Ohtani scratched from start because of sore right wrist
ANAHEIM >> Shohei Ohtani isn’t going to get a chance to make up for the biggest blemish on his season.
Ohtani’s right wrist, which was hit by a pitch on Saturday, was still sore enough on Monday that the Angels scratched him from his scheduled start on Tuesday against the New York Yankees. He was in the lineup to hit on Monday, and manager Joe Maddon said he would continue to hit, despite the sore wrist.
When Ohtani started against the Yankees on June 30 he was knocked out in the first inning and charged with seven runs. It was the worst start of the season for Ohtani, who has a 3.00 ERA in 105 innings.
Ohtani underwent X-rays immediately after he was hit on Saturday, and he remained in the game.
“He’s fine,” Maddon said. “He’s just sore where it hit him. Pitching is going to be problematic, so we’ll have him hit until he’s ready to pitch.”
Maddon compared the issue to last month, when Ohtani was hit in the right thumb by a foul ball in the Angels’ dugout. Ohtani was hit on July 27 and scratched from a start scheduled for Aug. 1. He ended up pitching on Aug. 4 instead. He never took a break from hitting.
The next possible start for Ohtani would be Friday, because the Angels already scheduled Jaime Barria for Tuesday and Packy Naughton for Thursday. The Angels are off on Thursday.
Maddon said there is not currently a thought that the Angels would simply shut down Ohtani as pitcher, even though he is already at an innings total that he hasn’t reached since 2016 in Japan.
He said if he gets deeper into this season, it would help give him a foundation for next season.
“There’s no reason or want to push him,” Maddon said. “You don’t want to step away from it if he’s feeling good too, and how that’s gonna benefit us. If we do that now, next year is going to be mentally somewhat easier for both of us. There’s that fine line we’re walking with that. I do know he wants to play, wants to pitch. So that’s the commitment we made to him.”
Maddon added that he was also cognizant of Ohtani being in the race for the American League MVP and Cy Young awards.
“I don’t ever want to get in the way of anybody’s greatness,” Maddon said.
Trout still ‘sore,’ stalling rehab again
Mike Trout’s progress has stalled again, bringing the end of his season a step closer.
Trout had been running the bases on the Angels’ trip last week, giving hope that the strained calf that has kept the three-time American League MVP out since May might finally be healed enough for him to play in September.
Maddon doused some water on those hopes on Monday.
“He’s still sore,” Maddon said. “He had another good day working out. We were very optimistic. And then he came up sore.”
Trout appeared to be making progress toward a return in late July, but then he felt more soreness and his rehab was in a holding pattern for a few weeks.
Asked if it was almost time for the Angels to simply end his frustrating season, Maddon conceded the obvious.
“We’re probably getting closer to having to say something like that, but he still wants to continue the fight and we’re going to honor his wishes,” Maddon said. “However Mike sees this, we’re going to go that way.”
Maddon said at this point it comes down to Trout’s “mental well-being” to determine how important it is for him to come back for even a token portion of the season.
“This is truly a time you listen to the athlete, listen to his body and try to make your best decision,” Maddon said. “There’s got to be that moment where we have to start being realistic about it and just have to say ‘That’s it.’”
Notes
José Quintana, who signed an $8 million deal to be a part of the Angels’ rotation, was claimed on waivers by the San Francisco Giants on Monday. The Giants will assume the $1.3 million left on his salary. Quintana posted a 6.75 ERA with the Angels, losing his spot in the rotation . ... Infielder Kean Wong was recalled from Triple-A to replace Quintana on the roster . ... Alex Cobb (wrist inflammation) threw a 30-pitch bullpen session on Monday and said it went well. He said it was his second bullpen in the past five days . ... Maddon said the Angels are anticipating that the three players on the COVID-related injured list – pitchers Reid Detmers, José Marte and Austin Warren — are expected to rejoin the team within the next couple of days. They will then need to assess when each is ready to pitch again.