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Clips

(May 5, 2016)

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Today’s Clips Contents

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES (Page 3) Mike Trout’s home run rescues Angels in 7-3 win over Brewers

Fatigue might force Garrett Richards to bypass Friday start for Angels

FROM THE OC REGISTER (Page 6)

Angels reliever Joe Smith shuts down Brewers for two-inning save

Angels not ready to clear Garrett Richards for Friday start

Led by Mike Trout, Angels offense is heating up

Rafael Ortega has impressed Angels, but still may lose his spot to Daniel

Nava

FROM ANGELS.COM (Page 10)

Trout’s HR catalyzes Angels’ 8th-inning rally

Smith closes another strong bullpen performance

Vintage Trout reappears during torrid stretch

Richards’ status for Friday in doubt

Angels must decide on Ortega or Choi

Richards may not open homestand vs. Rays

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (Page 18) Trout triples and homers, Angels beat Brewers 7-3

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FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES Mike Trout’s home run rescues Angels in 7-3 win over Brewers

Pedro Moura

The Angels were six outs away from being swept by a team they were supposed to sweep. And then Mike Trout approached the Miller Park batter's box Wednesday afternoon to face Milwaukee reliever Tyler Thornburg.

Seventeen hours prior, Thornburg had spotted a two-strike curveball on the outside corner to strike out Trout looking. This time, Trout was ready for the same pitch, timing his swing so that his bat barrel powered the ball out to right field. The home run set into motion an Angels rally that realized a 7-3 win over the rebuilding Brewers. It did not salvage the six-game trip — they finished it 2-4 — but it averted an abject disaster.

"That would've been a tough way to go out, getting swept out here," said Joe Smith, who recorded the first two-inning save of his career to secure the victory. "Coming in here, I think we expected to do better than we did."

Said Trout: "You look back in September, these are the games that matter the most."

Said Manager Mike Scioscia: "We earned it. We played hard."

The Angels are off Thursday. It is necessary. For seven straight games, their starting pitcher has failed to finish six innings, taxing a bullpen that withstood the test throughout. Smith's save stretched their work to 7 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings.

"Our challenge right now is to keep these guys fresh, but also understand the importance to have guys come in and get outs," Scioscia said. "We have to balance that."

Said Smith: "You just look around and you realize how much guys have pitched this trip."

Scioscia tried as hard as he could to break the streak of starts. He left left-hander Hector Santiago in to throw 116 pitches, still not enough. In a 2-2 tie in the sixth, Santiago loaded the bases on two singles and a walk before Scioscia brought in right-hander Cam Bedrosian.

Bedrosian retired both hitters he faced, but a wild breaking ball that bounced a few feet away from the plate let in the go-ahead run. The Angels stranded a runner in the seventh, and were facing the likelihood of an ugly conclusion to their Midwest stint. Last month, they were swept in Minneapolis.

After Trout's tying homer, the Angels rallied for three more runs in the eighth and another in the ninth. Kole Calhoun first singled sharply to center, and, with two outs, Geovany

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Soto walked. C.J. Cron then pinch-hit and flared a fastball out to left field to drive in the go-ahead run. He scored alongside Soto shortly thereafter, when Johnny Giavotella singled through to left.

Calhoun singled in Yunel Escobar in the ninth, becoming the 17th Angels baserunner of the day. Nine of their players reached base.

Santiago walked the first two men he faced, then promptly pitched out of the jam, punctuating it with a strikeout of Chris Carter. After making the last out of the top of the second inning, Santiago ran out to the mound late and did not make his normal allotment of warmup pitches.

Five pitches into the inning, Santiago served up a solo home run to Hernan Perez. He allowed harmless singles in the third and fourth innings. Then, leading off the fifth, Santiago permitted three consecutive singles to produce a run, before inducing an infield fly and a double-play ball from Carter.

In the fourth, Santiago blasted a fastball from Brewers starter Zach Davies 375 feet and missed first base as he rounded it en route to second, forcing him to settle for a single.

At 349 feet, Trout's home run was his shortest since June 2014. He did not think he had hit it out. It was a home run by a margin of about a foot. But it was a home run — his seventh of 2016, and, as of now, his most important.

"Not too many guys will put a swing like that on that pitch," Scioscia said.

