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THE GAME: The Angels misplayed several balls and made two errors on their way to a 15-5 loss to the Texas Rangers on Monday afternoon in Tempe, Ariz. “It was very sloppy,” Manager Ron Washington. “When you go to spring training, a couple of those show up. So far that’s the only one we’ve had. Other than that we were always in the ballgame.”

PITCHING REPORT: Left-hander Patrick Sandoval recorded just seven outs over parts of four innings, re-entering the game in the fourth after getting knocked out in the third. Sandoval issued four walks, gave up five hits and was charged with seven runs. Only four runs were earned. The Angels made one error behind him, but they also failed to make other plays that were ruled hits. “It seemed like he was just having a little problem trying to find a pitch he could go to,” Washington said. “He started off trying to get his fastball. It was scattered. He threw a couple of good changeups and then he lost a feel for that. And his sweeper and his breaking ball, he just couldn’t land anything with any consistency that when he got into trouble he could go to.” … Right-hander Guillo Zuñiga gave up five runs while recording just one out. Zuñiga had allowed only one earned run in his first 5⅔ innings, moving himself into strong contention for a spot in the Opening Day bullpen. … Left-hander Matt Moore pitched a scoreless inning, striking out two. … Right-hander Ben Joyce gave up two runs on two hits and a walk in one inning. He struck out two. Joyce, who is also competing for a bullpen spot, was coming off two straight scoreless outings.

HITTING REPORT: Anthony Rendon and Brandon Drury had back-to-back two-out doubles in the third inning, producing two runs. Drury was then thrown out at the plate trying to score on a Luis Rengifo single. … Rendon walked in his other two trips to the plate. He played two straight games after missing a week with a groin injury. “He had three quality at-bats,” Washington said. “It’s coming.” … Rengifo had two hits, improving to 4 for 14 this spring. He had missed the first week and a half of spring training games because of a hamstring issue. … Jo Adell singled into left, and then took second when the ball was misplayed. He stole third – even though traditional baseball strategy is not to attempt to steal third with two outs – and scored when the catcher’s throw went into left field. … Jake Marisnick hit his team-leading third home run of the spring. Marisnick is 10 for 25 this spring.

DEFENSE REPORT: Shortstop Zach Neto made a backhand stop and a throw on the run to get an out at first. Neto also failed to catch a pop-up in foul territory after a long run. He also slipped after taking a throw at second, leaving him unable to complete the double play. … Catcher Logan O’Hoppe threw out a runner trying to steal second. … Drury, the second baseman, misplayed what would been a routine inning-ending double play. … Jo Adell couldn’t catch a fly ball at the warning track in left field. It went for a two-run double. … First baseman Nolan Schanuel hesitated when flipping a ball to Sandoval covering first base, resulting in an infield hit.

UP NEXT: Angels (LHP Reid Detmers) at Royals (RHP Daniel Lynch) at Surprise Stadium, Wednesday, 1:05 p.m. PT, Bally Sports West, 830 AM

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TEMPE, Ariz. — Some philosophies of pitching are so obvious that it’s easy to take them for granted.

The Angels are trying to change that.

One of the major points of emphasis for Angels pitchers this spring has been the most fundamental skill, something that every kid is told the first time he steps on a mound.

Throw the ball over the plate.

“It sounds like Baseball 101,” Angels first-year pitching coach Barry Enright said. “Even in our messaging early on, I said this is Little League baseball, something we were taught throughout our entire lives. It’s just kind of more of a reminder. We want to make it a staple.”

Veteran left-hander Tyler Anderson concedes that there’s nothing revolutionary about pitchers throwing strikes. The difference?

“Now we’re talking about it,” Anderson said.

Adds left-hander Patrick Sandoval: “I think it’s just something that gets forgotten. It’s so obvious: you want to throw strikes. Sometimes you forget to talk about it. You talk about your delivery or pitch sequencing or whatever it may be. I think it’s just having the constant reminder, kind of a mantra: Let’s get strike one.”

The idea was borne out of Enright’s preparation for his interview for this job. He was studying the data from the 2023 Angels pitching staff to figure out what went wrong.

He saw that the Angels were fifth in the majors in whiff percentage, which indicated the pitchers had plenty of raw stuff to get the job done.

The problems were too many of those whiffs were coming when the pitchers were behind in the count, so they still weren’t finishing off hitters. They still had more pitches to throw, and eventually they would give up a hit.

Even worse, they’d issue a walk.

Angels pitchers were 28th in the majors in walks per nine innings. They were 22nd in first-pitch strikes. They were 20th in pitches per plate appearance.

All of that leads to bad outcomes. The more pitches a pitcher throws, the sooner he has to come out of the game. More relievers have to pitch more often, which ultimately makes them less effective.

Manager Ron Washington, who also trusts himself to make his players better defensively, is all about getting the ball in play as quickly as possible.

“I want to get to two strikes quick and then make something happen, and not getting into 3-2 counts,” Washington said.

The way the Angels are going about all of this is by discussing it every day. They also post a chart on the clubhouse wall showing the percentage of strikes each pitcher throws on the first pitch and on a 1-1 count.

“Your average hitter, if it’s 2-1, is an All-Star,” Anderson said. “And he’s probably not in the league with his average on 1-2.”

Last year, major league hitters had a .619 OPS after 0-1, and an .826 OPS after 1-0. It was .503 after 1-2, and .793 after 2-1.

“Your thoughts tend to be what you listen to and what you read, so what we’re trying to do is just have our thoughts be a little bit more on those fundamentals of pitching,” left-hander Matt Moore said. “It’s early, just a couple weeks we’ve been working on it, but we’re trying to keep it at the forefront of our minds so that’s who we are.”

Through the first 18 games, the Angels rank 11th in the majors with a 4.22 ERA, and fourth among the 15 teams that train in the more hitter-friendly Cactus League. They are fifth in the majors in walks per nine innings.

“There’s definitely a big emphasis on it,” left-hander Reid Detmers said. “First day camp we had a meeting about throwing strikes. Not walking guys. And being around the zone. So every bullpen you are working on filling up the zone. And I think it’s translating for most for the most part. A lot of guys are pitching really well. Not a whole lot of walks.”

Detmers said in particular the focus has shifted away from the actual characteristics of the pitch — the velocity or the break — and more on getting it in the strike zone.

“It’s just throwing what you have over the plate, and not trying to throw the nastiest pitch every time,” Detmers said. “That’s really it.”

Enright said Angels pitchers are not going to expand the zone so much with two strikes, in an effort to get the strikeout, that they end up throwing non-competitive pitches and working the count full.

On Sunday, right-hander Chase Silseth had only two strikeouts in four innings and he was “pouting,” Enright said, calling himself “just a contact pitcher now.”

Enright pointed out that he’d instead been efficiently getting outs. He did it so well that he had to go down to the bullpen after his four innings because he hadn’t reached his scheduled pitch count in getting those 12 outs.

“Your strikeouts will come,” Enright told him. “You’ve got plenty of stuff. You’re getting weak contact. You get four innings on 46 pitches, and all of the sudden you’re getting into the seventh and eighth inning. Five and dive is out of here.”

NOTES

Although right-handers José Soriano and Andrew Wantz are still being stretched out as starters, and doing so in big league exhibition games, Washington said they aren’t currently candidates to open the season in the big league rotation, unless there is an injury among the top five. The starters will be Sandoval, Detmers, Anderson, Silseth and right-hander Griffin Canning. The order is still to be determined, including who will start on opening day, Washington said. …

The Angels sent down outfielders Jordyn Adams and Jason Martin, infielder Kyren Paris and right-handers Caden Dana and Victor Mederos. …

Right-hander Robert Stephenson (shoulder) said he is feeling “pretty good” and “moving in the right direction.” Stephenson said he’s expecting to throw another bullpen session later this week. He isn’t sure how soon he’ll be able to pitch in an exhibition game, but it’s “definitely possible” that he’ll get enough innings in the spring to be ready for opening day. “I’m not exactly sure of the timetable at the moment, but that’s the plan, to be ready for opening day,” Stephenson said. …

Outfielder Aaron Hicks was a late scratch from Monday’s lineup because of what the Angels called “body soreness.” Willie Calhoun instead started in right field.

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THE GAME: The Angels scored five runs in the sixth inning to overcome a four-run deficit, beating the Padres, 5-4, on Sunday in Tempe, Ariz.

PITCHING REPORT: Right-hander Chase Silseth gave up one run in four innings, making him the first Angels pitcher this spring to finish four innings. He allowed a run without a hit in the first inning, when he walked a batter and hit a batter. “Rough couple batters there in the first,” Silseth said. “I settled in, started throwing it through the zone. … Got that little feel and took it for the rest of the ballgame.” After that he retired nine out of 10 hitters, giving up one hit. Silseth, who had been scheduled for 55 pitches, was so efficient he had to throw another 15 in the bullpen after finishing in the game. Silseth, however, again saw his velocity drop slightly during his outing, from 96 mph in the first inning to 93 mph in the fourth. Silseth has allowed one run in 8-1/3 innings this spring. … Right-hander Victor Mederos, who hadn’t allowed a run in his first six innings this spring, gave up three runs in 2-2/3 innings. He worked a scoreless fifth. He gave up three in the sixth, getting pulled with two outs. He re-entered for the seventh and added a perfect inning. … Luis Garcia, who recorded the final out of the sixth inning, ended up getting credit for the victory. … Closer Carlos Estévez worked a perfect ninth to pick up the save. It was the first time this spring that Estévez had been used in a save situation.

