilkes/Barre to start a rehab assignment this afternoon. Those injuries have forced the Yankees to rely on the likes of Domingo Germán, Jhony Brito and Clarke Schmidt out of the rotation to middling results.

Checking in on some other injury situations around the AL:

Jared Walsh will head on a rehab stint with the Angels’ top affiliate in Salt Lake this weekend, the team informed reporters (including Sam Blum of the Athletic). He’ll play at least three games with the Bees before the Halos determine whether he’s ready for his first MLB action of the season. Walsh lost the first six weeks to insomnia and recurring headaches. Now that he’s put that behind him, he’ll try to get on track offensively. An All-Star in 2021, the lefty-swinging first baseman slumped to a .215/.269/.374 showing last year before his season was cut short by thoracic outlet syndrome. The Angels have divided first base reps almost evenly between Brandon Drury, Gio Urshela and Jake Lamb. The left-handed hitting Lamb has struggled in the early going and could be the odd man out once Walsh is ready to return.
Michael Brantley has yet to make his season debut for the Astros. Over the weekend, Houston had hinted he could be back for their three-game set in Anaheim to start the week. That didn’t happen and manager Dusty Baker said today the veteran outfielder departed the team to go for some testing (via Chandler Rome of the Athletic). The Astros were customarily reluctant to divulge specifics, but it’s no longer entirely clear when they expect Brantley to be ready for activation. He’d been ramping up from last year’s season-ending shoulder surgery and had played in nine rehab games with Triple-A Sugar Land through last Saturday.
The White Sox placed right-hander Davis Martin on the minor league injured list last week. Scott Merkin of MLB.com tweets that Martin has a forearm strain in his throwing arm. The issue’s severity isn’t clear, though forearm strains can sometimes be precursors for more serious injuries. At the very least, it seems he’ll be out of the short-term mix should the team need to tap into its rotation depth. Martin started nine of 14 MLB games last year, working to a 4.83 ERA across 63 1/3 innings. He entered 2023 as the #6 starter on the depth chart. Martin had been pitching well for Charlotte, allowing only five runs with 20 strikeouts and seven walks over 16 innings. Chicago has avoided rotation injuries at the big league level; the group of Dylan Cease, Lucas Giolito, Lance Lynn, Michael Kopech and Mike Clevinger has taken all 38 starts thus far.

California Notes: Walsh, Padres, Dahl, Engel, Cruz, Morejon, Pomeranz, A’s, Blackburn, Rucinski

By Mark Polishuk | April 9, 2023 at 10:09am CDT

Jared Walsh has yet to suit up for the Angels this season, as he has been on the 10-day injured list recovering from insomnia and recurring headaches. Manager Phil Nevin provided media (including MLB.com and J.P. Hoornstra of the Southern California News Group) with an update on Walsh’s condition, saying that “He’s doing okay. He feels like he’s making a lot of progress, getting some clarity on what’s going on.” The recovery process has included a two-week stint with a specialist in Utah, which has limited Walsh’s baseball-related training activity mostly to weekends with the Angels’ Triple-A affiliate in Salt Lake City.

Owing to the unpredictable nature of his problem, there isn’t yet a timeline for Walsh’s return, as Nevin noted that the first baseman will need some level of a rehab assignment or a ramp-up period before he gets onto the field. Walsh was already making a comeback from an injury-hampered 2022 season, as he struggled to a .215/.264/.374 slash line in 454 plate appearances before undergoing surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome in September.

Angels Place José Marte On 60-Day IL

By Darragh McDonald | March 29, 2023 at 4:50pm CDT

The Angels announced a series of roster moves today, including the previously-reported selection of infielder Jake Lamb. To open a spot for Lamb on the roster, right-hander José Marte was placed on the 60-day injured list. Additionally, the club placed catcher Max Stassi and infielder Jared Walsh on the 10-day injured list, and placed right-handers Chris Rodriguez and Griffin Canning on the 15-day injured list.

Marte, 27 in June, was recently shut down for four weeks due to a stress reaction in his elbow. Even if that cool down period helps get him back to health, he will then have to ramp back up into game readiness at that point, so it’s not shocking to see the club doesn’t expect him back in the next two months. He’s made 15 major league appearances for the Halos thus far in his career with a 7.80 ERA.

