Rhett Bollinger explores who might step up to fill the void left by Ben Joyce’s surgery.
The Rangers just signed Seong-Jun Kim, a two way player who is still in high school in Korea. He will graduate in January 2026. The Rangers also claimed Michael Helman off waivers and designated Jonathan Ornelas for assignment.
Left-hander Tyler Matzek cleared waivers and elected free agency. The Braves just released both Garrett Cooper and Jordan Weems. They activated Spencer Strider. The Cubs designated Nicky Lopez for assignment. The Royals did the same to Luke Maile.
The Mets released outfielder Billy McKinney. Pirates right-hander Jared Jones will likely undergo Tommy John surgery.
The Diamondbacks released Garrett Hampson. He’ll be a free agent after he clears waivers. The Padres released Oscar Gonzalez. If he gets through waivers he will pursue an opportunity in NPB.
Photo credit: Rex Fregosi
Paris in CF…Lugo getting a night off after last night
https://x.com/JeffFletcherOCR/status/1924948929906672056
SS Neto
1B Schanuel
3B Moncada
LF Ward
DH O’Hoppe
C D’Arnaud
RF Adell
2B Rengifo
CF Paris
Here I was propping up Lugo yesterday and indicating that he appears to have a good plan in the batters box…
Bachman activated and staying @ AAA.
No need to rush him, keep him there until he demonstrates consistency, low WHIP
He also needs to demonstrate that his arm & shoulder won’t shatter into a million pieces after 10 innings. That would help.
CMo talk is pretty relevant today..
“I’m hearing Angels top prospect Christian Moore has been promoted to Triple-A Salt Lake”
https://x.com/TaylorBlakeWard/status/1924915469011787860?t=lsBgwnrAafYpa48xCuXSBg&s=19
Putting him in SLC is seems like an effort to boost his confidence more than anything, but what do I know lol. LFG CMoooooo
Yes, hitting dingers at high altitude. PCL pitching is probably not as good as AA pitching as well?
combination of that and the AA team just being really really bad right now (probably not helping his headspace)
Sounds like a good argument to not promote him to the big club. Kinda really bad, too.
But Salt Lake isn’t much better. They’re sitting 8 games under .500.
Much stronger coaching staff under Schatzley imo with the Pandas.
Neto made the jump from there, right? Did not get a Bee sting.
Bizarre. Since their strongest coaching staff is at AA, as are the most neutral parks, and the best pitching prospects. (For example, the Pandas are going up against Chase Burns this afternoon.)
Really don’t see how this helps his development.
Maybe they just want to bump Placencia up to AA and keep him at 2b.
Not saying this is the reason, or whether it’s right or wrong but:
the Pandas are not good. Besides Rada and the pitching prospects, there’s not much there. No protection in the lineup, nothing really going for it whatsoever.
This is like a change of scenery trade without the trade. Is the ballpark a factor, sure. But sometimes a shooter just needs to get to the foul like to see a ball go in the basket to see a shot go in to get going.
Could be just a vote of confidence thing. Let’s get you up to AAA, let you mash, get your confidence back and see what happens
I’m not sure how any Angel fanatic can feel good about the player movements made by this regime. A lot of head scratchers.
I feel the same way…..
https://x.com/Jared_Tims/status/1924924994653716674
The Professor needs to educate the Scatamento StrAs tonight.
Kid Schanuel…..
https://x.com/JeffFletcherOCR/status/1924703936361238723
They certainly have been worth watching as of late.
Unpossible. Wash paid him off to say this. Fire Wash, fire Perry, Arte is evil.
If this is true it makes me very happy.They have more work to do with others.
We’re not supposed to be winning, but we are winning.
Even if this streak turns out to be nothing more than “trAdition”, this is still great fun.
In seasons future, we will regale with delight the stories of the “Doyer Sweep of 2025” with food and drink!
Stephenson actually on the mound.
https://x.com/AngelsMiLB/status/1923981860151099824
Nice to see our layaway reliever.
https://x.com/JeffFletcherOCR/status/1924932873431503217
Chase Silseth MIA in AAA SL, last start May 3, hasn’t pitched since? 5 starts in April. Still on the active roster. Should CTPG do a welfare/wellness check on him? Angels won’t. Was an arm with a hint of hopeium in it. Who has Dr. Nick’s office number?
I have been searching but cannot find anything online. He is still listed as active on the Bees’ roster. Mystery.
So, a little winning streak, including three incredible wins against the hated Doyers raises hopes.
Not to be turning down the setting on the hopium cannister, but Arturo is still the owner, Minasian is still the GM, and other than Neto and maybe O’Hoppe, the substandard roster is still that roster. No manager could succeed given this hand to play, although I’m still not a fan of the hitting coaches, and the defense and continuing mental mistakes don’t speak well of everyone involved. The losses will soon continue to pile up and the organizational dysfunction will continue until this changes.
However, until that happens, I too enjoy winning a few exciting games here and there.
Go Angels!
We can enjoy the ride until the end, you know like Thelma & Louise.
Absolutely Enjoy.
That’s the spirit
Do you think I’m wrong?