HITTING REPORT: Brandon Drury hit his first homer of the spring, a two-run shot that capped a five-run sixth inning to give the Angels their first lead of the game. The Angels had a single, double, triple and homer in the inning. … Mike Trout started the inning with a bloop triple. The ball was a popup that dropped just beyond the reach of the diving right fielder. Trout, who struck out in his other two trips, is 6 for 29 (.207) this spring. … Aaron Hicks yanked a two-run double into right field. Livan Soto scored from first on the play, sliding just under the tag. … Earlier in the game, Luis Rengifo lined a single into center field and he doubled. They were his first two hits of the spring. Rengifo, who is now 2 for 11, got a late start because of a hamstring issue. … Anthony Rendon grounded out twice in his first game after missing a week because of groin tightness.

UP NEXT: Angels (LHP Patrick Sandoval) vs. Rangers (RHP Nathan Eovaldi) at Tempe Diablo Stadium, Monday, 1:10 p.m. PT, Bally Sports West, 830 AM.

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TEMPE, Ariz. — Jake Marisnick is in a familiar position.

The outfielder has more than nine years of major league service time, but this is the third straight season in which he’s been in spring training on a minor-league deal, fighting for a job.

The last two times — with the Texas Rangers in 2022 and the Chicago White Sox in 2023 — he didn’t make it. Even though he started in the minors, he clawed his way back to the majors, adding new teams to his collection.

Marisnick, 32, has been a part of 13 organizations, including the Angels, and he’s been in the majors with nine teams. Last season he hit .225 with a .662 OPS in 42 games, split between the White Sox, Detroit Tigers and Dodgers.

His frequent uniform changes are likely why he doesn’t seem to be thinking too much about the fact that there’s no clear way for him to make the Angels roster, despite hitting .409 with two homers through his first 22 at-bats this spring.

“At the end of the day, you don’t focus on (the roster),” Marisnick said. “You focus on fine-tuning your game, getting ready for the season. You can’t look over your shoulder. You look forward. You just stay in the moment.”

Marisnick said he’s been working in particular on bunting for hits and stealing bases. He’s reached on one bunt single and he has five stolen bases this spring.

“He’s been doing a great job,” manager Ron Washington said. “He’s hitting some bombs and running the bases, playing some defense. He’s been doing exactly what he needs to do. His spring training has been impressive.”

The Angels, though, have a crowded outfield situation at the moment. Center fielder Mike Trout and left fielder Taylor Ward seem to be set for everyday jobs. The Angels have Mickey Moniak, Jo Adell and Aaron Hicks to fight for the remaining playing time. Moniak and Adell are both out of options, and all three players are currently on the 40-man roster, while Marisnick would need to be added.

Marisnick will have the option of electing free agency if the Angels haven’t added him to the roster by March 24, which is five days before opening day. Marisnick, a native of Riverside, could also opt to stick around and bide his time at Triple-A Salt Lake to see if a later opportunity arises with the Angels.

“I’m just looking to get myself ready for a full season,” Marisnick said. “You can’t control any decisions that are made. I can just go out and play and try to improve my game.”

ZUÑIGA IMPRESSES

Right-hander Guillo Zuñiga has put himself squarely in the competition for a spot on the opening day roster with his showing so far this spring.

Zuñiga has allowed one earned run in 5-2/3 innings, but more significantly he’s got eight strikeouts with no walks. He’s scheduled to pitch again on Monday.

The Angels picked up Zuñiga in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals, for cash considerations. Zuñiga, 24, pitched in just two games with the Cardinals last season. In Triple-A, though, he had a 7.63 ERA, with 20 walks in 30-2/3 innings.

“He’s been doing a good job of coming in and pounding the strike zone,” Washington said. “He’s been impressive. Just like the majority of our pitchers have been impressive. It’s not going to be an easy choice when we get down to the end, but at least we have choices.”

The Angels seemingly have five of the eight bullpen spots settled, barring further injuries, with closer Carlos Estévez, left-hander Matt Moore and right-handers Luis Garcia, Adam Cimber and José Cisnero. Right-hander Robert Stephenson, who has been slowed this spring by a shoulder injury, will be in the bullpen as long as he can get enough innings in the spring to be ready. Left-hander José Suarez, who is out of options, would seem to be a lock for the long relief spot.

Right-hander José Soriano, who was seemingly a lock for the bullpen, is now working as a starter. Right-hander Andrew Wantz is also starting now.

That leaves right-handers Ben Joyce, Hunter Strickland, Zuñiga and left-hander Drew Pomeranz as the most likely candidates for the final spot. Strickland and Pomeranz are not on the 40-man roster.

NOTES

Third baseman Anthony Rendon (groin) returned to the lineup on Sunday after missing a week. Washington said Rendon will DH on Monday. The team has a scheduled off day on Tuesday. Rendon will then play third Wednesday, DH on Thursday and return to third on Friday, Washington said. …

Right-hander Caden Dana, the Angels’ top pitching prospect, is scheduled to start the Angels spring breakout game next Saturday. The seven-inning game matches some of the top prospects from the Angels and Dodgers. All 30 teams will play similar prospect games over the weekend.

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THE GAME: Nolan Schanuel and Jake Marisnick homered in the Angels’ 5-4 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday afternoon in Goodyear, Ariz.

PITCHING REPORT: Left-hander Tyler Anderson worked 3 1/3 scoreless innings. He gave up four hits and no walks while throwing 40 strikes among his 55 pitches. “He was outstanding,” Angels manager Ron Washington said. “He pounded the zone with everything. He even broke out his slider. He was in attack mode. He got it done.”… Right-hander José Cisnero followed Anderson and retired both hitters he faced. Cisnero, who arrived in camp late because of a visa issue, has not allowed a run in 2 2/3 innings this spring… Left-hander José Suarez worked 2 2/3 scoreless innings, striking out three and walking none. Suarez, who seems to be ticketed for a long relief spot, has not allowed a run in 4 2/3 innings this spring, with five strikeouts and no walks… Right-hander Caden Dana, the Angels’ top pitching prospect, gave up four runs on four hits and a walk in two innings. All of the runs were in his first inning, and then he responded with a clean second, finishing the game. Dana had not allowed a run in his first four innings.

HITTING REPORT: Nolan Schanuel hit his first homer of the spring, a towering blast that easily cleared the fence in right field. “I’ve been waiting,” Schanuel said. “I’ve been training all offseason to kind of unlock that power and came in to spring just trying to pick and choose when to do it. Don’t want to overdo myself trying to do it every at-bat when it’s not necessary, when my job is to get on base with the guys behind me. To be able to kind feel one go out like that was awesome.”… Jake Marisnick hit a two-run homer, his second of the spring, among his three hits. Marisnick is 9 for 22 (.409) this spring. The Angels must decide by Mar. 24 – five days before opening day – if they want to have Marisnick in the majors, otherwise he can become a free agent… Matt Thaiss drew two walks and stole his first base of the spring. Thaiss then scored on a Marisnick single…… Mike Trout was hitless in three trips to the plate, with a walk.

DEFENSE REPORT: Third baseman Luis Rengifo misplayed a ground ball, but shortstop Zach Neto was backing him up and fielded the ball. Neto then threw to Rengifo to retire the runner, who was trying to go from first base… Neto made a bad throw after stepping on second to start what should have been a routine double play… Second baseman Kyren Paris made a nice play on a ball in the hole, recording the final out of the eighth inning and preserving a one-run lead.

UP NEXT: Angels (RHP Chase Silseth) vs. Padres (RHP Jhony Brito), 1:10 p.m. PT Sunday, at Tempe Diablo Stadium, Bally Sports West, 830 AM.

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TEMPE, Ariz. — Ehire Adrianza was a 30-year-old who had played professional baseball for more than 14 years, including parts of eight years in the majors, when he first worked with Ron Washington with the Atlanta Braves in 2021.

It was then that Washington had Adrianza do something he’d never done: He put Adrianza on his knees and had him field baseballs on a hop, one after the other in quick succession.

“It felt weird, to be honest,” said Adrianza, now a non-roster invitee in Angels camp. “It was the first time I had done it. Now, I can’t go out to the field without doing my drills. If I don’t do it, I feel kind of naked.”

Washington proudly refers to himself as baseball’s best infield instructor, and the defining image of the Angels’ first-year manager’s work is a series of drills that he created more than three decades ago.

The “Washington Drills” – he hasn’t come up with a better name for them – are unmistakably his.

“It’s my idea,” Washington said with a smile. “Let’s get that out of the way first.”

Although they’ve been refined over the years, the drills involve a four-minute sequence that starts with the player on his knees. A coach – Washington himself or else infield coach Ryan Goins – first tosses a ball underhand to the player. They do balls right in front, then on the glove side, then on the backhand side. It progresses to using a fungo bat.

The idea is to isolate the most important part of fielding a ground ball.

“The only thing the infielder should be concerned with is the last hop,” Washington said. “The last hop is what he catches.”

The player then gets on his feet and does the same thing, but with a “pancake” glove. The flat padded glove doesn’t have fingers and doesn’t close, which forces the player to use his hands with precision in order to keep control of the ball.

Eventually, the player fields balls with his regular glove.

At no point is the player asked to move his feet more than a step or throw, which is a part of the point.

“In four minutes, you can get 97 ground balls and you’re not sweating,” Washington said. “You’re not breathing hard. But you took 97. If I go out there and hit you 97 ground balls in four minutes, see if you sweat or get exhausted. If you say you’re going to take 100 ground balls, 25 of them were probably proper. The other 75 were all kinds of ways. You weren’t in the proper technique. You weren’t doing things right. The way I do it, every time you pick up a ground ball, you are doing it correct. You are doing it correct.”