Fatigue might force Garrett Richards to bypass Friday start for Angels

Pedro Moura

The dehydration and cramping that forced Garrett Richards out of his Sunday start in Texas has evolved into "general fatigue," as the Angels have called it, and his scheduled Friday start against Tampa Bay at Angel Stadium is in question.

"We're going to be cautious," Manager Mike Scioscia said.

Richards did not throw his normal between-starts bullpen session. After throwing 79 pitches over four innings Sunday, he played catch normally Monday and Tuesday, but did not do so Wednesday. The Angels will have to make a day-of-game decision based on how he reports feeling Friday.

"I'm still a little bit fatigued," Richards said. "My body's a little tired. I'm just trying to bounce back. Everything just doesn't feel as crisp right now."

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He saw a doctor at Texas' Globe Life Park on Sunday, and said he will see another doctor Thursday to be re-examined. He said he is consuming lots of fluids, Pedialyte in particular.

Richards insisted that nothing hurt, that he was "just not feeling 100%."

Losing the 27-year-old right-hander, even if just for one start, would represent another jab at the Angels' pitching staff, a group that has already been decimated by injuries to three members and poor performance by another.

Matt Shoemaker, the poor performer, is scheduled to start Friday for triple-A Salt Lake. It's unlikely he'll be the contingency plan if Richards cannot pitch, because calling him up would require disabling another player.

Scioscia would not delve into who the Angels would choose to start the game if Richards is deemed unavailable.

"We'll have a pitcher," he said.

See the most-read stories in Sports this hour >>

Most likely, right-hander Cory Rasmus would start and throw up to three innings, commencing a parade of relievers. The Angels' weekend series against the Rays is bookended by off days, increasing the viability of that plan.

Short hops

Closer Huston Street, on the disabled list the last week with a strained oblique suffered in warmups, said he hopes to play catch in roughly 10 days, after which he would need at least one week to resume pitching in games. … Scioscia hinted that left fielder Rafael Ortega will be optioned to triple-A Salt Lake when Daniel Nava is ready to return from the disabled list, perhaps Friday. Ortega has performed above expectations in Nava's absence, but fills the same role. "Rafael Ortega has been a tremendous spark for us," Scioscia said. "You couldn't ask for any more than he's done. But we know Daniel Nava's potential and what he could mean to our lineup."

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FROM THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Angels reliever Joe Smith shuts down Brewers for two-inning save

By JEFF FLETCHER / STAFF WRITER

MILWAUKEE – Typically, when a manager asks his closer to record a six-out save, it speaks to how desperately a team needs to secure a victory.

That was only partly true of Joe Smith’s performance to close out the Angels’ 7-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday afternoon.

Mostly, it was that Smith was essentially the only reliever who wasn’t pitching on fumes after a week in which the Angels starters have heaped far too much work on their bullpen counterparts.

“I had a pretty good feeling from the start that I was going to somehow get multiple innings today because of how much everyone else was used,” Smith said. “We had no choice, I felt.”

Smith, who was credited with a save because he entered with a three-run lead, needed 28 pitches to get those final six outs, locking up the Angels’ first two-inning save since Ernesto Frieri on Sept. 15, 2013.

It also was a much-needed victory.

Before they struck for five runs in the final two innings – thanks to Mike Trout’s homer and RBI hits by C.J. Cron, Johnny Giavotella and Kole Calhoun – the Angels were looking at the prospect of being swept by the rebuilding Brewers. The Brewers were 9-15 when the Angels got to town.

“Coming in here I think we expected to do a little better than what we did,” Smith said. “That would have been a tough way to head out, getting swept here.”

The Angels won just two games on this six-game trip through Texas and Milwaukee, and the recurring theme was inefficient – at best – and ineffective – at worst – starting pitching.

Every game on this trip, and the last game of the previous homestand, the Angels bullpen was summoned by the sixth inning.

It’s an unsustainable pattern, bringing relievers in so early game after game. When Hector Santiago took the ball Wednesday, he knew the team needed him to get deep into the game. So far this season, he’d done a good job of pitching efficiently, thanks largely to reducing his walks.

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So when he walked the first two batters, it was a bad sign. He ended up walking four, and allowing eight hits.

Despite all that traffic on the bases, Santiago maneuvered through a 116-pitch high-wire act and walked off the mound with just two runs on the board and a tie game in the sixth inning.

