Shohei Ohtani, Japan dominate China: WBC live updates, scores
Shohei Ohtani and Team Japan defeated China 8-1 in the first round of the World Baseball Classic. These are the top plays!MARCH 9, 2023
LOS ANGELES ANGELS 63-99 · 5TH IN AL WEST
63-99 · 5TH IN AL WEST
Detroit Free Press Tyler Nevin grew up a student of the game watching his dad, Angels manager Phil Nevin, and attended his first major league game at Tiger Stadium.
MARCH 9, 2023 • FREEP.COM
Shohei Ohtani and Japan: It's much more than just baseball
Japanese baseball player Shohei Ohtani is arguably the game's best player anywhereMARCH 9, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Ohtani leads Japan in World Classic, Bogaerts lifts Dutch
Shohei Ohtani hit a two-run double off the left-field wall, allowed one hit over four innings and got the win, leading Japan over China 8-1 in its opener at the World Baseball Clas...MARCH 9, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Goldschmidt's HR highlights U.S. team's loss to Giants
A U.S. lineup expected to provide plenty of power managed just four hits in a 5-1 exhibition loss to the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night ahead of the team's participation i...MARCH 9, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Can Silseth's new cutter earn him a rotation spot? TEMPE, Ariz. -- After a dominant showing with Double-A Rocket City last season that led to him becoming the first player selected in the 202...
MARCH 8, 2023 • MLB.COM
Ryan Aguilar - Tending to oblique injury Angels manager Phil Nevin said Wednesday that Aguilar hasn't appeared in any Cactus League games this spring due to an oblique injury, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register r...
Impact Aguilar was up with the big club for two cups of coffee in 2022, slashing .136/.231/.182 in 26 plate appearances between the stints. The Angels moved him off the 40-man roster in September, but he elected to stay in the organization and received an invitation to big-league spring training. Though the oblique injury has likely ended any slim hopes Aguilar may have had of making the Angels' Opening Day roster, Nevin suggested he believes the outfielder will be ready to play in a few exhibition games before spring training comes to a close. If that's the case, the 28-year-old should be ready to go for the start of Triple-A Salt Lake's March 31 season opener.
MARCH 8, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
José Marte - Working through soreness Angels manager Phil Nevin said that Marte has been dealing with some soreness but will toss a bullpen session Wednesday, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.
Impact Nevin didn't go into detail about the nature of Marte's injury, but the unspecified soreness explains why the 26-year-old right-handed reliever has yet to make his Cactus League debut. Marte looks as though he'll be able to make an appearance before the end of the spring, but he'll likely on the outside looking in for a spot in the Angels' Opening Day bullpen.
MARCH 8, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
World Baseball Classic: Japan buzzing for Shohei Ohtani's return
Everyone in Japan seems to be a fan of Shohei Ohtani, and the buzz even extends to his teammates in the World Baseball Classic.MARCH 8, 2023
Japan buzzing for Shohei Ohtani's return in WBC
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar just joined Japan's national team for the World Baseball Classic but he is already a big fan of Shohei OhtaniMARCH 8, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Rosenthal: The Shohei Ohtani you don't see, plus Jacob deGrom's ultimate goal and the Giants' hope Ken Rosenthal with news from spring training on the Angels, Rangers, Giants, Dodgers and more.
MARCH 7, 2023 • THEATHLETIC.COM
Pitcher Roki Sasaki next 'big thing' from Japanese baseball
All eyes will be on Japanese baseball pitcher Roki Sasaki at the World Baseball ClassicMARCH 7, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Griffin Canning - Looks good in return to mound Canning tossed two scoreless innings in Monday's Cactus League contest against Cleveland, allowing two hits and no walks while striking out two batters.
Impact Canning missed the entire 2022 season due to a lower-back stress fracture, so Monday's outing was particularly important for the right-hander. He tossed 31 pitches and didn't appear to have any lingering effects from the injury. Canning allowed just two singles in Monday's start -- one didn't leave the infield, and the other was a blooper. The 26-year-old is battling for a role at the back of the Angels' rotation, though it remains to be seen how much he'll be able to stretch out by the end of spring.
MARCH 7, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
José Soriano - Team uncertain about future role The Angels haven't yet decided whether to develop Soriano as a starter or reliever, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports.