Washington wants players to catch the ball in the exact same way every time, just in the middle of the glove, where the palm meets the pocket. Too much in the palm and the ball can bounce away. Too much in the pocket and the fielder can’t feel it, or he has to search to get his hand on it to throw.

Also, having perfect hand position means that when the ball isn’t caught, it will drop right in front of him instead of bouncing away.

Angels veteran infielder Brandon Drury said he had done a version of those drills occasionally at other stops in his big-league journey, but never with the everyday frequency he’s done it under Washington.

“I always felt like I had good hands, but since I’ve been here I do notice some improvement with certain plays,” Drury said. “I’m looking forward to getting better.”

Shortstop Zach Neto, a 23-year-old who was drafted in 2022, said he had never done drills on his knees that way.

“It helps to make sure I’m catching the ball in the part of the glove I want to catch it,” Neto said. “It’s helped me out big time.”

First baseman Freddie Freeman started doing the drills when he was with the Braves, and he still does them every day with the Dodgers.

“In the beginning, Freddie wasn’t buying in, and then he started seeing the development of the kids around him,” Washington said. “Then Freddie bought it. Once he bought in, he understood exactly what we’re doing and he never missed a day again.”

Angels players also know this isn’t just something they’re doing during spring training. It’s going to be every day through the season.

“Everybody has a cage routine,” Goins said. “Everybody should have a defense routine. My goal is to have this infield be the best infield in the league. You aren’t going to do that with a day of work here and a day of work there… There’s the scientific, sport science of ‘don’t do too much.’ That ain’t who we are. You can have all the off days you want. We’re going to outwork you.”

Goins, who played for Washington with the Braves, said he had done drills focusing on his hands before.

“I just knew it made me feel good, but I didn’t know why,” Goins said. “I think Wash gave me the rhyme and reason for why what I was doing was good. He taught me the intricacies of it.”

In Washington’s seven years with the Braves, from 2017-23, they were tied for the major-league lead in infield fielding percentage. The Angels, by contrast, ranked 27th in the majors in infield fielding percentage last year. Their 59 errors among infielders were the fourth most in the majors.

Washington isn’t about to let that happen again.

“From Day One to right now, the third week, the improvement is tremendous,” Washington said. “You should have seen the (bad) habits we had on Day One. They are gone. You don’t even know who they are right now, compared to what they were on the first day.”

PLESAC DOWN

The Angels sent down right-hander Zach Plesac, who had given up four runs in 6 1/3 innings in three Cactus League games.

Plesac came into camp as a candidate for the rotation or perhaps a long relief spot. Now, he is likely to be a starter at Triple-A, which would put him in position to fill in when needed in the majors.

The Angels signed Plesac, 29, to a $1 million deal, taking a low-risk flier on getting him back to the form that made him one of the most promising young pitchers in the majors in 2019 and 2020.

RENDON UPDATE

Third baseman Anthony Rendon (groin) was set to go through a full workout for the third consecutive day Saturday.

“He did everything yesterday and came out well,” Washington said Saturday morning. “He’s going to go through it again today. And if everything goes well today, he’d probably be in there tomorrow.”

Rendon last played March 10.

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THE GAME: Miguel Sanó hit a three-run homer and minor leaguer Sam Brown drove in the winning run with a single in the bottom of the ninth inning, as the Angels beat the Colorado Rockies, 8-7, in a Cactus League game on Friday afternoon in Tempe, Ariz.

PITCHING REPORT: Right-hander José Soriano gave up three runs in three innings. After pitching a perfect first inning, Soriano gave up three runs on four hits in the second inning. He gave up three straight hits to start the inning, but he was one out away from escaping the jam with only one run scoring. He then gave up a two-run single to Brenton Doyle. He followed with a perfect third. “As well as he throws the ball, he’s not just going to keep throwing the ball past people in the big leagues,” Manager Ron Washington said. “You put the ball in the wrong spot, and they’ll get you. But I was impressed. He didn’t stop. He kept driving that ball toward home plate.” Soriano was a reliever in the majors last season, but the Angels are trying him this spring as a starter to add organizational rotation depth. … Right-hander Ben Joyce pitched a scoreless inning, working around a single and a walk. … Right-hander Zach Plesac gave up two runs in 2-1/3 innings, with four walks. Plesac has allowed four runs in 6-1/3 innings this spring. … Right-hander Guillo Zuñiga gave up two runs (one earned) in 1-2/3 innings. He had not allowed any runs in his first four games this spring.

HITTING REPORT: Sanó, a former slugger who is trying to return to the majors for the first time since 2022, had two hits, including a tie-breaking three-run homer in the fifth inning. It was Sanó’s second homer of the spring. He’s now 4 for 26 (.154). Sanó, who was delayed in camp by visa issues, has the most plate appearances on the team. His at-bats “are getting better, and that’s all you want,” Washington said before the game. … Mike Trout was 1 for 3. Trout came up with runners at first and second in the fifth inning and he struck out. … Livan Soto singled in the third inning. He moved to third with one out and then tagged up on a fly ball to shallow right field. He was thrown out easily at the plate, even though Trout was coming up next. The Angels have been stressing aggressive baserunning this spring, with Washington insisting that he wants players to keep pushing the envelope even if they make an out on the bases. … Logan O’Hoppe drove in a run with a double and walked. … Taylor Ward barely missed a three-run homer, settling for a two-run double off the top of the fence. Ward, who also singled, is 8 for 24 (.333) this spring. … Brandon Drury tied the score with a two-out RBI single in the fifth.

DEFENSE REPORT: Two Angels pitchers – Soriano and Plesac – made errors on pickoff throws. … Catcher Chad Wallach threw out a runner trying to steal second. Wallach also allowed a passed ball, bringing in the tying run in the eighth inning.

UP NEXT: Angels (LHP Tyler Anderson) at Guardians (LHP Logan Allen) at Goodyear Ballpark, Saturday, 12:05 p.m. PT, Bally Sports West, 830 AM

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TEMPE, Ariz. — A year ago, major-leaguers were facing a largely unknown world: baseball with a clock.

Now, they may be used to it, but that doesn’t mean they’re all happy about it.

“We don’t like it, but we’ve got to embrace it,” Angels closer Carlos Estévez said.

Major league baseball had been played at an increasingly … deliberate … pace over the past couple decades, slowing to the point that the sport’s leaders adopted a pitch timer in 2023. Pitchers had 15 seconds to begin their delivery with the bases empty, and 20 seconds with at least one runner on base. Hitters had to be in the box and ready for the pitch by the time the timer hit eight seconds.

The result was the average game decreased by 24 minutes.

This year, the time has been cut to 18 seconds with a runner on base.

“I think everybody got used to it,” Angels second baseman Brandon Drury said. “At first, it was weird. Obviously we had never played like that before. I think last spring I got used to it. Nothing you can do it about it, so you’d better get used to it.”

Drury said he ended up with no complaints about the timer. And he even enjoyed it when he was in the field.

“I did like playing defense better with the pace,” Drury said. “Sometimes if you have someone out there who takes forever each pitch, you are less in a rhythm on defense.”

Hitters also had the option of taking a timeout once during an at-bat. Drury said his practice, which seemed to be common among most big-leaguers, was to take a timeout after getting to two strikes.

Pitchers, however, didn’t have the same freedom. A pitcher could step off the rubber or throw a pickoff to stop the clock up to three times with a runner on, but with the bases empty the pitcher could not call a timeout. He would have to use a mound visit.

“It seems kind of unfair, right?” Angels left-hander Patrick Sandoval said. “It would be cool if we got at least (timeout). We should get one.”

Sandoval said his toughest adjustment in 2023 was the way he held baserunners. One of his techniques was just to hold the ball longer, so the runner couldn’t easily anticipate when he was going to start his delivery.

Estévez said he had to change his routine between pitches to accommodate the timer.

“I used to be the guy who threw a pitch and then walked a lot, took the ball and rubbed it, thinking about the next pitch,” he said. “Now I have to shorten the steps. Take two steps. Get the baseball. Go again.”

Left-hander Matt Moore, a veteran of 12 big-league seasons, said he feels like he’s starting a tough adjustment all over again.

“In spring training last year, it felt like I was really sped up and I was going to struggle with it,” Moore said. “Once the season got going, I kind of got used to it and forgot about it. Then this year, it’s the same thing. It feels like it’s speeding up a little bit. But I think it’s more just coordinating what the pace of game should be. I’m doing better each time out.”

Sandoval said he didn’t think the timer proved to be more physically demanding, though.

“As the year went on, I got more and more used it and I think my strength got a little better,” he said.

There is a theory that the pitch timer was responsible for an increase in pitching injuries, but it will take more than one year to determine if there’s a correlation.

Whether it caused more injuries, some pitchers definitely would still rather not have a timer on them.

“It affected some pitchers,” Angels manager Ron Washington said. “That part of it, I don’t like. That’s hard job on that mound, pitching. But it is what it is and we’ve got to get used to it, but I didn’t like the way that it affected the pitchers. Some took it hard and some weren’t affected at all. I would like our pitchers to get to the point where it didn’t bother them at all.”