The bad news was he bequeathed a bases-loaded situation to the overworked bullpen, with Cam Bedrosian the first one through the door in the right-field fence.

Bedrosian retired both hitters he faced, including a strikeout. He has struck out eight of the 14 batters he’s faced since returning to the big leagues last weekend. Unfortunately, in between he bounced a slider that got away from catcher Geovany Soto, allowing the go-ahead run.

Fernando Salas, though, pitched a perfect seventh, setting the stage for the late offensive surge that put Smith in position to be the setup man and closer.

“The bullpen is unbelievable,” Santiago said. “They’ve been really good. They’ve been really busy lately.”

Angels not ready to clear Garrett Richards for Friday start

By JEFF FLETCHER / STAFF WRITER

MILWAUKEE – The Angels’ tattered rotation now has another question mark.

Garrett Richards, who left his last start early because he was dehydrated, has skipped his between-starts bullpen session as the Angels make sure there is nothing else wrong with him.

Richards is scheduled to start Friday against the Tampa Bay Rays, but as of Wednesday afternoon he was questionable.

“We’re going to be cautious,” said Manager Mike Scioscia, whose team is down to four healthy starters in the majors and obviously can't afford an injury to Richards.

Richards said he's not hurt, but he acknowledged that something isn't right. He skipped his throwing session on Wednesday, and will see Angels doctors on Thursday in Southern California.

"I'm still a little fatigued," he said. "The body is still tired. I'm still trying to bounce back. Everything doesn't feel as crisp right now."

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Richards complained of cramping during a 33-pitch fourth inning Sunday in Texas, so Scioscia pulled him after 79 pitches. Richards then saw a doctor at the ballpark and was diagnosed with dehydration.

Richards said since then he's been concentrating on staying hydrated, and the trainers have been giving him extra fluids.

If Richards does not start Friday, the Angels would most likely go with a bullpen game, using some combination of Cory Rasmus, A.J. Achter and Jose Alvarez to get through the early innings.

Matt Shoemaker, who was sent to Triple-A on Sunday because of his struggles in the majors, is not likely to be an option for Friday.

The only way Shoemaker could return to the majors within 10 days of being sent down is if someone goes on the disabled list. Shoemaker is scheduled to start Thursday or Friday for Salt Lake City. If Shoemaker doesn’t pitch Thursday, that could be an ominous sign for Richards.

Led by Mike Trout, Angels offense is heating up By JEFF FLETCHER / STAFF WRITER

MILWAUKEE – One by one, Angels players are joining Mike Trout in the “hot” column.

Although this trip was disappointing, losing four of six games, the offense wasn’t to blame. The Angels hit .311 and averaged 4.8 runs in the six games, after hitting .227 and averaging 3.5 runs before it began.

Trout, obviously, is leading the way. His seventh homer of the season tied Wednesday’s game in the eighth inning. Including a triple in the third inning, Trout has eight hits in his last 18 at-bats. His average is up to a season-high .317.

“I feel good at the plate,” Trout said. “I made some slight adjustments, getting the foot down and seeing pitches like I should be and not missing pitches.”

Kole Calhoun, who had three hits Wednesday, also finished the trip on a 10-for-20 streak, raising his average to .304.

Yunel Escobar has been fairly consistent all season, and he collected two more hits on Wednesday, raising his average to .297 and his on-base percentage to .363.

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C.J. Cron barely played in Milwaukee because National League rules forced the Angels to choose him or Albert Pujols, and Pujols started all three games. However, Cron pinch-hit each day and had two RBI hits and a walk, including a tie-breaking double in the eighth inning on Wednesday. Cron is 10 for 19 with runners in scoring position this season, and his average is up to a season-high .250, with an on-base percentage of .337.

Johnny Giavotella still isn’t quite “hot,” but he did come through with two hits Wednesday, including a two-run single that added to a one-run lead in the eighth.

With Geovany Soto now taking more playing time from Carlos Perez, the only player in the lineup really slumping is Andrelton Simmons, who is hitless in his last 18 at-bats.

“We need more than Mike and Albert and Kole,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “Some guys are starting to swing the bats a little better. We need C.J. We need Andrelton. We need Johnny. We need these guys to lengthen our lineup. That’s the only way we’re going to have long-term success this year. We’re really confident they will.”

