The Los Angeles Angels held their first workout Friday afternoon at Angel Stadium since the club disbanded in mid-March amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As the club re-emerged for Spring Training 2.0, Angels All-Star center fielder, Mike Trout, reiterated his discomfort in returning to the field while his wife is expecting the couple’s first child in August.
Trout was practicing with the Angels and didn’t elaborate on his plans, other than saying there is a chance it’s possible he could miss substantial time this season. Trout is clearly taking it day-by-day and discussing with his wife regularly what’s best for their family this year.
MLB’s ability to safely follow CDC and their own policies will ultimately play a large part in Trout’s playing time in 2020. While Trout’s absence from the 2020 roster would be an unprecedented blow to the club, the team has surprising depth that could make up for the future Hall of Famer’s loss of playing time.
One of the top-ranked prospects in Major League Baseball is hoping to make his big-league debut in 2020 and was expected to take over the void in right field left by the departed Kole Calhoun. Adell has played center field throughout his professional career and was making highlight catches for Team USA in last winter’s WBC tournament at the position. If Trout misses any significant time in 2020, Adell could be the best option for the Angels in center field, giving the rookie substantial playing time in the heat of a pennant race.
David Fletcher and Tommy La Stella
The Angels’ biggest free agent acquisition this off-season was not Gerrit Cole as many expected. Instead, Angels owner Arte Moreno made his huge winter splash by signing top offensive free agent third baseman Anthony Rendon. The move displaced 2019 starting third baseman David Fletcher from his position, forcing him into a platoon with 2019 American League All-Star second baseman Tommy La Stella. Fletcher’s 3.4 and La Stella’s 2.0 fWAR last season were second and fourth among Angels position players. Fletcher’s ability to play both corner outfield positions could provide additional value for an Angels lineup featuring both players on the same day if Trout is unavailable.
No player benefited more from Justin Upton’s injury-plagued 2019 season than newcomer Brian Goodwin. The Angels acquired Goodwin immediately following Upton’s injury at the end of Spring Training last season and the left-handed-hitting outfielder responded by hitting .262 with 17 home runs in 458 plate appearances across 136 games with the 2019 Angels. Assuming Trout, Upton, and Adell are all healthy and playing, Goodwin could be looking at more limited playing time as a fourth outfielder in 2020. Any significant time with Trout out of this season’s lineup would surely provide Goodwin with more opportunities in the outfield.
Angels News This Past Week
Lake Forest-based Oakley introduced a new eyewear collection with Shohei Ohtani last week. The Oakley Radar EV Path Shohei Ohtani Collection sold out quickly and is currently on backorder. The Angels expect to have the two-way player starting on the mound every week and hitting as designated hitter another four to five times weekly during the 2020 season.
The Angels released their Spring Training 2.0 rosters Sunday and several surprises included the addition of outfield prospect Jordyn Adams and pitching prospect Chris Rodriguez. Adams finished last season at High-A Inland Empire last season and was expected to make his MLB debut in 2022 while Rodriguez is returning to the mound after missing the bulk of the past two seasons to injury. Both are expected to be training at the Angels’ satellite training facility at Long Beach State’s Blair Field this summer.
HaloLife’s Future Angels Top 10 List quarterly update was released July 1st with the new additions of Angels first-round draft pick Reid Detmers and pitcher Chris Rodriguez. Detmers agreed to terms and signed with Angels Sunday with $4.67 million signing bonus. Although Detmers did not appear on the initial 60-man roster, Angels general manager Billy Eppler stated Detmers will be training with the Angels this summer as a member of that squad.
My Future Angels Top 10 (Q3 – 7/1/2020)
1. Jo Adell
2. Brandon Marsh
3. Reid Detmers
4. Jordyn Adams
5. Jeremiah Jackson
6. Kyren Paris
7. Chris Rodriguez
8. Hector Yan
9. Aaron Hernandez
10. Jahmai Jones pic.twitter.com/x94iBg70xZ— Halo Life ⚾ (@_HaloLife) July 1, 2020