As for other IL placements, they’re all of the smaller variety. Stassi has a hip injury while Walsh is currently plagued by headaches and insomnia. Both of those issues were reported earlier this week when it was reported that Lamb would make the team. In the case of Rodriguez, he underwent shoulder surgery last year and it was reported last month that the club would be ramping him up slower than his teammates as he gets back into game shape. To this point, there’s nothing to suggest that there’s been any sort of setback from that plan, and the fact that he hasn’t been placed on the 60-day IL suggests he could return fairly early in the season.

As for Canning, the club announced his injury as a groin strain, which is a recent development. Manager Phil Nevin told Adrian Garro of MLB.com about the issue yesterday. “It’s something that’s not really alarming, but it’s there for sure,” Nevin said.

Canning, 27 next month, has shown some promise in his career, particularly during the shortened 2020 season. He made 11 starts that year with a 3.99 ERA, 23.5% strikeout rate, 9.7% walk rate and 36.3% ground ball rate. Unfortunately, his ERA ticked up to 5.60 in 2021 and then he missed all of 2022 due back issues. He was healthy here in spring, making four starts with a 1.32 ERA. That got him into the conversation for a sixth starter job behind Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Anderson, Patrick Sandoval, Reid Detmers and José Suarez. Unfortunately, this groin issue will keep him out of action for the start of the season, seemingly giving Tucker Davidson that sixth starter gig, at least for the time being.

Jared Walsh, Max Stassi To Start Season On Injured List; Angels To Select Jake Lamb

By Steve Adams | March 27, 2023 at 5:57pm CDT

Angels first baseman Jared Walsh and catcher Max Stassi will begin the 2023 season on the injured list, tweets Sam Blum of The Athletic. Walsh is currently being plagued by headaches and insomnia, while Stassi is dealing with a hip injury. With that pair of IL stints, the Halos will carry top catching prospect Logan O’Hoppe and veteran corner infielder Jake Lamb on the Opening Day roster. Lamb, who’s in camp on a non-roster deal, will need to have his contract selected.

Walsh’s trip to the injured list is an unfortunate development for the Halos, given the resurgent showing he turned in this spring after undergoing thoracic outlet surgery in 2022. The 29-year-old Walsh’s 2021 breakout sent him to the All-Star Game, and he finished out that season with a hearty .277/.340/.509 batting line and 29 homers. He hit just .215/.269/.374 in 2022 before landing on the injured list and undergoing surgery, but through 14 spring games in 2023 Walsh looked like his old self: .400/.512/.686 with a pair of homers and four doubles in 43 plate appearances. He’ll meet with a specialist to determine the root of his current issues.

With Walsh out, the veteran Lamb could step into the large half of a first base platoon. He’s had a monster spring, batting .324/.419/.595 with a pair of homers, four doubles and a 9-to-5 K/BB ratio in 43 plate appearances. Lamb hit 59 home runs as the D-backs’ regular third baseman back in 2016-17 but has since had his career derailed by shoulder injuries. He’s batted just .198/.310/.394 in 606 plate appearances since 2018 shoulder surgery. That said, Lamb is a .251/.339/.455 hitter against right-handed pitching.

There’s no timetable provided for Stassi’s return, but his trip to the IL paves the way for O’Hoppe, one of the sport’s top catching prospects, to open the season as the Angels’ primary starter. It also at least temporarily resolves the Angels’ dilemma with regard to catcher/first baseman Matt Thaiss, who’s out of minor league options. Thaiss will now slot in as the backup to O’Hoppe early on, and his experience at first base will also be a factor with Walsh sidelined.

O’Hoppe, 23, made his big league debut with the Angels late in the 2022 season but received just 16 plate appearances in five games. Acquired from the Phillies in the deadline deal that sent center fielder Brandon Marsh the other way, O’Hoppe posted a combined .283/.416/.544 batting line in 447 plate appearances between the Double-A affiliates for his two organizations.

With this Opening Day assignment, he’ll skip the Triple-A level entirely. He’s looked ready for the challenge in Cactus League play, batting .281/.361/.438 with a homer and a pair of doubles. O’Hoppe’s 13 strikeouts in 36 plate appearances are a red flag, but he’ll get the chance to prove he’s ready to step up as the organization’s long-term option behind the plate right now. Baseball America currently ranks O’Hoppe as the game’s No. 42 overall prospect.

