OC Register: Blake Wood, Parker Bridwell added to list of Angels’ injured pitchers

[AngelsWin.com]

HOUSTON — The Angels overworked bullpen finally lost someone, and another member of the starter depth chart is now out too.

Blake Wood, who had pitched in 13 of the Angels’ first 21 games, was placed on the disabled list on Monday with an elbow impingement.

Meanwhile, Parker Bridwell was placed on the Triple-A disabled list with elbow inflammation.

Bridwell on Monday underwent an MRI and an exam in Southern California, General Manager Billy Eppler said in a statement. The tests revealed no structural damage. Eppler said Bridwell will be able to resume throwing as soon as the symptoms subside.

The Angels began the season with nine pitchers they were comfortable starting in a major league game, but three of them are now on the disabled list in the majors or minors.

JC Ramírez, who had Tommy John surgery, is out for the season. The other is Matt Shoemaker, who is making progress in his recovery from a strained forearm. He began his throwing program on Monday, Manager Mike Scioscia said.

Even when the starters have been healthy enough to pitch, they have been unable to get deep enough into games to keep the bullpen from being overworked.

Scioscia said Wood felt something while warming up in the bullpen on Sunday.

“He was throwing yesterday and trying to get loose and he felt a little tightness in his tricep back there,” Scioscia said. “We want to make sure we take care of this. With the 10-day DL, we can nurse it back and make sure he’s 100 percent.”

Scioscia said he believes Wood will only need 10 days.

Wood had been one of the bullpen’s best performers early in the season. He did not allow a run in his first nine innings. Last week he pitched three times in four days, from Wednesday to Saturday, and he allowed a run in each game.

Because Wood was placed on the disabled list, the Angels could bring back Eduardo Paredes before he had been optioned for 10 days. Paredes was just sent down on Sunday to make room for starter Jaime Barría.

Barría was then sent back down after he pitched on Sunday, because the Angels have two upcoming off days and needed another reliever more than a starter.

That created an opening for Justin Anderson to be called up for his major league debut.

Anderson, 25, started the season in Double-A, but has already earned two promotions. He had not allowed a run in 8-2/3 innings so far in the minors.

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Anderson has made enough of an impression throughout the organization that the Angels brought him up from minor league camp to pitch in six exhibition games. He didn’t allow a run in seven innings.

“We’ve seen him for a number of years,” Scioscia said. “The reason he’s here is not so much us seeing him, but the adjustments he’s made, using the experience to improve. Right now he’s made some big strides, from spring training to now.”

Anderson said he “broke down” when he got the news of his promotion on Sunday. A little later, he got a second piece of good news, when he learned the Angels were going to his hometown, of Houston. Anderson, who went to high school in Houston and college at Texas-San Antonio, said he expected about 50 friends and family members at the game.

“So far it’s been pretty crazy,” he said. “My phone is blowing up.”

SIMMONS OUT

Andrelton Simmons, who was hit on the forearm by a pitch on Sunday, was not in the lineup on Monday, but Scioscia said he anticipated Simmons playing on Tuesday.

“He was really stiff when he was trying to throw yesterday, when it happened,” Scioscia said. “He’s a lot better today, but we want to give him the extra day to make sure it’s behind him.”

UP NEXT

Angels (Shohei Ohtani, 2-1, 3.60) at Astros (Charlie Morton, 3-0, 0.72), Tuesday, 5 p.m., Fox Sports West, KLAA (830 AM)

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