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OC Register: Joe Maddon remains confident in Dexter Fowler, but the Angels have plenty of options


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ANAHEIM — After a month of spring training games and three regular season games, Dexter Fowler is still searching.

Ever optimistic Joe Maddon, who managed Fowler with the Chicago Cubs, still believes he will find it, though.

“It looks like he’s getting better every day,” Maddon said before Sunday’s game. “I’ve seen it a lot. I know what he looks like. Conversationally, I know where he’s at. This guy could have a tough time like you’re seeing, but all of the sudden he gets hot. He gets real hot. And those balls that he’s fouling off or missing become line drives or home runs. He looks strong. He looks on time. He’s just off a click.”

Fowler was 1 for 10 before Sunday’s game, which he started on the bench. His one hit was from the right side of the plate, which Maddon said is his better side.

The slow start follows a spring training in which Fowler was 9 for 43 (.209). And that followed a season in which he hit .233 with a .706 OPS for the St. Louis Cardinals, who had little playing time for him in 2021 so they shipped him to the Angels to give him an opportunity.

Fowler, 35, was at his best with the Cubs in 2016. That season he was an All-Star and he helped the Cubs win the World Series. Maddon said he often told Fowler “You go, we go.”

While the Angels wait to see if Fowler can rediscover some of that productivity, they have some other options.

Juan Lagares got the start on Sunday night. Lagares had a great winter playing in the Dominican Republic and then he he was 15 for 41 (.366) for the Angels in the spring.

That’s why Maddon didn’t want to wait too long to get him into a regular season game.

“Lagares had such a good camp, I don’t want him to lose that,” Maddon said. “The more you sit him out, the more there is the threat that he will lose that feel he had going and i don’t want that. I like this guy a lot.”

The Angels also could put Jared Walsh in right field, at least for a spot start.

“He and I spoke during spring training and he’s very comfortable out there,” Maddon said of Walsh.

Down at the alternate site, the Angels have Taylor Ward and Scott Schebler, who were very good in the spring.

And ultimately the position will likely be manned by Jo Adell, the former top prospect who has been working to iron out some issues at the plate and in the field.

OHTANI IN THE OUTFIELD?

Having Shohei Ohtani in the lineup to hit on the days that he’s pitching opens the door for some interesting strategic scenarios.

One possibility is that Ohtani would be done pitching, but the Angels want to keep him in the game to get his next at-bat. In that case, they could take Ohtani from the mound and put him in the outfield, perhaps only for the rest of an inning.

“That’s something that absolutely is possible,” Maddon said, “but we’re not ready to do that yet.”

Last year when Ohtani was not pitching he began taking some fly balls and ground balls at first. At the time, Maddon said it was just to keep him engaged so he was doing more than simply taking batting practice.

However, it left an impression on Maddon.

“I don’t know if you saw him run down balls last year in right field in batting practice, but it’s actually pretty special,” Maddon said. “The guy’s just that good of an athlete.”

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