Rafael Ortega has impressed Angels, but still may lose his spot to Daniel Nava By JEFF FLETCHER / STAFF WRITER

MILWAUKEE – Whether or not Rafael Ortega keeps his job when Daniel Nava comes off the disabled list, he’s made a good impression.

“I think Rafael Ortega has been a tremendous spark for us,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “You couldn’t ask for any more than he’s done. But we know Daniel Nava’s potential and what he could mean to our lineup. We definitely have to explore that.”

That sounds like Scioscia is leaning toward reinstalling Nava as the starting left fielder against right-hander pitchers when he comes back – perhaps as soon as Friday – even though Ortega has done well in his absence.

Ortega has hit .294, including an RBI single in Wednesday's game, and played solid defense.

One reason the Angels may opt to start Nava and send Ortega to Triple-A is that allows both players to get regular at-bats, so they can continue evaluating both. If Ortega starts in the majors, Nava would sit on the bench. Then if Ortega cools off and the Angels want to go back to Nava, he would be doing so having not played much.

The Angels already have Ji-Man Choi, a Rule 5 pick who can’t be optioned, contributing little as he sits on the bench. If the Angels let Choi go and have Nava on the bench, they’ve effectively

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lost two players. Certainly they could do that if they are certain Ortega is the best player, but they'd likely want more than two weeks to decide that.

Nava has been out for just over two weeks with knee tendinitis. He was hitting .286 with a .333 on-base percentage when he got hurt. Nava can also play first base, so he could replace Choi on the roster if the Angels eventually go that direction.

FROM ANGELS.COM Trout’s HR catalyzes Angels’ 8th-inning rally

By Adam McCalvy and Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com | May 4th, 2016

MILWAUKEE -- Mike Trout's tying home run sparked the Angels' four-run rally in the eighth inning of Wednesday's 7-3 win over the Brewers at Miller Park, as the Angels finished a 2-4 road trip by avoiding a three-game sweep.

Zach Davies delivered a quality start for the Brewers, and Hernan Perez homered before scoring the go-ahead run on a sixth-inning wild pitch for a 3-2 Milwaukee lead that lasted into the eighth.

But Brewers reliever Tyler Thornburg couldn't hold it, allowing a walk and three hits, including Trout's home run on an 0-2 pitch and pinch-hitter C.J. Cron's go-ahead double. After 31 Thornburg pitches, Blaine Boyer took over and surrendered a two-run single to Johnny Giavotella, also on an 0-2 pitch.

"It's huge," Trout said of the late rally. "Obviously, every win's big. It may not seem like it is because it's obviously May, but if you look back in September, these are the games that matter most. We're swinging the bat well. It's good to put some runs on the board."

Trout finished 2-for-4 and was 7-for-13 in the series with seven RBIs. Cole Calhoun chipped in three hits, including an RBI single for insurance in the ninth inning. Joe Smith covered the final two frames for his second save.

"It's always frustrating when you've got a lead late that you let slip away," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said, "but we played a good series."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

All about Trout: Trout gave the Angels their first lead with his first triple of the year in the third, then tied the game with his team-leading seventh home run in the eighth off Thornburg. Trout

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is now batting .407 (22-for-54) with six homers and 18 RBIs over his last 14 games, providing a big boost to an Angels offense still waiting on several key contributors to get going. His OPS for the season is .996.

"I feel good at the plate," Trout said. "I just made some slight adjustments [like] getting the foot down. I'm seeing pitches like I should be and not missing pitches."

Fool me once...: Thornburg also faced Trout with a one-run lead in the eighth inning on Tuesday, and caught the Angels star looking at a curveball for a critical strikeout on the way to a 5-4 Brewers win. Trout won the rematch, getting just enough of a curveball in an 0-2 count to send it over the fence in right field, where a party area provides hitters a short porch. It marked only the second time in Thornburg's 11 appearances that the right-hander was charged with a run.

"I thought I had a lot of different options I could have gone with, a lot of different choices, a lot of different ways I could have got him out," Thornburg said. "I just didn't make a pitch."

Bull(ish)pen: The Angels have now gone seven consecutive days without a starting pitcher completing six innings, but their bullpen has stepped up to carry the load. Hector Santiago lasted only 5 1/3 innings, giving up eight hits and four walks, but relievers Cam Bedrosian, Fernando Salas and Smith kept the Brewers scoreless the rest of the way. Smith converted a six-out save, the first by an Angels reliever since Ernesto Frieri on Sept. 15, 2013. The Angels' bullpen has a 1.65 ERA over the last 14 games.

