Tropeano joins crowd on the DL
The Angels opened the season nine deep in starting pitchers, but six of those pitchers had been on the disabled list because of an arm injury within the previous two seasons.
The Angels are 30 games into this season, and four of those six already have made a return visit to the disabled list. Nick Tropeano went on the DL on Wednesday because of what the team called inflammation in his right shoulder.
JC Ramirez made two starts, then had season-ending surgery to replace an elbow ligament. Matt Shoemaker made one start, went on the DL because of a strained forearm, and has yet to resume throwing bullpen sessions. Andrew Heaney has returned after opening the season on the DL because of elbow inflammation.
Tropeano said he expected to skip one start and return in the minimum 10 days. He played catch Wednesday.
“I’m not shutting anything down,” he said.
He said neither he nor the Angels wanted what he called “a little tightness” in his posterior rotator cuff to worsen and lead to a possible elbow injury.
Tropeano said he had felt shoulder tightness in his last couple of starts. He cited a velocity dip, although Brooks Baseball had Tropeano’s sinker at its fastest on Tuesday and his fourseam fastball at its fastest since his first start this season.
He also said he felt fine and called the DL move “precautionary.”
The Angels replaced Tropeano on the roster by calling up infielder Ryan Schimpf. They will call up pitcher Jaime Barria to start Thursday. Ohtani vs. Ichiro?
The Angels fly to Seattle after Thursday night game, for the first series against the Mariners this season. Shohei Ohtani could pitch Sunday for the Angels, at a time speculation is swirling in Seattle that Ichiro Suzuki’s roster spot could be in jeopardy.
In spring training, Suzuki said he was eagerly awaiting his chance to face Ohtani.
“I can’t wait to hit off him when he pitches,” Suzuki said. “And when he hits, I’d like to pitch against him.”
That could be quite a final act for the 44-year-old Suzuki. In 2001, when Ohtani was 6, Suzuki made his major league debut. The Mariners won an AL-record 116 games that season and Suzuki was the league’s rookie of the year and most valuable player.
“It took us four innings to go, wow, this guy is talented,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “He has unbelievable range in right field. Just an unbelievable throwing arm. The way he was so fundamentally sound. You could see he was going to hit. He could fly. There were so many things he could do. He was a force in the major leagues for a long time.”
Ohtani was honored as the American League rookie of the month for April.
Another no-no
For the second time in five days, an Angels minor league affiliate pitched a nohitter.
The Angels’ Class A Inland Empire team performed the feat on Wednesday, with Jason Alexander, Zac Ryan and Shawn Isaac all pitching in. Alexander, 25, a free agent in his first full pro season, pitched the first seven innings.