NOTES

Third baseman Anthony Rendon (groin) was set to increase his activity again, adding baserunning to hitting and defense. He was set to take live batting practice for the second straight day. Washington reiterated that Rendon would get one more day after the day he says he’s ready, so at this point the soonest he would play is Sunday. Washington said this isn’t how they’d approach the same injury during the season. “In spring training, you want to stop stuff,” Washington said. “During the season, you play through stuff. In spring training, you don’t want that to get worse. During the season, if something like that might happen, we might just tell him, ‘Unless you get a base hit, if you hit a ball that’s an out, just make it down the line.’” …

Infielder Michael Stefanic (quad) has progressed to running at about 80%. He also increased his range on ground balls. Stefanic said he’s been hitting the whole time he’s been hurt. “The swing feels fine right now,” he said, “but if I hit a ball to the right fielder, I’m probably getting thrown out at first.” …

Infielder Miguel Sanó, a former slugger who is trying to return to the majors for the first time since 2022, has two hits in his first 23 at-bats, with 11 strikeouts. He hit one towering homer. Sanó was delayed by visa issues and began playing the day he arrived in Arizona. “Remember, he came up here right off a plane and he was in a game,” Washington said. “So (the at-bats) are getting better. They’re getting better, and that’s all your want. … It’s not where he would like it, so if he doesn’t like where it’s at, I certainly don’t either.” …

The Angels sent down right-hander Jack Kochanowicz. One of the Angels/ top prospects, Kochanowicz pitched three scoreless innings in Cactus League games.

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- by Ryan Falla

The Angels lack of major splashes in this free agent market has some fans concerned over the stability of the roster through the 2024 season after losing one of the biggest names in baseball. However, the Angels biggest needs have always been more than having or not having one single superstar to carry the roster. A sputtering internal talent pipeline to the Major Leagues has more often than not been the crux of the Angels efforts towards contention season after season, yet recent memory has seen an upswing in developmental fortunes. GM Perry Minasian’s trust in the Angels internal talent to fill critical roster spots in 2024 has seemingly raised the Angels floor despite the lack of free agent allure. One such player benefiting from the organizational trust in homegrown athletes is infielder Michael Stefanic, who came up with the Angels in 2022 as a reserve infielder before making himself fully known with a short-sample but memorable breakout in 2023. Weening this organization off the free agency carousel will prove to benefit the Angels as their unknown home-grown talents continue to break out and provide a sustainability that goes beyond 2024.

“I'm a guy that doesn't swing and miss very much at all, I have to be very selective at the pitches I do swing at because pitchers are trying to get outs on pitchers pitches. I could put those balls in play, but I've really tried to hone in and know myself about what kind of pitches I handle well. Waiting the pitcher out until he makes a mistake or throws something in an area where I'm looking and I can put a good swing on it has been big for me.”

The presence of Michael Stefanic on the roster brings a similar value to that of Gio Urshela and what he did for the Angels in his short time last season. Both players present a similar offensive profile with Urshela having a track record of occasional sneaky pop. Otherwise Stefanic profiles similarly with a high contact ability that can cover the whole zone while offering more meaningful swing decisions with stronger zone reads. A full season ZiPs projection puts Stefanic at a 9% BB/11% K rate across 2024 with a .273/.352/.355 slash. Defensively Stefanic is most productive covering 2B/3B at the big league level and looks to potentially expand into the corner outfield spots sometime this coming season, though the presence of super utility Luis Rengifo should limit the Angels need to shuffle Stefanic about defensively.

“I played all four infield spots over the course of my minor league career. I've played a couple games in AAA at the corner outfield. At the end of the day more positions I can handle at the big league level will get me more opportunities to get my bat in the lineup. I want to help this team win and do whatever it takes. I can do whatever it takes to get on the field.”

Michael Stefanics ability to feel out the zone and consistently wrap the bat around the ball is one of the more underrated hitting skills present on the Angels. His big league improvements in 2023 are not to be overlooked, especially considering the natural toolset the hitter brings. Naysayers may point to short sample size to dismiss his big league production last year, though none of his production came as an accident, such as his .290 average, as his underlying peripheral’s support the growing trends. There is little wasted effort in Stefanic's approach as he greatly limits his swings on balls as noted by his 9% chase rate outside the zone (League Average: 23%) while whiffing on just 7% of his swings. While he only had 71 big league PAs in 2023 his Triple A time saw him manage 60 BBs to 33 Ks across 455 PAs. Extended time at the Majors should see Stefanic's BB/K totals continue to trend positively as he collected 8 BBs to 8 Ks in the MLB last year. 

“The first time up I think things got a little quick on me. There was an acclimation period getting my feet wet with the big league pitching. I’ve focused on hitting line drives to the big part of the field, being on time for the fastball and being able to cover any sort of mistakes that the pitchers make. That's the vanilla approach I go with and it's worked for me for a long time. We saw success in September and other parts of the [2023] season. I feel confident in being able to stick to that approach.

His efficiency in the zone is rather underrated as he swung and missed on just seven pitches across the 2023 campaign. 62.8% of the pitches he saw came as fastballs with Stefanic whiffing on just two offerings. Stefanic essentially neutralized pitchers ability to throw the off-speed as he saw just sixteen total off-speed pitches while hitting .800 when swinging on pitcher’s secondaries. His production against breaking balls (slider/sweeper/curve) further supports sentiments with Stefanic seeing the type 30.8% of the time while managing a .263 average against the mix. A plus-ability against the secondary puts Stefanic in a favorable position to see a healthy serving of fastballs which should continue to favor positive outcomes at the plate as he demonstrably makes exceptional contact/swing decisions when facing fastball counts. A continuation on the positively trending hard hit outcomes will see Stefanic swing his way into a cementable role this season.

“I’ve been working on getting the bat speed and the exit velocity up a little bit. I hit a lot of ground balls in 2022, I’m really putting that emphasis to keep the ball off the ground as much as possible and live in that 15 to 25 degree launch angle. Being able to dunk it in front of outfielders or stretch the gas for doubles will be huge. There were improvements last year and I'm gonna continue to build on it in 2024.”

Stefanics 10% jump in line drive rate from 2022 (18.4%) to 2023 (28.3%) is the best indicator of his improving trends being sustainable at the big league level. The last two years of MLB experience has seen a heightened response in Stefanics swing instincts as he’s grown to generating consistent lift. His plummeting ground ball rates from 53.1% down to 43.4% in 2023 further displays the offensive strides being made behind the scenes. A full season to play with his heightened swing-ability should see efforts culminate in stronger exit velocities on a more consistent basis. Whereas most prospective hopefuls road to success is marked by major league adjustments and ever evolving approaches Stefanic needs only to maintain the evolutions made in 2023 in order to generate success in 2024. Michael Stefanic's impending upside will prove itself a big factor in the Angels coming success as he proves his value not just as utility infielder, but as a hitter you want at the plate with the game on the line ten times out of ten. 

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THE GAME: The Angels managed just four hits in a 5-0 Cactus League loss to the Seattle Mariners on Thursday afternoon in Peoria, Ariz.

PITCHING REPORT: Right-hander Griffin Canning, who didn’t walk any batters in his first two games, issued three walks in the first inning and had to be removed because of his pitch count. “Early on it looked like he was trying to overthrow his fastball,” Manager Ron Washington said. “He was trying to get more mileage out of his fastball than he’s got in his arm, which is why he was scattered.” One run scored in the inning. Canning re-entered in the second and walked another and gave up a hit, but he did not allow another run. He added a perfect third. “Obviously, it’s gonna happen during the season so I gotta find a way to fight through it and kind of get back into my rhythm,” Canning said. “Four walks isn’t cool, but the first two walks honestly, (Julio Rodriguez) and (J.P.) Crawford put up good at-bats. So it is what it is. Kind of got my rhythm there last inning.” … Right-hander Andrew Wantz pitched three scoreless innings. He was hit in the knee by a comebacker in his third inning. He jogged around and remained in the game. Afterward, when Washington saw the bruise, he was surprised that Wantz could remain in the game. “That guy is tough,” Washington said. Wantz, who is getting stretched out to start, has not allowed a run in 7-1/3 innings this spring. … Left-hander Matt Moore worked a scoreless inning, with the help of a catch at the left field fence and a double play. … The Angels trailed 1-0 when the Mariners scored four runs in the eighth. Three were charged to left-hander Adam Kolarek, who issued a walk and gave up two hits. He left with the bases loaded, and all the runs scored against minor league right-hander Jared Southard.

HITTING REPORT: Mickey Moniak doubled down the right field line. Moniak is 7 for 22 (.318) with four extra-base hits this spring. … Luis Rengifo went hitless in three at-bats. He missed the first two weeks of spring training games with a hamstring injury, and he hasn’t had a hit in either of his first two games. … Miguel Sanó was hitless in three at-bats, with two strikeouts. A non-roster invitee trying to return to the big leagues for the first time since 2022, Sanó is 2 for 23 with 11 strikeouts this spring. … Jo Adell drew his first walk of the spring, in his 27th plate appearance.

DEFENSE REPORT: Left fielder Tucker Flint made a leaping catch at the fence just moments after he’d entered the game in the seventh inning. … The Angels turned three double plays, all started by shortstop Livan Soto.

UP NEXT: Angels (RHP José Soriano) vs. Rockies (LHP Austin Gomber) at Tempe Diablo Stadium, Friday, 12:10 p.m. PT, Bally Sports West, 830 AM

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TEMPE, Ariz. — Music was blaring and fans were yelling, but Ben Joyce tried to keep his focus.

It was no ordinary bullpen session.

The Angels took a page from football coaches, piping in noise as the Angels’ right-hander stood on the mound for a workout Sunday. They called it the “chaos” drill.

“I enjoyed it,” Joyce said. “I think it was a beneficial thing to do to slow the game down and keep focus on what I need to do. I think it helped get my head where it needs to be, to fine-tune my mechanics and still have a game situation going on around me.”

A couple days later, Joyce pitched a perfect inning against the Dodgers. After walking the bases loaded and giving up a grand slam in his first outing this spring, Joyce has gotten better in each of his two subsequent outings.

Joyce, 23, who pitched 10 innings in the majors in his debut season last year, represents a wide range of potential outcomes for the Angels.

