OC Register: Angels’ Jared Walsh hoping better health, ban on shifts leads to better production in 2023

[AngelsWin.com]

ANAHEIM — Much of the hope for a bounce-back season for Jared Walsh hinges on the success of the surgery he just underwent.

But a rule change that became official a week after Walsh’s surgery certainly won’t hurt either.

The left-handed hitting Walsh has faced a defensive shift more than any other Angels hitter besides Shohei Ohtani, but next season teams will have to keep two infielders on each side of second base.

“I think it could help every hitter in baseball, in theory,” Walsh said. “But, we all know, with as advanced as the analytics are now, it would be in your best interest to get the ball in the air. I’m sure I’ll get a few more hits because of it. But for me, I’m usually trying to hit a line drive anyways.”

Walsh hit .277 with an .850 OPS in 2021, but this season those numbers dropped to .215 and .642.

He pulled 31.2% of his batted balls last season, and that increased to 36.1% in 2022. That could account for some hits lost to the shift. Also, his strikeout rate has increased from 26.0% to 30.4%, which obviously hurt his production.

The shift aside, the Angels are most likely hoping that Walsh can be better simply by being healthy. He said thoracic outlet syndrome is something he has battled throughout his career, and it was more of an issue in the weeks leading up to the diagnosis in August.

Walsh said doctors removed a rib and some muscle, and he can already feel a difference.

“I’ve been moving around good,” he said. “I feel like I have good range of motion and everything. I’m happy with it.”

Walsh said he’s expecting to be able to start hitting around late November, which is when he would have started anyway.

Walsh was honored before Friday’s game as the Angels’ nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, which recognizes players for their community service. Walsh said the nomination was significant for him because both of his parents are from Pittsburgh, so Clemente was “the entire family’s favorite player.”

NO NEWS FOR NEVIN

Phil Nevin said there have been no discussions with the front office about his status for next season.

Nevin was named interim manager after Joe Maddon was fired in June. The Angels were 34-53 under Nevin heading into Friday’s game.

There has been some speculation that, despite the team’s poor performance, the Angels might keep Nevin for one more year because of the uncertainty surrounding the ownership situation.

BREAK FOR DAVIDSON

Left-hander Tucker Davidson would have started this weekend against the Seattle Mariners, but the Angels decided to give him some extra time to work on the side.

“There’s a mechanical thing that we’re trying to start to work on,” Nevin said. “I’ll just leave it at that. It has nothing to do with an injury or anything like that.”

Nevin said Davidson would be pushed back “a few days,” but they aren’t certain which day he will start.

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Davidson has a 6.96 ERA this season, including a 7.24 ERA in six starts with the Angels. He has walked 5.6 hitters per nine innings with the Angels, which is actually better than his 7.6 per nine with the Braves.

NOTES

Infielder David Fletcher was sent for a CT scan before Friday’s game because his sore right hand had not improved enough for him to swing normally. He was pushed into the Angels’ lineup on Tuesday and Wednesday because of shortstop Andrew Velazquez’s injury, but he was only able to bunt. …

Pitchers Ivan Armstrong, Kelvin Caceres, Jack Kochanowicz and Connor Van Scoyoc, infielders Werner Blakely and Kyren Paris and outfielder Bryce Teodosio were named as the Angels’ prospects to play in the Arizona Fall League. They will play for the Scottsdale Scorpions.

UP NEXT

Angels (RHP Shohei Ohtani, 12-8, 2.55) vs. Mariners (RHP George Kirby, 7-3, 2.98), Saturday, 6:07 p.m., Bally Sports West, 830 AM

View the full article

[BTH]

5 hours ago, AngelsWin.com said:

There has been some speculation that, despite the team’s poor performance, the Angels might keep Nevin for one more year because of the uncertainty surrounding the ownership situation.

Is the “speculation” that is being referenced from the same reporter who said Anaheim “isn’t really even a city”

[Angel Oracle]

That article is why I’m saying to not judge Walsh on 2 months (as bad as he was).

For a two year span (July 2020 - June 2022), he was a very good offensive contributor with a strong defensive presence at 1B, and still has some 3 years club control.

The main thing is that he could use some days off vs tougher LHPs.

[AngelsLakersFan]

1 hour ago, Angel Oracle said:

That article is why I’m saying to not judge Walsh on 2 months (as bad as he was).

For a two year span (July 2020 - June 2022), he was a very good offensive contributor with a strong defensive presence at 1B, and still has some 3 years club control.

The main thing is that he could use some days off vs tougher LHPs.

Between Walsh and Rendon at 1st and 3rd, the team cant run out a roster that expects them to play most days. Of course all off season we'll hear about getting that big bat back, and Walsh being healthy again as the reason the team didn't need to sign someone, which will obviously sink the 2023 team by mid season. Of course then we'll hear all about how unlucky the team is.

[Jason]

Maybe if he didn’t always hit into the shifts then that wouldn’t be an issue 

[Angel Oracle]

38 minutes ago, Jason said:

Maybe if he didn’t always hit into the shifts then that wouldn’t be an issue 

Won’t be an issue going forward.