Adell sent down to Triple-A Salt Lake
BOSTON » The Angels were content with a four-man outfield because they liked all four of the players, but three of them quickly separated themselves to the point that it no longer worked for the fourth.
The odd man out was Jo Adell, who was sent back to Triple-A Salt Lake on Tuesday because the Angels believe his development would be helped by playing every day.
With Mike Trout in center and right fielder Taylor Ward and left fielder Brandon Marsh off to good starts in the corners, there was not much playing time left for Adell.
“Wardy has been great, Marsh has played really well and center field is taken by a pretty good player too,” General Manager Perry Minasian said. “I think for him and his development, just to get regular at-bats, regular defensive reps will help him. He’s come a long way. He’s made a lot of strides. I’m very optimistic at some point this year he’s going to help us win some games. He already has, but I think just the regular reps will be important.”
Adell, who was once one of the top prospects in all of baseball, has gotten off to a slow start with limited playing time. He was hitting .231 with a .673 OPS. He had struck out 24 times and walked just once.
Adell was also struggling defensively, including one costly misplay during Monday’s game.
After he got the news that he was heading to Salt Lake, he said he was disappointed but he understood that the current situation wasn’t working for him.
“This is a really strong team and these guys are great,” Adell said. “These players out here are unbelievable. And we formed something that’s been a really, really strong unit. And it’s been tough to weave my way into the lineup with the level of play that these guys have right now . ...
“Joe (Maddon) mentioned in the meeting that playing every third or second day or fourth day or whatever has been kind of tough. Hopefully, me getting back on my rhythm and getting in there every day and kind of just developing more of a routine would probably help me out a little bit more.”
Ironically, on the day the Angels sent down Adell because of the high level of the other three outfielders, one of them was benched in favor of utility man Jack Mayfield.
Although Mayfield had never started a regular-season game in the outfield, he did some work there during spring training. Maddon also said that left field at Fenway Park is less challenging than other parks because it’s small.
Maddon wanted the right-handed-hitting Mayfield in the lineup instead of the left-handed-hitting Marsh because Boston right-hander Michael Wacha traditionally fares better against lefties.
Maddon said that he would continue to play the matchups when it comes to left field. Marsh, a lefthanded hitter, has a career .757 OPS against righties and a .531 mark against lefties. The Angels called up Jose Rojas to take
Adell’s spot on the active roster. Rojas opened the season in the majors but then went back to Triple-A. He had been playing first base, second base, third base and right field at Triple-A.
Ohtani starts
Shohei Ohtani, who missed Monday’s game in Chicago because of right groin tightness, was back in the lineup at DH on Tuesday and penciled in to make his next start on the mound on Thursday, the finale of the Angels’ threegame series in Boston.
Maddon said Ohtani was feeling good, but they wanted to give him one extra day, and also avoid the rain that is in the forecast for today. They were leery of using Ohtani in a game that could be interrupted by delays.
Reid Detmers will instead start today against the Red Sox.
Ohtani had originally been in line to start on Tuesday, but Noah Syndergaard slid into the first game of the series after he missed his previous start with an illness.
Warren injured
Relief pitcher Austin Warren was hit in the nose by a stray ball during Red Sox batting practice on Tuesday afternoon, suffering a nasal fracture. There was no immediate word for how much time he would be out. The Angels placed the right-hander on the injured list and activated right-hander Elvis Peguero. Peguero had been activated for one day over the weekend in Chicago, but then he was optioned. Peguero remained with the team as part of the taxi squad.