He has famously thrown as hard as 105 mph, in college, and he reached 103 mph in the majors, comfortably sitting at 100-102 mph.

The radar gun shows the upside, but there are still issues.

“It’s no good if you can’t throw it over the plate,” Angels manager Ron Washington said.

Joyce, who walked nine and hit a batter in his brief big-league opportunity, couldn’t find the strike zone in his first outing this spring. He walked two more in his second inning.

Before Joyce’s third outing, pitching coach Barry Enright hatched an idea to help Joyce work on remaining under control in a game situation.

The Angels had Joyce throw his bullpen session from the mound in the middle of the diamond on the half field, instead of in the bullpen. They blared loud music and implored a handful of fans who were watching the workout to make as much noise as possible. The Angels added to the realism of the situation by giving him game situations to simulate, including pickoff throws.

Joyce said he doesn’t feel nervous in games, but he does get “amped up,” which causes him to speed up. That leads to a deterioration of his mechanics.

“Being able to keep the heart rate down and stay focused on one pitch at a time, execute that pitch and move on to the next one, it was really good to practice that,” Joyce said.

The lesson followed a winter in which Joyce spent much of his time at a training facility in Atlanta with high-speed cameras for refining mechanics.

“It was interesting to see what I’m doing well and what I can work on,” Joyce said.

He said he changed his “arm path, trying to be more efficient in my mechanics.” The idea now is to “think about smooth rather than just trying to throw as hard as I can every time. If I stay smooth, that leads to being able to be more under control.”

Joyce said the velocity will still be there, but with better control.

If he can harness his stuff, Joyce could be a dominant late-inning reliever. As of now, he’s competing for a spot in the Angels bullpen. His chances may have improved with the decision to have right-hander José Soriano work as a starter.

RENDON UPDATE

Third baseman Anthony Rendon, who has been sidelined with groin tightness this week, said Thursday that he’s feeling better. He was set to go through a full workout for the second straight day, this time including live batting practice.

“It was more just soreness,” said Rendon, who hasn’t played since Sunday, when he felt something during his second at-bat. “We’re trying to prevent something getting bigger, especially so early in camp.”

Washington said he plans to be conservative with Rendon, giving him one more day off after he says that he’s ready to play.

“With his fragility, we just want to make certain that everything is well,” Washington said. “It’s nothing too wrong to be concerned about. When you come and say my groin is tight, all it takes is another sudden move and now it’s a pulled groin instead of a tight groin. Where he is now, we can loosen it up. But if he pulled it, we can’t loosen it. So you’ve got to be cautious.”

LESSON LEARNED

Umpires this year are more strictly enforcing a rule that prohibits infielders from blocking a base. Infielder Luis Rengifo got a hard lesson about the new interpretation when he was called for obstruction trying to tag a runner coming back into third during Wednesday’s game. The runner was awarded home.

Washington said they have been working with the infielders to prevent obstruction calls.

“We put in a lot of time, but sometimes the game creates things and then it’s the umpire’s discretion,” Washington said. “Rengifo didn’t know that he had done that. He was just trying to play ball. As we go along, we’ll start being more aware of that. That doesn’t mean sometimes you won’t do it.”

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THE GAMES: Although Mike Trout hit a grand slam, the Angels still lost, 12-5, to the Oakland A’s in a split-squad game on Wednesday afternoon in Tempe, Ariz. The Angels also lost, 6-5, to the Chicago Cubs in Mesa, Ariz.

PITCHING REPORT: In Mesa, left-hander Reid Detmers gave up one run in three innings, striking out six. Detmers struck out three in the second inning, limiting the damage to one run in an inning that the Cubs loaded the bases on two hits and a hit batter. “I wasn’t trying to do too much,” Detmers said of his escape. “I was just trying to go one pitch at a time, which is what I need to prepare for the season.” Detmers came back to strike out the side in order in the third. “It felt really good,” Detmers said. “The pitches felt good and I’m happy that there were no walks.” … Left-hander Kenny Rosenberg gave up four runs in 2⅓ innings. … Right-hander Jimmy Herget gave up the go-ahead homer in the eighth inning. … Right-hander Hans Crouse finished the fifth inning, recording one out. It was the first appearance of the spring for Crouse, who is up from minor league camp. A Dana Hills High product, Crouse is a former second-round draft pick and top 100 prospect. He had been with the Texas Rangers and Philadelphia Phillies. … In Tempe, left-hander Patrick Sandoval gave up a three-run homer in the first and was pulled after two outs because of his pitch count. Using the spring training re-entry rule, Sandoval returned to the mound and pitched two scoreless innings, retiring all six hitters. He then returned to the mound for the fourth, allowing a homer and a single before ending his day. … Right-hander Carlos Estévez gave up two runs, one earned, in one inning.

HITTING REPORT: In Tempe, Trout hit his first homer of the spring, a grand slam. Trout had a single and a double on Tuesday night, when he said he felt better at the plate than he had this spring. … In Mesa, Jo Adell hit his first homer of the spring, a shot down the left field line. He also doubled. Adell then stole third, taking off without pitcher Carl Edwards Jr. even throwing a pitch. Adell was then able to score the tying run on a subsequent error. … Jake Marisnick hit his first homer of the spring and also had a bunt single. … Kyren Paris also reached on a bunt single, and Mickey Moniak attempted to bunt for a hit, but he was thrown out. … Luis Rengifo, who had been out with a hamstring issue, played his first game of the spring, striking out and grounding out.

DEFENSE REPORT: In Mesa, Marisnick robbed Seiya Suzuki of at least an extra-base hit by making a leaping catch at the left field fence in the first inning. … Rengifo was called for obstruction when he was trying to tag Christoper Morel, who was going back to third base on a ground ball to the pitcher. Morel was awarded home. Umpires this year are more strictly enforcing rules that prohibit infielders from blocking the base.

UP NEXT: Angels (RHP Griffin Canning) at Mariners (RHP Bryan Woo) at Peoria Sports Complex, Thursday, 12:10 p.m. PT, Bally Sports West, 830 AM

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TEMPE Ariz. – The Angels’ version of the Breakfast Club rises before dawn and takes the half field behind the batting cages not long after the sun rises.

Angels shortstop Zach Neto is there to work on his defense, not taking for granted the skill that wowed observers in his standout rookie season of 2023. On hand to provide early-morning instruction is none other than new manager Ron Washington.

A longtime coach and manager, Washington played the majority of his 10 major league seasons as a middle infielder, mostly at shortstop. Infield play is Washington’s passion and he immediately has become passionate about Neto.

“Oh, there is a ton to like. Not a lot, a ton,” Washington said of his 23-year-old shortstop.

On a quiet recent morning, with only the sound of great-tailed grackle squawking in the background, Washington conducted a backhand fielding drill. The middle infielders took their positions, with Washington a mere 25-30 feet away holding a bat near a bucket of baseballs. Washington drilled short hops to the backhand side, leaving little time to react.

“I showed (Neto) some stuff out there on the backhand side and he just took to it,” Washington said. “It looked a little shaky in the beginning but then, all of a sudden, he got a feel for it. Now, it looks like something he’s always been able to do.

“He has that acumen. You can see he comes from a good (college) program. You give him something and he’s able to apply (it).”

Neto is open to any and all instruction from Washington.

“He has a lot of wisdom, a lot of knowledge about this game, a lot of years in this game,” Neto said. “A young guy like me, being able to learn something new from him, it’s like candy for a kid at Halloween.”

A star shortstop at Campbell, south of the Raleigh-Durham area in North Carolina, Neto was selected by the Angels as the 13th overall draft pick in 2022. Less than a year after he was drafted and attended his final college class, Neto was in the major leagues when he made his debut April 15 last season.

In short order, he erased any doubt that a player from the Big South Conference could make an immediate impact. The defense transferred right away, with the offense already showing improvement this spring.

Another area Neto hopes to improve is with an ability to stay on the field. The grind of a major league season took its toll with Neto missing time with oblique and lower back injuries.

He played just over half of the Angels games last season but his impact was evident in the team’s 43-41 record when he was on the field and 30-48 mark when he was not.

“Going into the offseason, it was something I needed to work on, getting my body right,” Neto said. “I looked at it as a restart button for me. New (coaching) staff, new everything, new year for me coming up. Coming into spring training, it was head down, nice and easy, no more (first-season) pressure or anything like that.”

Neto said he did core work to help avoid soft tissue injuries in and around his torso. A byproduct of that work seems to be an uptick in power, at least from early Cactus League results.

Neto clobbered a towering home run approximately 450 feet to straightaway center field last week against the Cleveland Guardians. He smashed another to left field Monday against the Texas Rangers.

On offense last season, Neto batted .225 with a .685 OPS that was 26th among shortstops who played at least 80 games. In his final season at Campbell, he had a .407 batting average with a 1.283 OPS in 53 games.

Through Tuesday’s Cactus League games, Neto was batting .333 (7-for-21) with 16 total bases and a 1.110 OPS. He had two stolen bases, both Tuesday in a 4-0 victory over the Dodgers, along with a hit, a run scored and a leaping catch on a line drive.

While Neto might be young, with a small sample size to judge his offense as a major leaguer, he has seen enough to feel confident about the player he can become in short order.

That all-glove-no-stick tag that surfaced last season?  Neto said he heard it and is up for the challenge.

“Oh yeah, it’s gonna be fun proving people wrong,” Neto said. “That’s what I’ve always been about my whole life. So here, at the biggest stage, if there are people still doubting, it just keeps creating that underdog mentality and chip on my shoulder to keep proving people wrong.

“I just gotta keep trusting myself, having that confidence and going out there and having fun.”

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TEMPE, Ariz. — Spring training is, in many ways, meaningless.

