The Los Angeles Angels have three pitchers in minor-league assignments: Ben Joyce, Kirby Yates and Alek Manoah.
The Los Angeles Angels have multiple pitchers returning from a variety of rehab assignments, and they were all back in Anaheim last night to provide updates on their progress. Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com delivered the news, so let’s’ start with reliever Ben Joyce, who’s easily the most important of the three he covered.
Joyce pitched a scoreless inning with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga that came with a strikeout and a walk. His velocity “hovered” around 100-101 mph, according to Bollinger, which is Mason Miller country, and he was pleased with the way he felt afterward.
He’ll need to make a few more rehab appearances, with at least one scheduled to happen at Triple-A Salt Lake, but hopefully he can stay healthy.
"It was exciting,” Joyce said. “It’s been a long time coming. Been waiting for that for almost a year. So it was fun to get out there and compete and get in that game setting. I think it was a good step for sure.”
Yates, meanwhile, is the Angels’ latest wing-and-a-prayer candidate to be the team’s closer, but he’s still trying to get his legs under him and return to his playing weight after losing some pounds after knee surgery. That makes him another “on the horizon” candidate, and the Angels have certainly had plenty of those this season so far.
“I think overall there’s obviously some work to be done, but don’t think it’s like we’re in a crazy spot where I can’t do it or can’t go out there and get outs,” Yates said. “I think my legs are starting to finally get under me and I can kind of feel it. The more stuff I do, the better it feels when I go and throw a baseball.”
The Angels probably won’t risk throwing Yates to the wolves before he’s ready, although you never know with this team. Manoah is the lone starter among the three, and he’s back up to 90 pitches facing live hitters several times after he struggled in spring training due to a fingernail issue.
"I'm great,” Manoah said. “I’ve just been healing the finger and getting ready to come help this team. Just trying to build everything up and get everything in place and do everything I can to keep in touch with the guys and do everything I can to come help this team.”
The Angels probably aren’t expecting much from Manoah after his struggles in the last few years, but Joyce and Yates would both be big additions if they can return and pitch well. That’s a long shot with the Angels right now, but it would be especially fun to see Joyce in a real game in Anaheim.