Impact Soriano was once an intriguing pitching prospect, but he's undergone two Tommy John surgeries since 2020 and tossed only 13 minor-league innings last season. While he's on the Angels' 40-man roster, the right-hander isn't likely to ascend to the big leagues this season. The Angels are understandably unsure about Soriano's future role given his lack of game action over the past four seasons, though manager Phil Nevin left the door open for him to develop as a starter, saying, "You can see him coming in and blowing it out for one inning or if he can sustain it and he can go for five, six innings, then obviously that's a great spot for him too."
MARCH 7, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
Carlos Estévez - Struggling this spring Estevez has pitched 1.2 innings over three appearances in Cactus League play thus far, allowing five runs on one hit and seven walks while striking out one batter.
Impact Estevez has never been a pitcher with pinpoint control, but his wildness has been particularly off-putting this spring given general manager Perry Minasian's optimism early in camp that the right-hander could win the Angels' closer job. That scenario certainly isn't off the table, but Estevez may need to put his early struggles behind him in order to earn the team's confidence. One reason for his poor numbers thus far may be a conscious attempt, at the direction of the organization, to pitch more at the top of the zone, per Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. Estevez has at least expressed confidence in adjusting to the changes, saying Sunday, "I think I'm going to get it. I just need to face more hitters and once I'm comfortable with it, I think I'm going to be fine." Los Angeles has other options, including Jimmy Herget and Ryan Tepera, to deploy in the ninth inning of meaningful games, so Estevez is among the shakiest options for fantasy managers to target when chasing saves in their drafts.
MARCH 7, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
Ohtani hits pair of 3-run HRs for Japan in WBC tuneup
Shohei Ohtani hit a pair of three-run homers in a prep game for the World Baseball Classic, helping Japan win 8-1 at the Central League’s Hanshin Tigers in an exhibitionMARCH 7, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Trout 'extremely excited' to head to Classic, face Angels teammates TEMPE, Ariz. -- Angels superstar Mike Trout went 0-for-2 as designated hitter in a 6-0 win against the Guardians on Monday in his final Cact...
MARCH 6, 2023 • MLB.COM
World Baseball Classic has more stars after 6-year absence
The World Baseball Classic opens Wednesday at Taichung, Taiwan, when the Netherlands plays Cuba and Panama faces TaiwanMARCH 6, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Here are the Angels' 2023 Top 30 prospects The Angels’ system is far from being among the deepest in Major League Baseball. But at the very top of the new Top 30, it’s a lot more inte...
MARCH 6, 2023 • MLB.COM
Jhonathan Diaz - Healthy for spring training Diaz (undisclosed) has made two Cactus League appearances to date, covering three innings and striking out five while allowing no runs on one hit and no walks.
Impact Diaz didn't make any appearances for the Angels or Triple-A Salt Lake after mid-July of the past season due to an unspecified injury, but he's seemingly healthy again heading into the start of the 2023 campaign. The Angels removed Diaz from their 40-man roster in November, and the 26-year-old southpaw then elected free agency before ultimately re-signing with the Halos on a minor-league deal later in the offseason. He'll provide the organization with rotation depth at Triple-A.
MARCH 6, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
Andrew Velazquez - Nabs start in center field Velazquez is starting in center field for the Angels in Monday's Cactus League contest versus the Guardians, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.
Impact Velazquez has played the outfield a decent amount in the minors, but his major-league experience is almost exclusively on the infield. However, the 28-year-old's best chance to be useful to the Angels is as a super utility player so he's going to see some action all over the field this spring.
MARCH 6, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
How new Angels coach Bill Hezel went from analyzing retirement plans to pitchers The Angels poached Bill Hezel from Driveline, but his resume also includes seven years of working in a cubicle.
MARCH 6, 2023 • THEATHLETIC.COM
Ohtani hits home run from his knee in return to Team Japan The last time Shohei Ohtani donned the uniform of Samurai Japan, he was just 21 years old and was still two years away from joining the Ange...
MARCH 6, 2023 • MLB.COM
Batting average risers: Luis Rengifo, Brandon Nimmo and more beneficiaries of MLB's new rules Michael Salfino identifies a half dozen hitters who, thanks to the new MLB rule changes, could see a nice uptick in batting average.
MARCH 6, 2023 • THEATHLETIC.COM