A bit surprised that Quesadilla wasn’t mentioned in the article re: replacements for Joyce. I suspect he’ll be called up soon. Very soon.
Christian Moore seems so far away from the “bigs”, I don’t even consider him when thinking about the roster.
The weirdest thing is the MIA power… he’s improved slightly in May (+.250 avg) but is hitting like Rada.
problem with that is you have to then DFA someone to make room for a guy you DFA’d just months earlier for his performance… and it could just backfire again.
I’m sure Trout will end up on the 60-day IL, and we could somehow survive without Connor Brogdon and a few others….but yeah, DFA roulette.
fair point
5/19 Top Prospect Performance: Hayden Alvarez (18 years old).
Alvarez is 6’3 OF, who signed for $685k out of the DR during the 2024 international signing period.
2/5
1 HR
1 double
2 runs scored
4 RBIs
1 SB
Season #s in Arizona Rookie Ball:
39 PA
.313 / .436 / .500
1 HR
1 double
5 RBIs
3 SB (75% success rate)
18% BB rate
20.5% K rate
Nice.
I’m stuck on him being named Hayden and from the DR. I can’t get past that. 😀
His parents were star wars fans
DR folk often have formal-sounding, vaguely patrician Anglo names, but usually misspelled eg “Davidxon.”
Jefry Marte was a personal favorite of mine.
how does it get any better than Vladimir?
Teoscar, Edwar, Winston, Huascar, Narciso
Walbert Urena has got to be Dominican then. I get hung up on that name every time I read it lol
We did our part, The Doyers have accomplished a first since 2018! A FOUR GAME LOSING STREAK!! Say thank-you to the Angels from the National League West.
Oh yeah, from the Mets too.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Wash got a fruit basket from the Padres yesterday morning.
I don’t know WTH is going on right now, but I am enjoying the ride.
Go Halos!!
Angels right now.
https://x.com/ClownWorld_/status/1924626361232326666
I knew my second job would be discovered here.
(The usher wandering aimlessly in the mezzanine)
I am sitting this AM with fingers crossed and saying a prayer that Lugo learned from yesterday’s game and returns to hot streak. Paris is a good and versatile fielder; Lugo is a very good fielder in CF getting a good jump am just maybe he does see better in Major League stadiums.
BTW, the HR Schanny hit was a HR in the Bigs in every park. I know we will all agree that he has improved.
Ward is just an enigma that is HR or bust this season, but his trade value is still looking darn good.
Four, fore, four, for, no matter how you spell 4, wins are fun to watch and makes one do dumb stuff like think the team is a .500 playing group, but “We won’t be fooled again” about keeping a player because we like him, other than Neto and O’Hoppe, no one is a keeper if it helps us improve. YUTs, baby, Yuts.
The Angels bring up the College drafted players before they are ready and to add to a dilemma, they do not really coach them properly while down on the farm. The big-league field is like a slaughterhouse as it is sink or swim. Schanny is either waking up (I hope) or he is on a hot spree and will come back to earth and hit .250 or worse. Riding a hot streak is certainly more fun to witness.
Ronald Acuna looks in a mirror and sees Mike Trout, “no, oh no, say it ain’t true”, but it is true.
Zach Neto
.283 / .333 / .545
144 OPS+
Nolan Schanuel
.277 / .365 / .406
119 OPS+
11.4% BB rate vs. 13.4% K rate 🤯
Logan O’Hoppe
.259 / .293 / .482
115 OPS+
Nolan is pretty good. Weird.
Paris and Adell lay awake at night yearning for Nolan’s K-rate.
Nolan Schanuel’s last 14 games:
60 PA
.373 / .467 / .510
4 doubles
1 HR
9 walks
6 strikeouts
Nolan is definitely taking a step forward. It is great seeing this core.
Impatiently waiting for CMo to join the party. Sensing he won’t be ready until 2027
Moore is now hitting .234 in AA. He hit .215 in April and is hitting .255 in May. So at least going in a positive direction. https://www.milb.com/player/christian-moore-695681?stats=gamelogs-r-hitting-mlb&year=2025
Season #s:
125 PA
1 HR
4 doubles
2 triples
32% K rate
17% BB rate
He’s been doing better over last 3 weeks. 32% K rate with nonexistent power is not gonna play in the majors.
This is just his age-22 season, so no rush. CMo clearly wasn’t in the same echelon of readiness that Neto and Schanuel were when drafted.
That is a quantified breakout in any organization, let’s go C-Mo!
Nolan will most likely never be the prototypical power 1B, but if he can keep the offense moving by hitting cheap singles and/or drawing walks at #2, I’ll take that over someone who is always swinging for the fences. And if he hits the occasional double or HR, then that’s a good bonus.
I’ve mentally comped him to Casey Kotchman. At his peak (2007-2011), Kotch slashed .273/.341/.405 with about 10 HRs and 26 doubles per year.
Nolan probably walks a little more and hits a few fewer doubles but I think the final OPS and wRC+ ends up about the same.
It’s a good comp. I’ve got him as James Loney. Or late career Eric Hosmer, without the glove.
Nolan finishing the season with a .800+ OPS would be huge win for org.
Of all qualified hitters in 2024, only 29 had an OPS over .800.