Turning to the rest of the Halos’ roster, there’s further clarity being gained. While the Halos are still deciding who’ll round out the final spot in their six-man rotation, they’ve decided on carrying righty Andrew Wantz in the bullpen and, perhaps more interestingly, will run with offseason trade acquisition Gio Urshela as their Opening Day shortstop.

It’s long been expected that Urshela would see some time at shortstop in Anaheim, and he’ll get the nod over Luis Rengifo and David Fletcher. It bears mentioning that the Angels will face a lefty starter (Kyle Muller) on Opening Day, so getting Urshela’s right-handed bat into the lineup is particularly sensible. Whether he holds the shortstop job on an everyday basis will be seen, but he’s made a strong case for as much playing time as possible this spring, batting .382/.417/.471 with a double, a triple and just two strikeouts in 36 trips to the plate.

Jared Walsh Provides Update On Surgery Rehabilitation

By Darragh McDonald | February 8, 2023 at 3:42pm CDT

Jared Walsh underwent surgery to correct thoracic outlet syndrome in September and provided an update on his recovery in an appearance of MLB Network Radio (Twitter link with audio).

“I feel great,” Walsh said. “I don’t know if I’m exactly 100% but I think if we– if Spring Training started today, I would be fine to go out, do every drill, be on the field, making throws and all that.” Walsh then relays that his surgeon has informed him that his strength will continue growing for the next 6-8 months and even beyond. “I feel great but hopefully I can get even a little bit better.”

The surgery is somewhat common for pitchers, but with a mixed track record. Merrill Kelly underwent the procedure in 2020 but has returned to health and made 60 solid starts over the past two years. On the other hand, Stephen Strasburg has been severely hampered by the issue over the past few years. He underwent surgery in July of 2021 and returned to the mound a year later, but made just one start in 2022. He spoke about the issue in September, saying he hadn’t thrown in months and that he is “not really sure what the future holds.”

On the position player side of things, the surgery is more rare. Walsh and Mike Zunino are the two most recent players to go under the knife, with Zunino getting the procedure in July of last year. He was signed by the Guardians for 2o23 and the two players will make an interesting test case on the viability of rehabilitating from the disorder.

Both players had excellent campaigns in 2021 before the effects of the ailment seemingly dragged their respective performances down in 2022. Zunino launched 33 home runs in 2021 and hit .216/.301/.559 for a wRC+ of 134. Last year, his output felt to a dismal .148/.195/.304 line and 43 wRC+. Walsh hit 29 homers two years ago and slashed .277/.340/.509 for a 126 wRC+, but fell to .215/.269/.374 last year and a 78 wRC+.

For the Angels, it would serve as a tremendous boost if Walsh could return with no ill effects and put that 2022 season behind him. For many years now, they’ve struggled to string victories together despite the presence of superstars like Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. Lack of depth and injuries like Walsh suffered last year have repeatedly undermined the strong performances at the top of their roster.

It seems the club has made more of a concerted effort to protect against those pitfalls this year, bolstering the roster with various supporting players who can guard against someone requiring a significant absence. The club added a couple of multi-position players by signing free agent Brandon Drury and acquiring Gio Urshela. Should Walsh miss any more time or struggle to get back on track, Drury would likely be first in line for extended time covering first base, with Jake Lamb also in the organization on a minor league deal. Though if Walsh is healthy, it would free Drury up to strengthen the club’s depth in the outfield corners or other infield positions.

The path ahead is fairly uncertain since there are few comparables for the road that Walsh is currently on, though the fact that he’s expressing such optimism is a good sign for now. Spring workouts begin next week and Opening Day is less than two months away.

Angels Notes: Adell, Moniak, Injuries, Ohtani

By Darragh McDonald | January 11, 2023 at 9:57am CDT

The Angels made a small signing earlier this week, bringing Brett Phillips aboard with a $1.2MM deal to be the club’s fourth outfielder. With Mike Trout, Taylor Ward and Hunter Renfroe set to be the primary starters on the grass, it seems the outfield jobs are now spoken for. Barring injury, that doesn’t leave much opportunity for players like Jo Adell or Mickey Moniak.