But for the Angels, this much is true: it’s better to pitch well in meaningless games than to pitch poorly in meaningless games.

After their first 12 games of the spring, the Angels are leading the Cactus League with a 3.23 ERA. The two teams with lower ERA’s, the Washington Nationals and New York Mets, both play in the more pitcher-friendly environment in Florida.

“That means that they are progressing,” manager Ron Washington said before Wednesday’s split squad games. “I don’t think you can put any more on it. They are progressing. The best ERA in the Cactus League is a big deal. You’ve got to start somewhere.”

In the lockout-shortened spring training in 2022, the Angels had the second best Cactus League ERA. Although the Angels finished that season with 73 victories, the hitting was their primary problem. They finished the season with the ninth best ERA in the majors.

The deeper number that might be the most encouraging is that the Angels have issued 2.63 walks per nine innings, which is the best ratio in the majors, in the Cactus League or Grapefruit League.

Washington said that’s a credit to new pitching coach Barry Enright and bullpen coach Steve Karsay.

“They deserve a pat on the back for the way they have taken this young pitching staff and got it believing that they can throw the ball over the plate with their stuff, instead of trying to run away from being touched with with a bat,” Washington said. “We’re going right at them.”

NOTES

Right-hander Robert Stephenson (shoulder) threw a bullpen session on Wednesday, and he’s scheduled for another in a few days. Although Stephenson had suggested that he might not have time to get in enough games to be ready by opening day, Washington pointed out that he’s started other seasons with fewer than six innings in the spring, and the Angels could still have time to get him that four or five this spring. …

Third baseman Anthony Rendon (groin) was scheduled to go through a workout, including batting practice, on Wednesday morning.

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THE GAME: The Angels beat the Dodgers, 4-0, on Tuesday night at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Ariz., winning their sixth consecutive Cactus League game.

PITCHING REPORT: Right-hander Chase Silseth did not allow a run in 2⅓ innings. He had been scheduled for three innings, but his pitch count got too high after 26 pitches in the first. Silseth struck out Shohei Ohtani on a 96 mph fastball after falling behind in the count, 3-and-1. “It was fun,” Silseth said. “I got behind him. So I was like, Oh, no. … If I didn’t hit my spots when I needed to, and during that at-bat, it could have been a lot different.” The discouraging part of Silseth’s outing was that his fastball velocity dipped from 97 mph in the first to 93 mph in the third. “That’s a little frustrating,” he said. “I put a lot of work into that stuff. You can’t get down on yourself. You’ve got to keep working and finding it.” … Left-hander Tyler Thomas followed Silseth to the mound, entering just as Ohtani was coming to the plate again in the third inning. Thomas struck him out looking at a 94 mph fastball. The Angels acquired Thomas from the Atlanta Braves as part of the David Fletcher-Max Stassi trade. … Right-hander Ben Joyce pitched a perfect inning. … Right-hander Guillo Zuñiga worked a scoreless inning, including getting Ohtani on a flyout. Zuñiga has not allowed a run in four innings this spring, with six strikeouts and no walks. … Right-hander Victor Mederos worked three scoreless innings. He hasn’t allowed a run in six innings this spring, with nine strikeouts and two walks.

HITTING REPORT: Mike Trout singled and walked. He also stole his first base of the spring. Trout is 3 for 18 with eight strikeouts and one walk this spring. “It’s slowly getting there,” Trout said. “Today’s the best I’ve felt in a while. Just seeing the ball and being myself up there. When I’m recognizing pitches early, I think that’s when I know I’m getting close. When I can recognize my zone, the hits and stuff and production will come.” … Nolan Schanuel tripled, driving in two runs. … Miguel Sanó drove in a run with a single. Sanó, who is trying to make the team as a non-roster invite, is 2 for 17 this spring. … Jo Adell drove in a run with a double.

DEFENSE REPORT: Silseth bounced a pickoff throw to first base and the ball got past Schanuel, allowing Mookie Betts to advance to second. … Shortstop Zach Neto made a leaping catch of a line drive to end the second inning.

UP NEXT: Angels (LHP Patrick Sandoval) vs. A’s (RHP Joe Boyle) at Tempe Diablo Stadium, Wednesday, 12:10 p.m. PT, Bally Sports West, 830 AM; Angels (LHP Reid Detmers) at Cubs (LHP Justin Steele) at Sloane Park, Mesa, Wednesday: 12:05 p.m. PT. No TV or radio.

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Good stuff, @ryanmfalla!!

By Ryan Falla, AngelsWin.com Columnist

Though the Angels are heading into the 2024 season with the most question marks we’ve seen in modern Angels memory there is enough sneaky value across the board to offer outside chances at success all throughout the year. From front-line starters ready to tap into their highest upside behind the philosophies of Ron Washington's coaching staff to the reserves prepared carry the team through tumultuous stretches. The Angels may not be rich in brand names this season, but what they do have is enough young talent across the roster to brute force their contention window into an early opening. One such athlete on the Angels who looks to legitimize fans hopes for a successful 2024 is reserve starter Kenny Rosenberg, who pitched himself into legitimate Major League considerations after a stretch of strong spot starts to round out 2023. His stint of late season success places him first in line for the roster spots up for grabs this spring, and while there is more competition for the final reserve spots than last year the mission remains the same for the rising star. Armed with a quality repertoire that features sneaky good off-speed offerings, Rosenberg stands ready to absorb Major League innings for a team whose recent track record makes arms such as his a golden commodity. 

“In my early minor league experiences I played against guys like Bo Bichette, Vladdy Jr. and Fernando Tatis, I've gotten guys like that out in the minor leagues. Just because you're playing in a bigger stadium with more people doesn't change anything for me. I’m just simplifying my game to that. If I make good pitches I'll have good results.”

Rosenberg displays a visible exceptionalism with the off-speed, which is no surprise after learning he expressed an affinity for the change-up while still in his childhood years. His innate feel for the secondary generates major league whiffs at a solid pace as hitters consistently struggle to groove the ball across the entirety of the zone. Rosenberg minimized power strokes to such a degree that sluggers were mostly kept in check as they managed a below league average 30.4 hard hit percentage against his stuff.  Although he was generally an off-speed featured pitcher in 2023 his underlying peripherals have shown an above-average cutter and slider waiting to be tapped into. The 38 inch drop on his cutter sits 9 inches above the league average break and similarly the movement on his slider is well above average as it cuts at 11 inches while dropping 48 inches (league average at 6in. cut, 37in. drop). Despite having a break nearly twice as big as league average his slider was his least thrown pitch in 2023 as he threw it just seven times across the total 543 pitches thrown that season. A greater emphasis on the pitch should see even more success come his way next year considering how far he went relying mostly on his fastball/change-up (FB:43.1%/CH:37.6%). Mixing more of his strong cutter into the fastball use should see his swing and miss trends continue to blossom into notable form. 

“The change-up has been a pitch that I've thrown since I was eight years old. There are days where I'm more confident throwing change-ups for strikes than fastballs. The way I change speeds can keep hitters honest no matter what the count is; whether I'm behind, ahead, even, counts full, or first pitch of the at-bat. I don't think they can narrow in on a particular pitch or location. Execution in those counts and being unpredictable are the two biggest things for me.”

Rosenberg's mechanically sound, consistent delivery and generally above average repertoire inspires a palpable optimism that he can contribute quality big league innings with the support of Ron Washington's elite coaching staff. A team wide focus on developing quick counts on the pitching side and delivering the defense playable outs has been a centerpiece in camp this spring under Washington and should prove to be the difference maker on the Angels hopes for improved pitching in 2024. Too often did it feel that the 2023 Angels put the entirety of the onus on their pitchers as they consistently forced themselves into deep counts trying to wrangle outs at the plate. Kenny Rosenberg’s inherent skillset is a stellar match-up with the new staff’s philosophy as he habitually serves his fielders weak contact on swing and miss stuff. Attacking the zone and trusting hitters to beat themselves on his secondary offerings will be the biggest key for Rosenberg as he pitches himself into a full-time role as a quality serviceman on the big league roster. His 2024 ZiPS projections see him logging 111 IP with 7 wins and 104 Ks over 47 BBs which is fairly in line with his expected averages based on last seasons output, though a portion of those IP will be determined by the health of the Angels starting front-five. However, given the stresses of a 162 game season it is expected Rosenberg will get his fair share of big league work through the year.

“I’ve really enjoyed the couple of weeks that I've been able to work with Barry [Enright] in person.  We had some conversations in the off season about some things I could chase, whether it's gaining velocity or just moving down the mound better and being more consistent with the strike zone. The big emphasis has been taking care of the baseball defensively and making sure we give our fielders an opportunity to get guys out behind us.”

Rosenberg projects as a loopy Joe Saunders/Jamie Moyer type with strong off-speed combos working alongside a fastball that offers best as an execution/mix-up pitch behind his cutter. Some of his best pitches, shape wise, were some of his least thrown in 2024, leaving plenty of opportunity for coaching to tap deeper into his upside this season. Rosenberg has already proven his ability to execute on the mound as he managed two wins in three starts last year with his final start of 2023 coming as a 5 IP 6 K no-decision in which he allowed just one hit. Of his two losses as a Major Leaguer only one came as a starter, and in that loss Rosenberg tossed a Quality Start across 6 innings. Having someone who can put your team in line for the W off reserve is powerful asset across a long 162 game season, especially when the value and consistency from your starting front five remains unpredictable. Despite what pundits might try to tell you there is more than enough quality of youth to inspire optimism in Ron Washington's ability to push this team towards competitive baseball. A push for the playoffs often relies on the strength of your second half heroes as much as it does your day one All-Stars, and though Rosenberg's second half heroics in 2023 went uncelebrated 2024 may shape up to be the year we see deserved fanfare for both Rosenberg and the Angels as they brute force their way into relevancy under the mysticism of Ron Washington. 