"They've been doing a really good job," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "We need it, and we need it to continue. Our challenge right now is to keep these guys fresh, but also understanding the importance of guys who come in and get outs. We're going to have to balance that."

Making a lot from a little: Perez had a big homestand for the Brewers despite limited opportunities. He hit his first home run of the season against the Marlins on Saturday, made a terrific defensive play at third base in the ninth inning to help secure Tuesday's one-run win over the Angels, then homered again and scored the go-ahead run on Wednesday. With two outs in the sixth and the teams tied at 2, Perez alertly broke home when Bedrosian's curveball skipped away from Angels catcher Geovany Soto, giving the Brewers a 3-2 lead on a run charged to Santiago.

"Since he's come up, he's done a fabulous job," Counsell said. "Last year, he had some success against left-handed pitching, and it looks like that's continuing."

QUOTABLE "What's going on here? Are they giving him extra points for every hit that he gets?" -- Santiago, on Trout's batting average going up so quickly

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"I tried to go out there and really catch them a little sleepy and establish the fastball early, trying to go after them a little bit more. ... Any time you go out there and improve upon the things that you've struggled with in the past a little bit, it gives you a little reassurance that you can go out there and do it. -- Davies, on his first quality start of the season

SANTANA SITS AGAIN FOR CREW The Brewers did not have their regular outfield alignment for any of the three games against the Angels. For the second time in the series, right fielder Domingo Santana was scratched from the lineup with soreness behind his right shoulder, which manager Craig Counsell continued to characterize as minor. Santana is day-to-day.

WHAT'S NEXT Angels: The Angels are off on Thursday, then start a three-game series against the Rays from Southern California, with Friday's first pitch set for 7:05 p.m. PT. Garrett Richards lines up to start that game, opposite Rays ace Chris Archer, but the Angels weren't certain if he'd take the ball as of Wednesday. He exited Sunday's start against the Rangers because of dehydration and cramping, and he did not throw his between-starts bullpen session at Miller Park.

Brewers: The teams with baseball's two highest staff ERAs will meet in Cincinnati beginning at 6:10 p.m. CT on Thursday for the first of four games. Chase Anderson, coming off three consecutive losses in which he has allowed 28 total hits, including six home runs, gets the start for Milwaukee.

Smith closes another strong bullpen performance By Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com | May 4th, 2016

MILWAUKEE -- Joe Smith, acting as the Angels' closer while Huston Street recovers from a strained oblique, had a hunch he would be needed for multiple innings in Wednesday's series finale from Miller Park. He told C.J. Cron around the third inning that he wouldn't be surprised if he were needed for a six-out save.

"You just look around and you realize how much guys have pitched this trip," Smith said, moments after locking down the Angels' 7-3 win over the Brewers with the six-out save he foresaw. "They've stepped up and they've pitched really well."

The Angels have gone seven consecutive days without their starting pitcher completing six innings, a troubling sign for a team that has seen its rotation depth evaporate over the last few weeks.

In the midst of all that, though, the bullpen has stepped up, even in the absence of its most accomplished reliever.

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The bullpen has combined to post a 1.65 ERA over the last 14 games, giving up just nine runs on 39 hits in 49 innings, a stretch in which the relievers have walked 13 and struck out 37. Hector Santiago lasted only 5 1/3 innings on Wednesday -- giving up three runs on eight hits and four walks -- but Cam Bedrosian, Fernando Salas and Smith held the Brewers to one hit over the last 3 2/3 innings.

Smith notched the Angels' first six-out save since Ernesto Frieri in September 2013.

"I had some rest this road trip, and the rest of the bullpen did a lot of work," Smith said. "You're going to have trips like that. The injuries we've had hasn't helped, but they've done a great job this road trip of picking up a lot of innings. Sometimes no matter what role you're in, you just have to step up and do it."

Mike Morin is showing command of three pitches -- a fastball, changeup and slider -- and has thrown nine consecutive scoreless outings, dropping his ERA to 2.38.

Alvarez has seven consecutive scoreless innings, the last of which saw him escape a first-and-third, none-out jam in Tuesday's eighth inning. His ERA is down to 3.77. Salas is working on 8 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings to lower his ERA to 2.40.

