ANAHEIM — Just four days after Angels relief pitcher Robert Stephenson said he was frustrated with the slow pace of his rehab, his outlook has changed.
The right-hander said on Tuesday that he felt his arm “turned for the better” once he got out to 120 feet in long toss, and he’s now scheduled to throw off the mound on Wednesday.
“I felt like I made some good progress,” Stephenson said. “It was slowly loosening up. But that’s a little bit of good news.”
Stephenson said he’s only going to throw fastballs in his first bullpen session, and he’ll throw the other pitches when he takes the mound for the second time.
Stephenson, 32, has pitched just two games in an Angels uniform since signing a three-year, $33 million deal in January 2024. He underwent Tommy John surgery last April, and returned 13 months later.
After a dominating perfect inning in his debut – two strikeouts and five whiffs on six swings at his slider – he felt discomfort in his second game two days later. He’s been out for nearly two months, including a month when he didn’t throw at all. Stephenson said it was a stretched nerve in his bicep, and the Angels call it bicep inflammation.
Now, he can finally see a light at the end of the tunnel.
“I’m happy with at least some progress,” he said.
MOORE UPDATE
Second baseman Christian Moore, who is out rehabbing from a sprained left thumb, went through a second straight day of full activity on Tuesday. Moore took batting practice on the field for the first time since he was injured.
“Every day better,” interim manager Ray Montgomery said. “The fact that he’s taking BP and came out of it fine, at least from what he told me, that’s a good sign. And he ran the bases afterward. The progression is moving good.”
Moore will need a short rehab assignment before being activated, but his progress so far would seem to indicate that rehab assignment could start within a few days.
HEATING UP
Infielder Luis Rengifo has fallen into a familiar pattern, getting better later in the season.
Rengifo hit .208 with a .498 OPS through his first 60 games. In the 40 games since, he’s hit .293 with a .771 OPS.
Rengifo also started slowly and finished strong in 2023 and 2024. He has no explanation for why that’s been his pattern.
“Sometimes you start hot and sometimes you start slow,” he said. “It’s part of the game.”
Montgomery had a theory that could account for the slow starts in 2024 and 2025. Rengifo’s 2023 and 2024 seasons were both ended by surgery – on his bicep and then his wrist – so that likely affected his winter.
“Your offseason program might be a little bit different,” Montgomery. “You might be a little getting to some of the things you’re normally doing, and then it takes a little time to wind that back out.”
Rengifo said this year’s improvement comes down to selecting pitches that he can get in the air better. Hitting coach Johnny Washington said last month they changed some parts of Rengifo’s swing to help him get more balls in the air.
Rengifo’s hot streak could generate some trade interest. Rengifo is a free agent at the end of the season, so the Angels would likely entertain offers for him.
“I don’t think about it,” said Rengifo, who is in his seventh season with the Angels. “We see a lot of things in Twitter and everybody talks about it, but I just go day by day and play the game.”
NOTES
Third baseman Yoán Moncada, who was out of the lineup on Sunday and Monday after being hit in the hand on Saturday, was healthy enough to play on Tuesday, Montgomery said. Moncada was not in the lineup, though, because the Angels were facing a left-handed pitcher. Moncada’s swing is still limited from the right side because of a knee injury. …
Montgomery gave no hints as to whether the Angels would be buying or selling at Thursday’s 3 p.m. PT trade deadline. “I wish I could tell you I feel confident about any direction they’re going,” Montgomery said. “The only thing I know they are doing is working.” Montgomery said he hadn’t had discussions about potential moves with General Manager Perry Minasian or assistant GM David Haynes.
UP NEXT
Rangers (RHP Nathan Eovaldi, 8-3, 1.50 ERA) at Angels (RHP José Soriano, 7-7, 3.79 ERA), Wednesday, 6:38 p.m., FDSN West, 830 AM