A rough season in Anaheim appears headed towards an appropriately bleak conclusion. On Saturday, the Los Angeles Angels placed outfielders Kevin Pillar and Jo Adell on the injured list. Pillar will miss time due to a left thumb sprain, while a left oblique strain will sideline Adell.
Outfielder Jordyn Adams will be recalled, taking one of their places on the active roster. Additionally, the Angels will select the contract of outfielder Bryce Teodosio and make room on the 40-man roster by moving pitcher Jose Soriano to the 60-day injured list.
Angels Place Kevin Pillar And Jo Adell On Injured List
Kevin Pillar Out With A Thumb Sprain
Pillar suffered his injury while diving in an attempt to make a catch. While no timetable for his return has been announced, the injury doesn’t appear too serious. Though time is running out on the season, which Pillar announced would be his last, the veteran will miss close to the 10-day minimum.
Kevin Pillar, who’s retiring after this season, laid out like this for a team who’s playoff chances have been dead in the water since April
Man the angels did this guy so wrong by not trading him to a contender pic.twitter.com/2vN7ttgZDG
— Jake (@D1SCHER) August 4, 2024
The Angels will place the 35-year-old on the injured list after he hit just .198 in the second half, including going hitless in his previous 23 plate appearances. However, his recent struggles should not erase his contributions to the Angels this year. In the first half, Pillar hit .268/.331/.463 (122 wRC+) and has mashed left-handers all year long. He’s also managed to steal ten bases, play solid defense, and offer veteran leadership in a young clubhouse.
Jo Adell Out With An Oblique Strain
Adell, a former top prospect, has struggled in his first season with extended playing time. Unfortunately, the 25-year-old has hit .207/.280/.402 (89 wRC+) with a strikeout rate of over 27 percent. He has slugged 20 homers while producing great hard-hit rates and bat speed this year.
Jo Adell's second tank of the night is his 20th of the season 💥 pic.twitter.com/xQKNp8bYYo
— MLB (@MLB) September 1, 2024
For Adell to reach his potential, he must improve his approach at the plate. Being just a little more selective will lead him to swing at more hittable pitches and allow him to access more of his power. He did this well during his hot start to the season. Unfortunately, he reverted to bad habits as the year progressed.
Angels Move Jose Soriano To The 60-Day Injured List
Unfortunately for Soriano, Saturday’s roster moves will officially end his breakout season. The 25-year-old tossed 113 innings and posted a 3.42 ERA this year, his first as a starting pitcher. He exceeded at limiting barrels and was among the best in the league in generating ground balls. Plus, he ranked in the 98th percentile with an average fastball velocity of 98 mph.
Jose Soriano might throw the easiest 101 mph you’ve ever seen
But how “easy” is it exactly?
Let’s take a look:
(THREAD) pic.twitter.com/TA3vXYa4YI
— Jack Barry (@johnb_sp) July 19, 2024
This represented a significant increase in workload compared to last season. In 2023, Soriano tossed 42 innings across 38 relief appearances. Perhaps to no surprise, the Angels placed Soriano on the injured list in August due to arm fatigue. Sam Blum of The Athletic reports that his 60-day injured list placement does not mean he suffered a setback. The right-hander should be ready for Spring Training.
Main Photo Credits: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
