ANAHEIM — Robert Stephenson is back. Again.
This time, he’s hoping it’s for good.
A day after Stephenson pitched in a game for the first time in 2½ months, he was somewhat reserved in celebrating the end of what has been nearly two full seasons of rehab.
“It’s definitely not 100%,” Stephenson said. “It obviously feels good, but there’s definitely times that I’ll have to just be careful with it and know that I can’t push it and really just let things go if it doesn’t feel good. Yesterday was kind of one of those days where I felt like I didn’t want to let it go too much, just to be careful with it. But having this offseason to help it fully recover in the next year, I can come back and be completely back to 100%.”
Asked for what he hopes to get out of the final five weeks of the season, he said: “The No. 1 thing is my health. I’d like to stay active the whole time. I don’t want to go back on the IL. I want to prioritize my health and be able to pitch these last five weeks of the season.”
Stephenson, 32, signed a three-year, $33-million deal prior to the 2024 season. He missed all of last season rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, finally making his Angels debut in May. Two games later, Stephenson was out again, this time with what described as a stretched nerve in his bicep.
He pitched a perfect inning Friday night, ending his latest rehab.
“Everything felt good,” Stephenson said Saturday. “I wasn’t quite as sharp as I was last time in May, but we’ll get there. It’s just going to take a little bit to just get better burying breaking balls, especially with two strikes. But I’m not going to be unhappy or not going to be mad about quick innings.”
For now, Stephenson is probably not going to be able to pitch on back-to-back days.
“We have this guy signed for a multi-year deal,” interim manager Ray Montgomery said. “We saw a setback earlier in the year. We don’t want to do anything that jeopardizes that.”
Stephenson has one year left on his contract. The Angels also have an option for just $2.5 million in 2027, the result of a clause that was triggered when he had elbow surgery.
If the Angels could keep Stephenson healthy, he could provide needed depth for the bullpen.
“It sets the bullpen up in a better flow,” Montgomery said.
TAYLOR IMPROVING
Utilityman Chris Taylor took ground balls Saturday and declared that he’s almost ready to return to action. Taylor has been out since July 25 with a broken hand.
Taylor broke his hand in early June and needed six weeks of rehab. The second time, though, he said the fracture was displaced, so he had surgery to have a screw inserted, and that’s sped up the recovery.
“I’m 3½ weeks since surgery and compared to where it was 3½ weeks after the first time, it’s like night and day,” Taylor said.
Taylor said just needs some live at-bats. The Angels could send him for a rehab assignment or some type of simulated game.
“I don’t know for sure,” Taylor said, “but I feel close.”
NOTES
Right-hander José Soriano was transferred from the paternity list to the restricted list Saturday. It was simply a paperwork move because the paternity list has a three-day limit and Soriano needed one more day to get back from the Dominican Republic, where the baby was born. Soriano is expected to rejoin the team Sunday, at which point the Angels will have to take one of their other pitchers off the roster. Soriano is scheduled to start Monday in Texas. …
Designated hitter Jorge Soler (back) continues to run and throw, but he still hasn’t taken any swings, Montgomery said. “He is progressing,” Montgomery said. “It’s just a tolerance thing. Day to day.” …
Closer Kenley Jansen said he was happy to hear that the Baseball Writers’ Assn. of America established a Relief Pitcher of the Year Award, to begin in 2026. “I think it’s nice to show credit or importance of what a bullpen means to a team,” Jansen said. Jansen is a strong Hall of Fame candidate, but he’s received Cy Young votes in only one season. He finished fifth in 2017. Jansen won the Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year, which is awarded by MLB, in 2016 and 2017. …
Former Angels infielder Kevin Newman signed a minor league deal with the Detroit Tigers. The Angels released Newman when they acquired Oswald Peraza at the trade deadline.
UP NEXT
Cubs (RHP Jameson Taillon, 8-6, 4.26) at Angels (RHP Kyle Hendricks, 6-8, 4.93), 1:07 p.m. Sunday, FanDuel Sports Network West, 830 AM