The club’s general manager Perry Minasian spoke about the situation yesterday, with Sam Blum of The Athletic and Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register each relaying some of his comments. “Those jobs are solidified,” Minasian said, implying that Adell and Moniak are likely to begin the season in the minors. “Those are obviously young players who are very talented that haven’t necessarily turned the corner yet that have been putting in a significant amount of work this offseason to do that,” Minasian said. “They’re both young. I think we forget about how young these two players are.”

The two players have followed similar trajectories thus far. Adell, 24 in April, was the first round draft pick of the Angels in 2017, selected 10th overall. Moniak, 25 in May, was selected first overall the year prior by the Phillies. He came over to the Angels in the Noah Syndergaard trade at last year’s deadline. Both players made quick charges through the minors to reach the majors in 2020, when Adell was just 21 and Moniak just 22. Since then, however, each player has struggled mightily. Adell currently has a batting line of .215/.259/.356 over 557 major league plate appearances. He’s also struck out in 34.8% of those trips to the plate. Moniak’s struggles have been even greater, as he’s struck out at a 39.5% rate while hitting .157/.218/.268.

There is an air of urgency around the Angels this year, with Shohei Ohtani slated for free agency at the end of the schedule. As such, the club isn’t relying on a breakout from Moniak or Adell, having acquired Renfroe and Phillips to push the younger players down the depth charts. Each of them has just one option year remaining, which perhaps makes this sort of a make-or-break year for them. Renfroe is set to reach free agency after 2023, which could provide an opportunity for one of the youngsters to find a future job if they succeed in turning a corner this year. However, they might have to be patient since the path has been blocked for now.

Minasian also provided some health updates on some other Angels, including Griffin Canning and Chris Rodriguez. Both of those pitchers missed the 2022 season entirely, with Rodriguez rehabbing from November 2021 shoulder surgery and Canning fighting lingering back issues. Both players have now begun throwing off a mound. “If both those guys are healthy entering spring training, they’ll be exciting to watch,” Minasian said. “Right now they are on schedule to be with us in spring training and we’ll see where they’re at.”

Canning posted a 3.99 ERA over 11 starts in the shortened 2020 season while striking out 23.5% of batters faced. However, he saw that balloon to 5.60 the following year while his strikeout rate dipped to 22.4%. Rodriguez was a starter in the minors but worked primarily out of the bullpen when he made his MLB debut in 2021. He registered a 3.64 ERA in his first 29 2/3 innings but has been dealing with the shoulder issue since then.

The Angels shouldn’t be reliant on either Canning or Rodriguez, at least to start 2023. They have a rotation consisting of Ohtani, Tyler Anderson, Patrick Sandoval, José Suarez and Reid Detmers. The club has ran out a six-man rotation in recent years to reduce the workload on Ohtani but have at least considered going to a five-man this season. If they want a sixth starter, they have some candidates for the final spot, such as Chase Silseth and Tucker Davidson. However, injuries and lackluster depth have been an achilles heel of the Angels in recent years, meaning the health of Canning and Rodriguez could be an important factor for them as the campaign goes along. That makes it at least somewhat encouraging that the players are on track for now.

The same goes on the position player side, as Minasian says that both first baseman Jared Walsh and shortstop Andrew Velazquez are on schedule for spring. Walsh was great in 2020 and 2021 but slumped badly last year and eventually required surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome. He hit .215/.269/.374 last year after batting .280/.338/.531 over the two prior campaigns. Velazquez, known primarily for his glovework, was sidelined by knee surgery late last year. Both players could play key roles on the 2023 Angels club if they are healthy, but the club has taken measures to provide safety nets. They’ve added utility players Brandon Drury and Gio Urshela to their infield mix this winter, joining David Fletcher, Luis Rengifo and Anthony Rendon. Should Walsh or Velazquez not be available, the club will still have plenty of options to fill out the lineup, but it sounds like both players are on schedule to get back on track.

Minasian also addressed one other spot on the roster with Spring Training now just over a month away. Ohtani might not be with the team when camp opens, but not because of injury. He is going to be playing for Japan in this year’s World Baseball Classic, with that team playing their first game March 9. At this point, it’s still unclear if Ohtani will report to camp with the Angels before then or simply meet up with them after the WBC.

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