And Bedrosian, perhaps the only reliever who brings a legitimate swing-and-miss component to the bullpen, has struck out six of the last eight hitters he has faced.

"It looks like he finally isn't putting so much pressure on himself," Smith said of Bedrosian. "It sounds silly, but that's Cam's everyday stuff that we've seen the last two outings. If he just throws that, good things are going to keep happening. We need a guy like that to step up."

Vintage Trout reappears during torrid stretch

By Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com | @Alden_Gonzalez | May 4th, 2016

MILWAUKEE -- It was only 15 days ago that Mike Trout came to bat in Chicago and the scoreboard read .220 next to his batting average. When he came to bat in Wednesday's ninth inning, Angels starter Hector Santiago glanced towards Miller Park's center-field JumboTron and saw that number at .317.

"What's going on here?" Santiago thought, in the late stages of the Angels' 7-3 victory over the Brewers. "Are they giving him extra points for every hit that he gets?"

No, Trout is just getting hot.

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Over his last 14 games, the Angels' superstar center fielder is batting .407 (22-for-54) with six home runs and 18 RBIs. His slash line has gone from .220/.333/.340 to .317/.400/.596. His OPS, .996, is suddenly the fifth highest in the American League.

Trout was a catalyst in helping the Angels avoid a demoralizing sweep on Wednesday, giving his team its first lead with his first triple of the season in the third and tying the game with a solo home run to right field in the eighth, his team-leading seventh.

"I feel good at the plate," Trout said. "I just made some slight adjustments. Getting the foot down. I'm seeing pitches like I should be and not missing pitches."

The Angels, ranked 22nd in the Majors in collective OPS, are still waiting on several of their key contributors to get going.

Albert Pujols, the man who bats behind Trout, is still hitting .198/.280/.387.Andrelton Simmons, who entered the year hoping for improvements offensively, is hitless in his last 18 at-bats, his slash line down to .215/.236/.280. Johnny Giavotella, a key to providing production in the bottom of the lineup, is batting only .190/.203/.270 despite a two-hit game on Wednesday.

Trout's FanGraphs Wins Above Replacement score is 2.0. The rest of the Angels' position players have combined for a score of 1.3.

"He's locked in, man," Santiago said of Trout. "He's unbelievable. And you can tell. He's hitting the ball over the wall, he's on base all the time, he's driving in guys. You can definitely tell when he's hot."

Richards’ status for Friday in doubt

Righty exited Sunday’s game due to dehydration and cramping By Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com | @Alden_Gonzalez | May 4th, 2016

MILWAUKEE -- The Angels aren't yet certain if their ace, Garrett Richards, will be able to make his next scheduled start on Friday against the visiting Rays.

Richards exited Sunday's start against the Rangers at Globe Life Park after only 79 pitches because of dehydration and cramping, caused largely by a 33-pitch fourth inning. Richards played catch in the two days that followed, but he did not throw, as scheduled, on Wednesday. He also has not done his between-starts bullpen session and said he's feeling general fatigue.

The Angels, off on Thursday, are apparently being extra careful with their best starting pitcher.

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"We're going to wait and see how I feel tomorrow," Richards said after the Angels' 7-3 win over the Brewers on Wednesday. "I'm still a little bit fatigued, body's a little tired. I'm just trying to bounce back. Everything just kind of doesn't feel as crisp right now. We're going to take it day by day."

The Angels' starting rotation has quickly become the team's greatest area of concern.

C.J. Wilson (left shoulder tendinitis) is still about a week away from throwing off the mound, Andrew Heaney (left forearm tightness) recently received a platelet-rich plasma injection that will keep him from playing catch at least until the middle of June, Tyler Skaggs (Tommy John surgery) is dealing with a bout of left biceps tendinitis that has shut down his throwing program for at least a week and Matt Shoemaker (April ERA of 9.15) was sent to the Minor Leagues three days ago.

Shoemaker, tentatively scheduled to start for Triple-A Salt Lake on Friday or Saturday, could line up to make that Friday start against the Rays, but he can't be brought back up so quickly unless he's replacing a player going on the disabled list.

Scioscia could be forced into a bullpen game, one that would be started by either Cory Rasmus or Jose Alvarez.