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TEMPE, Ariz. — In the first inning of a Cactus League game last week, Nolan Schanuel stepped to the plate after Taylor Ward had led off the inning with a double.

Schanuel pulled a ground ball to second base, and Ward took third. Ward then scored on a Mike Trout sacrifice fly.

A day later, Angels manager Ron Washington was beaming, optimistic that the Angels’ rookie first baseman could play a key role in generating runs.

“He’s capable of doing that with consistency, and he might be able to do it with perfection,” Washington said. “Because of his bat-to-ball skill, I think that boy can pull the ball on the ground anytime he wants to.”

Schanuel made a name for himself last year by reaching the majors less than two months after he was drafted out of Florida Atlantic University. He then reached base with a hit or a walk in every one of the 29 games he played, giving him a .402 on-base percentage. He drew 20 walks, while striking out 19 times. The major league average is 2.6 strikeouts per walk.

Schanuel’s plate discipline was so advanced that a case could have been made for him to begin the 2024 season in the same leadoff spot where he hit in 2023. Washington, who is heading into his first season with the team, initially planned for that, but he quickly determined that dropping Schanuel into the No. 2 spot made more sense, because he could still get on base, but also use his situational hitting skills to move runners over or get them in.

“I love that,” Washington said of Schanuel’s groundout. “To me, that’s a base hit, because he put us in a position to score a run with Mike Trout coming up.”

Washington estimated that, over a full season, Schanuel is going to have 70 or 80 plate appearances in which the game situation for call for something like that.

“His other 500 or so, he can do what the hell he wants,” Washington said.

Those plate appearances will largely determine how the rest of baseball is going to measure Schanuel’s offensive performance.

Over just 132 plate appearances in 2023, Schanuel hit .275 with one homer and a .732 OPS.

The lingering question over Schanuel’s performance is whether he will develop the type of power expected from a corner infielder. His average exit velocity (85.4 mph) and hard hit percentage (25.6) were both toward the bottom in the majors.

Neither Schanuel nor the Angels have any concerns about that now, given how little experience he has.

“Power develops when you learn more about what you’re doing and you learn the element in which you’re doing it,” Washington said. “How much does he know about the American League? Very little. His power will grow. He will learn to use his power. In the meantime, I want him to learn how to play baseball.”

Schanuel, 22, hit 18 homers with an .868 slugging percentage in his junior year in college.

“It’s going to come,” Schanuel said of the power. “I’m a hitter. So I just go out there and just try to do the job. My job is to put runs on the board, whether it’s hitting guys in or scoring.”

Schanuel, who is just halfway through his first professional spring training, is still going through a crash course in learning about hitting and playing defense as a big-leaguer.

“I’ve got a lot of work to do,” he said. “I need to improve. I think every day I come here there’s something that I’m working on.”

A part of that process began over the winter, when he worked out in Florida with St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, a former MVP. Angels catching coach Jerry Narron, who knows Goldschmidt from their days with the Arizona Diamondbacks, arranged for the two to get together.

“It was cool to work with him,” Schanuel said. “From fielding to baserunning to hitting, he does everything right. You couldn’t miss a beat with him. Every day I was learning something new.”

Something else new that Schanuel did this winter was an unusual training method he devised. Two days a week over six weeks, Schanuel spent the entire day standing, to the point of agonizing pain his legs and feet. He said the goal was to better prepare him for the rigors of standing on a baseball field every day. His teammates and other team officials learned what he was doing after he told The Athletic early in spring training, and he said they responded to him with “mixed reviews.”

Schanuel now says that he did it more as a test of his discipline than a strengthening exercise.

“It might have helped,” Schanuel said. “You never know till you try it… I didn’t do it because I thought it was going to help me. I did it because I thought it was a challenge I wanted to complete. I wanted a competition for myself.”

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THE GAME: Tyler Anderson had six strikeouts over three innings and Zach Neto hit a go-ahead two-run home run as the Angels increased their winning streak to five games with a 3-2 victory over the Texas Rangers on Monday in Surprise, Ariz.

PITCHING REPORT: Anderson gave up one run on a Marcus Semien home run, with results that were much improved over his first outing last week when he gave up two runs on four hits in two innings against the Colorado Rockies. Left-hander Jose Suarez pitched two scoreless innings in his first outing after a bout of arm fatigue early in spring after he participated in winter ball. Angels pitchers combined to strike out 13 batters.

HITTING REPORT: Logan O’Hoppe stayed in a groove after a slow start this spring, collecting an RBI double in the first inning after hitting home runs Friday in a Cactus League game and Saturday in a “B” Game. Neto’s home run was his second of the spring after a mammoth shot to center field last week. The Angels won with just three hits.

REUNION TIME: New Angels manager Ron Washington, who served as the Rangers’ manager from 2007-14, was back in his old stomping grounds and was met with a mob of local reporters. Although many of the faces have changed since he was last with the Rangers, he was looking forward to being in Surprise: “I’m always looking forward to catching up with folks in Texas. That was some of the best times in my life in Texas.”

UP NEXT: Angels (RHP Chase Silseth) at Dodgers (RHP Bobby Miller), Glendale, Ariz., Tuesday, 5:05 p.m., Bally Sports West, 830 AM

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TEMPE, Ariz. – After more than 700 career home runs, while topping $340 million in total earnings, Albert Pujols’ ride off into the sunset seemed inevitable.

Last playing with the Angels in 2021 and retiring after the 2022 season, it seemed Pujols would merely resurface at the rare Angels or St. Louis Cardinals special ceremony. Certainly he would be there to give a speech at his Hall of Fame induction.

Is there really any need to prove himself within the game anymore?

Yet there was Pujols at Angels camp again Monday, ready to impart his wisdom on the next generation as a guest instructor. Getting his hands dirty with the young players of the game does not feel like a duty for one of the most legendary players of the game, it is his honor.

“I think at the end of the day it’s about giving back and (enjoying) the experience,” said Pujols, with an Angels cap perched atop his head again. “Some of these young guys are the future. I’ll do whatever I can to help them out to get their game better or to have success in their career.”

After Tim Salmon and Mark Gubicza have already spent time as guest instructors, Pujols will be joined by another Angels legend this week in Vladimir Guerrero.

Pujols’ desire to help extends beyond the Angels’ organization. He also has been named a manager in the Dominican Republic winter league, when he takes over for his favorite team as a youngster: Los Leones del Escogido.

So could a run as an MLB manager be in Pujols’ future?

“Yeah, I think, why not?” Pujols said. “If the opportunity is right one day, I think I’d be ready for that. But right now, I’m going to focus on what I need to do, which is here for a week and then in the D.R., getting the team ready.”

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who had Pujols at his disposal for a large chunk of the 2021 season, is impressed.

“AP is one of my favorites and it’s great for baseball,” Roberts said of Pujols’ decision to manage in the Dominican Republic. “For Albert, when you have somebody who is as knowledgeable and as decorated as him, who wants to give back to players when he doesn’t have to, it’s important.

“… And if he chooses, I hope he gets the opportunity to manage (an MLB team).”

Angels star Mike Trout is equally as impressed with his former teammate’s desire to actively remain in the game.

“He loves the game and you obviously saw that when he played,” Trout said Monday. “And now, what he’s learned over the course of 20 years, something like that, he’s willing to put that back into play. He’s seen everything. I’m sure he’d be a great manager and that’s awesome.”

Trout admits that his dedicated work ethic, and lead-by-example style, was partly inspired by playing alongside Pujols for so many years.

“Albert wasn’t a real vocal leader, but when he needed to, he came out,” Trout said. “When you see Albert come to the ballpark every day, he had a routine and never skipped a day. He was grinding every single day. He always got his work done. I saw that, the dedication, the work and obviously the numbers showed that on the field.”

Both players also know the routine of having to work through injuries later in their careers. Pujols empathizes with what Trout is going through, having played 82 games or less in three of the past four seasons.

“It sucks man; injuries suck,” Pujols said. “Mentally it helped me out knowing it’s just part of the game. You need to look at how you’re going to deal (with it). Are you gonna let it affect you, or are you going to continue to train and get ready?

“I’ve seen Trout training. There is nobody that trains harder than him in the locker room. But when you take that field, there’s some things you cannot control.”

After more than 3,000 career games, Pujols has seen the ultimate highs and lowest of the lows. He simply feels it would be a shame not to help others deal with those.

“I wouldn’t be wearing this uniform if I didn’t think I had a lot of things to offer the game,” Pujols said. “My job is to help these guys. I won’t go out there and hit for them, but just let them know how to handle the mental part of the game or the physical part of the game. I’ve done everything.”

Albert Pujols arrives in Angels camp as a special instructor. Says he would consider being a major league manager one day if the fit was right. Will manage in the DR later this year. pic.twitter.com/Nd8nfvxkP2

— Doug Padilla (@DougPadilla) March 4, 2024

ALSO

Right-hander Sam Bachman (shoulder surgery) and left-hander Jose Quijada (elbow surgery) had throwing sessions of 75-90 feet and 120 feet, respectively. … Infielder Luis Rengifo (hamstring) has resumed baseball activity, while infielder Michael Stefanic (quad) is doing light activity. … Right-hander Robert Stephenson (shoulder soreness) had a long-toss session.

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THE GAME: Mickey Moniak hit a two-run home run and six Angels pitchers gave up a combined four hits in a 3-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday at Tempe, Ariz.

