OC Register: Angels’ Albert Pujols likely done for season after knee surgery

[AngelsWin.com]

HOUSTON — Albert Pujols, who played more than twice as many games at first base this season as in the previous two years combined, will miss the final month of the season after undergoing knee surgery.

The Angels announced on Wednesday that Pujols underwent a left knee debridement earlier in the day, with a timetable for recovery of six to eight weeks.

Pujols was on the disabled list for 10 days in July with left knee inflammation. At the time, the Angels characterized it as a “recharge” for his knee. Part of the time he missed was during games without the designated hitter, at Dodger Stadium, and part was during the All-Star break, so there seemed to be a strategic element to the timing of the DL stint.

There had been no indication of Pujols having any trouble with his knee since then.

Pujols, 38, has played 70 games at first base this season, after playing 34 games in the field in the past two seasons. The Angels had him play more in the field to accommodate Shohei Ohtani, who is the designated hitter when he is in the lineup.

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Part of the plan when the Angels signed Ohtani was that Pujols would be able to play first base more often because the winter of 2017-18 was the first since 2014-15 that he hadn’t undergone any kind of surgery.

Pujols had had a steady stream of lower body issues ever since he signed a 10-year, $240 million deal with the Angels prior to the 2012 season.

After the 2012 season, he had minor surgery on his right knee. He tore the plantar fascia in his left foot in July 2013, missing the rest of that season. After the 2015 season, he had surgery on the arch of his right foot. Following the 2016 season, he had surgery to repair his right plantar fascia.

Pujols made it through the 2017 season without any new injuries, and he arrived in camp for spring training this year having lost weight because of a healthy offseason.

Despite the improved health and ability to play in the field, Pujols performed at the plate roughly the same as he had in 2017. He hit .245 with 19 homers and a .700 OPS this season. Pujols is 18 RBI away from 2,000, a milestone which will now have to wait until next season.

Without Pujols, the Angels are now free to have Ohtani as the designated hitter every day. Ohtani had been playing only against right-handers, which was partly because he’s struggled against left-handed pitchers. It was no doubt also because Pujols needed a break from playing first every day, and if he was the DH, Ohtani couldn’t be in the lineup.

The only other first baseman currently on the roster is Jefry Marte, although José Fernandez is expected to be recalled to also play first.

The Angels also have prospect Matt Thaiss at Triple-A. Thaiss, the Angels’ first-round pick in 2016, is hitting .280 with a .795 OPS and 10 homers 80 games at Triple-A this season. He began the year at Double-A.

More to come on this story.

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