"Our depth chart is certainly being tested with some guys banged up and some guys who have struggled," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "The most important depth chart you have in the organization is your starting-pitching depth chart. We've had enough to absorb some things, but you have to keep adapting and hopefully put yourself in a place to win games."

Angels starters have gone seven consecutive days without completing at least six innings. The bullpen has stepped up, with a 1.65 ERA over the past 14 games. But a Richards injury could be catastrophic for an Angels team that can no longer afford setbacks with its rotation.

Richards, the Angels' Opening Day starter, has a 2.34 ERA and has struck out 8.8 batters per nine innings through his first six starts.

"I'm just trying to take it day by day," Richards said. "Stay on top of it, stay hydrated, try to bounce back. Everything just kind of doesn't feel crisp right now. We're going to re-evaluate tomorrow and go from there."

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Angels must decide on Ortega or Choi

With Nava set to come off DL, club will make corresponding move

By Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com | @Alden_Gonzalez | May 4th, 2016

MILWAUKEE -- Daniel Nava remains on track to be activated off the disabled list by Friday, at which point the Angels would have to decide whether to keep outfielder Rafael Ortega or first baseman Ji-Man Choi on their bench.

Ortega has excelled as the starting left fielder against righties, providing above-average defense and posting a .345 on-base percentage. He went 1-for-5 with an RBI single in Wednesday's 7-3 win over the Brewers. But he also has options remaining, and the Angels are committed to reinserting Nava into their lineup when he returns from tendinitis in his left knee.

Choi, a Rule 5 Draft pick, has only compiled 20 plate appearances through the team's first 28 games and has yet to carve out a role. If the Angels take Choi off their active roster, they would probably lose him, either by offering him back to the Orioles or, if Baltimore declines, by placing him on waivers. Should he clear waivers, Choi can opt for free agency in lieu of an assignment to the Minor Leagues.

Optioning Ortega is the Angels' best way to preserve depth.

"We have high expectations of what Daniel can bring to our offense," manager Mike Scioscia said. "You couldn't have done a much better job than Raffy has done. He's done a great job, which bodes well for some depth that we have. We'll evaluate and see where we are."

Worth noting

• Jose Alvarez was a starting pitcher while in the Tigers' system, but the Angels aren't considering sending him to Triple-A so he can get stretched out and serve as additional starting pitching depth. They believe his stuff plays better in the bullpen and would like to continue utilizing him late in games.

• Scioscia batted his pitcher eighth in each of the Angels' three games in a National League park, after doing that only one other time in his managerial career. It was done to potentially give Trout more RBI opportunities. Albert Pujols started all three games at first base, forcing C.J. Cron to come off the bench.

• Angels bullpen coach Scott Radinsky recently underwent a procedure to alleviate symptoms and is resting comfortably in his home, the team said. Radinsky is "expected back at some point," general manager Billy Eppler added, but a return date has not been determined. Radinsky has been away from the team since being taken to a local hospital because of chest pains just as the team was leaving Oakland on April 13.

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Richards may not open homestand vs. Rays

By Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com | @Alden_Gonzalez | May 4th, 2016

After Thursday's off-day for both clubs, the Rays and Angels meet in Southern California for a weekend series, starting at 10:05 p.m. ET on Friday. Rays ace Chris Archer is currently scheduled to face Garrett Richards, but as of Wednesday morning, the Angels were unsure whether their best pitcher would be able to take the ball.

Richards (1-3, 2.34 ERA) exited Sunday's start in Arlington after 79 pitches because of dehydration and cramping, caused largely by a 33-pitch fourth inning. He did not throw his between-starts bullpen session at Miller Park. If Richards can't go, Angels manager Mike Scioscia may be forced into a bullpen game, which would be started by either Cory Rasmus or Jose Alvarez.

Archer (1-4, 5.01 ERA) is off to a surprisingly rough start, giving up 4.2 walks and 10 hits per nine innings. But the 27-year-old right-hander has looked better of late. He pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings against the Orioles on April 25, striking out 10 batters and walking none. Then he gave up just two runs on one hit with four walks and four strikeouts in six innings against the Blue Jays on Saturday.

The Rays and Angels split their six-game series in 2015.

Things to know for this game:

• Angels left fielder Daniel Nava (left knee tendinitis) is expected to be activated off the disabled list for Friday's game and resume his place in the No. 2 spot of the lineup, directly in front of Mike Trout and Albert Pujols.