PITCHING REPORT: RHP Caden Dana was impressive in his first start and second spring appearance, giving up one hit over two scoreless innings with two strikeouts. The 20-year-old now has four scoreless innings this spring. RHP Carlos Estevez gave up a home run to Chicago’s Zach Remillard in the third inning. RHPs Zach Plesac and Walbert Urena each went two scoreless innings with a combined five strikeouts. Plesac earned the win and Urena got the save.

HITTING REPORT: Aaron Hicks had two hits out of the leadoff spot, including a double and a run scored in the first inning. … Moniak replaced Hicks and hit his home run, giving the Angels three hits out of the top spot in the order. … Mike Trout went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts and is now 2-for-16 (.125) in seven spring games. … Anthony Rendon went 0-for-1 with a walk and is now 2-for-10 (.200) with four walks in six games.

WEEKEND VIBES: Angels pitchers gave up one combined earned run over back-to-back victories, getting the best of the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-1 on Saturday before Sunday’s 3-1 win. “I tell you, we have been throwing the ball well all spring and they are buying into the fact of pounding the strike zone and being very efficient with their pitches,” manager Ron Washington said.

UP NEXT: Angels (LHP Tyler Anderson) vs. Rangers (LHP Cody Bradford), 12:05 p.m., Bally Sports West, AM-830

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TEMPE, Ariz. – Baseball’s latest Thor clone continues to drop the hammer, raising questions about just how long it might be before he can find himself on a major league roster.

With his broad shoulders and long hair flowing from under his cap, Angels right-hander Caden Dana gave up one hit over two scoreless innings against the Chicago White Sox on Sunday and had two strikeouts in his second appearance of the spring.

The outing came with Dana wearing the No. 91 on the back of his jersey. If he continues to produce similar outings, a lighter weight digit could be on the way.

“It’s just going out and pitching. It’s the same game whether it’s (minor league) ball or here,” Dana said. “They’re giving me the ball and trusting me with it so I’m going to go out there and give it all I’ve got.”

While Dana represents the future for the Angels, he was just closing out his teenage years in early December. Barely 20, it stands to reason that the former 11th round draft pick in 2022 still needs some seasoning before his time arrives.

But this is the Angels, who brought first baseman Nolan Schanuel to the major leagues last year less than three months after his final game in college at Florida Atlantic. Shortstop Zach Neto was a major leaguer less than a year after his final college game at Campbell.

“I try not to think too much. Just (take it) day by day,” Dana said. “But they’re great ballplayers and they deserve to be up there.”

The difference is that Dana was drafted out of Don Bosco Prep High School in New Jersey and has never pitched above the High-A level.

But new Angels manager Ron Washington isn’t as much concerned with track record as he is with results.

“I think what is realistic is him and where he is (in his development) when we have a need and if the organization thinks he’s the one,” Washington said. “One thing about this organization, if they have proven it, age and your experience doesn’t matter. If you’re able to get outs is what matters.”

Dana’s first spring start Sunday came after a scoreless two-inning relief appearance last Tuesday when he gave up one hit with a strikeout against the Milwaukee Brewers.

“Every time you step on the field you’re representing your name,” Dana said. “Honestly, in a big-stage moment like that, just trying to focus on one pitch at a time. If I get away from that then I’ll have a bad outing. Just stay locked in pitch by pitch.”

RUNNING MEN

A day after Chad Wallach legged out a double and scored from second base on an error, Washington was still talking about his catcher’s scamper around the bases.

“If Wallach can take an extra base, anybody on this team can take an extra base, but you have to want to and he wanted to,” Washington said with a smile Sunday, both proud of Wallach’s aggressiveness and the example he set.

Washington isn’t looking for wild risk taking, but rather calculated gambles that assist run production. The thinking isn’t too unlike the first-to-third Angels days under former manager Mike Scioscia.

“We’re just trying to push the envelope, seeing who can, who can’t, who wants to and see who does not want to,” Washington said.

And as if on cue, Angels leadoff hitter Aaron Hicks doubled in the first inning and scored on a Schanuel single, testing the arm of White Sox center fielder Rafael Ortega.

ALSO

LHP Jose Suarez, whose schedule has been lagging behind because of a bout with arm fatigue, is set to make his first Cactus League appearance Monday against the Texas Rangers in relief. … Albert Pujols, now a special assistant to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, is expected in camp Monday to spend some time as a spring instructor. Pujols is also a new MLB Network analyst and will be a manager in the Dominican Republic winter league next season for Los Leones del Escogido. … LHP Tyler Anderson makes his second start of the spring Monday against the Rangers as he tries to recover from an outing Wednesday when he gave up two earned runs and four hits in two innings against the Colorado Rockies.

 

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THE GAME: Aaron Hicks hit a home run and six pitchers combined to not allow an earned run as the Angels rallied for a 4-1 victory Saturday over the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks at Tempe, Ariz.

PITCHING REPORT: Griffin Canning gave up an unearned run over three innings with three strikeouts and has not given up an earned run in two spring starts. Canning threw 35 pitches in the game and 10 more in the bullpen afterward. After Andrew Wantz gave up two hits over 2 1/3 scoreless innings, Hunter Strickland, Guillo Zuniga, Luis Garcia, and Jose Cisnero gave up one combined hit over the final 3 2/3 innings.

HITTING REPORT: Hicks, expected to make the roster as a backup outfielder, hit a home run among his two hits, his first homer of the spring. Chad Wallach also had two hits with a double and a run scored.

WALLACH’S WILD RIDE: Not exactly fleet of foot, Wallach appeared to deliver a seventh-inning single but it went for double thanks to an odd bounce. He scored from second base on a grounder to shortstop that was booted into shallow center field for an error. It gave the Angels their first lead of the game at 2-1.

UP NEXT: Angels (RHP Caden Dana) vs. White Sox (RHP Erick Fedde), 12:10 p.m. Sunday, Bally Sports West, AM-830

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TEMPE, Ariz. — Being a half a world away at this time one year ago taught Jason Martin the perspective that has served him well so far in Angels camp.

Signed to a minor-league contract this offseason after playing in South Korea last year, the Corona native and Orange Lutheran High alum is back in the familiar position of trying to prove himself at spring training.

“Definitely going into last season, I had a lot of doubts. I kind of felt I was going into the unknown,” Martin said of his time in South Korea. “But once I got there and realized it was the same game and I was able to do my thing over in a different country, I think without even knowing it, it helped me in different ways coming back here. I feel a lot more calm on the field, a lot more confident.”

At 28, the former eighth-round draft pick in 2013 by the Houston Astros still is in search of a regular chance to show what he can do at the major-league level. He has 85 games of major-league experience, seeing 58 games of action with the Texas Rangers in 2021.

But 2022 was spent entirely at Triple-A Oklahoma City in the Dodgers’ organization. And while he never was called up to Los Angeles that season, he made the most of his time by tapping into his power potential.

Martin hit a career-best 32 home runs at OKC with 107 RBIs in 129 games. His .938 OPS also was a career best. But when opportunities for 2023 looked like more of the same, Martin took a leap and moved to South Korea’s KBO, playing last year for the NC Dinos.

Martin hit 17 home runs in South Korea and had 90 RBIs. He had 20 doubles with a .360 on-base percentage and reignited his running game with 15 stolen bases, his most for a single team in one season since he had 20 at Single-A Lancaster in 2016.

There are no guarantees with the Angels, of course. Outfield spots are tight with Mike Trout, Mickey Moniak, Taylor Ward, Jo Adell and Aaron Hicks likely to land a spot. Those vying for attention to join the group at some point include Martin, Jordyn Adams, Jake Marisnick and Willie Calhoun.

Martin knows the prove-yourself routine well, which means he also is aware that by fretting over where he fits in won’t help at all. The only thing he can do is to show his worth. In five games this spring, he has four hits in nine at-bats, with a home run, double and four RBIs.

“It shows that he has some experience with the way he goes about his business and the way he plays,” said Angels manager Ron Washington, using the word “impressive” to describe Martin’s spring so far.

At 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds, Martin certainly does not cut an imposing figure. He tried to lean into his speed as a younger player, but outfield spots require power so Martin has gone to great lengths in order to oblige.

“Growing up was more kind of working with what I had body-wise, getting into profiles a lot smaller, a lot skinnier and not really knowing how to use my body the right way,” Martin said. “I’d say the past few years I really locked it in on how my swing should look, how I should feel and what is able to generate power. I think that has been showing the past couple of years.”

B-MOVIE

Coming off his first home run of the spring Friday, catcher Logan O’Hoppe participated in a B Game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Scottsdale, where he was able to bat every inning and hit another homer in six trips to the plate.

“I thought he had some great at-bats (Friday) and I didn’t want him to stop,” Washington said. “We don’t want to continue to put him behind the plate every day, but we got an opportunity to get him as many at-bats as he wanted.

“He’s young and he’s used to thumping. And when he’s not thumping, it can get into his head. The more at-bats we can get him to feel good about himself, the better off we’re going to be.”

Right-hander Jose Soriano, who pitched in 38 games as a reliever last season, got the start in the B Game and allowed one hit over three innings with five strikeouts.

OPEN PROCESS

The Angels are on the hunt for an Opening Day starter after Shohei Ohtani held the role the past two seasons, with Washington saying he will be patient before awarding the honor.

“I think we’ll do that when we get down the stretch,” Washington said. “Right now, we have too many moving parts.

“We have an idea of what we have and know how we want to line them up, but let’s wait until we get close enough and know that everybody is where they need to be health-wise and mentally-wise and then we’ll do what we have to do with that.”

The Angels open the season March 28 on the road against the Baltimore Orioles and will play their home opener April 5 against the Boston Red Sox.

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