• Archer has a 3.12 ERA in three career starts at Angel Stadium. Trout is 4-for-13 lifetime against Archer, while Pujols is 4-for-10. Richards has a 4.22 ERA in four career starts against the Rays.

• Evan Longoria is hitting .320 with six home runs, nine doubles and 18 RBIs in 116 plate appearances at Angel Stadium, the closest ballpark to where he grew up in Downey, Calif.

May 5, 2016 Page 18 of 20

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Trout triples and homers, Angels beat Brewers 7-3 MILWAUKEE -- The curveball hung over the plate, an enticing pitch that Mike Trout quickly turned into a rally-starting solo home run in the eighth inning.

Five batters later, the Los Angeles Angels had secured the lead for good thanks to a run-scoring double by pinch hitter C.J. Cron, avoiding a three-game sweep to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Trout had an RBI triple and sparked the four-run eighth with his homer the opposite way in right, and the bullpen shut out the Brewers after the sixth in the Angels' 7-3 win on Wednesday.

"Those were huge at-bats. The breaking ball he hit out to right, not many guys are going to be able to put a swing like that on that pitch," manager Mike Scioscia said.

Trout has 18 RBI in his last 13 games after the four-time All Star started the season In a 5-for-27 slump.

"Yeah, I feel good at the plate. I just made some slight adjustments. I'm getting the foot down," Trout said. "I'm seeing pitches like I should be and not missing pitches."

Tyler Thornburg (2-1) gave up Trout's homer after throwing the 0-2 curve.

"It all boils down to execution for the pitcher. It's an 0-2 count so Thorny is looking to throw a ball there but he just left it in the strike zone," manager Craig Counsell said.

It only got worse for Thornburg, who allowed the looping double to Cron.

The rally gave the Angels a confidence boost before heading back home. They went 2-4 on a six-game trip.

WHAT A RELIEF

Fernando Salas (2-1) pitched a scoreless inning, and Joe Smith threw two shutout innings for his second save.

Smith, who is closing because Huston Street is on the disabled list, likes the way that the bullpen has responded during the trip.

"Sometimes you just have to step up and do it," Smith said about going two innings.

NOT A RELIEF

May 5, 2016 Page 19 of 20

Milwaukee took a 3-2 lead in the sixth when Hernan Perez scrambled home from third on Cam Bedrosian's wild pitch.

After a solid start by young-right hander Zach Davies, manager Craig Counsell turned the game over a relief corps that has performed well in late-game situations.

But Thornburg was hit hard by the heart of the Angels order, allowing four runs and three hits in two-thirds of an inning.

Davies went six innings, allowing five hits and two runs, along with three walks and three strikeouts.

HEAVENLY HITTING

Trout, now hitting .317, led off the eighth with his seventh homer this season. After Cron's double, Johnny Giovatella added a two-run single to give the Angels a three-run lead.

The rally got Hector Santiago off the hook for the loss after the starter gave up three runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. He's glad Trout is on his team.

"He was hitting .200 ... Then we looked up yesterday and he's hitting .313 and we were like, `What is going on here?" Santiago said. "He's locked in, man."

HERNAN'S HITS

Perez, who was called up from Triple-A Colorado Springs last week, hit a solo homer in the second and finished 2 for 4. He's hitting .385, and Counsell indicated that Perez could continue to get opportunities against left-handed pitching.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Angels: It's uncertain whether Garrett Richards will make his next scheduled start on Friday after the right-hander worked just four innings in his previous appearance on Sunday because of dehydration and cramping. Manager Mike Scioscia said Richards would most likely skip his bullpen session and just throw on flat ground to monitor his progress.

Brewers: RF Domingo Santana did not start because of right shoulder tightness. It was the second time in three games that Santana was a late scratch because of the injury. Alex Presley replaced Santana in right, with shortstop Jonathan Villar moving into the leadoff spot.

UP NEXT:

May 5, 2016 Page 20 of 20

Angels: The team gets an off day on Thursday before returning home to start a three-game series with Tampa. Scioscia said he's a contingency plan in case Richards (1-3) cannot make the start.

Brewers: RHP Chase Anderson (1-3) is 2-0 with an 0.44 ERA in three career starts against Cincinnati, where the Brewers begin a four-game series on Thursday.