ANAHEIM — Robert Stephenson’s goal of returning in August appears within reach after the oft-injured Angels reliever completed a 25-pitch live batting practice session before Monday night’s game against the Dodgers.
The veteran right-hander, who missed all of 2024 because of Tommy John surgery and has been limited to two late-May appearances this season because of a stretched biceps nerve, completed a similar workout at Class-A Inland Empire on Friday and could begin a minor league rehabilitation assignment later this week.
“These last couple of times is the best I’ve felt on the mound, where I actually felt comfortable letting it go a little bit more,” said Stephenson, who signed a three-year, $33 million contract before 2024. “So I’m really happy with that.”
Stephenson said his fastball hit 93-94 mph on Monday, and he was encouraged by the sliders and split-fingered fastballs that he threw.
“The velocity has been slowly creeping up,” said Stephenson, who was signed to be one of the team’s primary setup men. “I feel like it’s been a nice, steady improvement – nothing too drastic, to where I feel comfortable with the progress it’s making, and hopefully it just keeps moving in that direction.”
Interim manager Ray Montgomery said Stephenson’s next step will be to throw another live batting practice session or to begin what Stephenson believes will be a brief minor league stint.
“I would guess one or two [appearances] and then hopefully coming back very soon, because the window [on this season] is closing,” Stephenson said. “My goal was to come back in August rather than September to have as much of the season left as possible. But we’ll see how it goes.”
A STEP BACK FOR JACK
Long reliever Shaun Anderson was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake on Monday to fill the 26-man roster spot vacated by starter Jack Kochanowicz, who was demoted to the minor leagues for the second time in a month after Sunday’s rocky three-inning, nine-hit, seven-run start in a 9-5 loss to the Detroit Tigers.
Anderson will give the bullpen length after reliever Carson Fulmer threw 85 pitches over five innings in relief of Kochanowicz on Sunday. With an off-day on Thursday, the Angels won’t need a fifth starter again until an Aug. 20 game against the Cincinnati Reds.
Kochanowicz, a 24-year-old right-hander, is 3-10 with a 6.19 ERA in 22 starts this season. He went 0-1 with a 7.24 ERA in three starts after being recalled from Triple-A in late July. The Angels hope the sinker ball specialist will benefit from some time away from the bright lights and high stress of the major leagues.
“The biggest thing is when you’re searching for confidence, you have to have a little bit of gains and some successes that give you more of that,” Montgomery said. “I think taking the pressure off, going there and having the opportunity to stretch out, get to some secondary stuff and work on some of those things, will be a big help.”
TROUT STILL LIMITED
The Angels haven’t given up hope of Mike Trout playing defense again this season, but the chances of the three-time American League MVP returning to right field dwindle with each passing week.
Trout made 22 starts in the outfield in March and April but has been relegated to designated hitter duty since returning from a bone bruise in his surgically repaired left knee in late May. He did some outfield drills after the All-Star break but had to abort his comeback attempt because of discomfort in the knee.
While Trout, who turned 34 last week, has grown more accustomed to and comfortable with the DH role, he is not exactly thriving in it. He entered Monday with a .238 batting average and an .823 OPS, well below his career marks of .296 and .982.
Trout had 20 home runs and 50 RBIs in his first 90 games, but he struck out in 117 of 319 at-bats, a 30.1% strikeout rate that was the fourth-worst in the major leagues.
“I’m never gonna give up hope on anything as far as Mike goes,” Montgomery said of a possible return to right field for Trout. “I’m always gonna stay on the fact that he’s in the lineup every day, and that’s the most important thing.”
UP NEXT
Dodgers (RHP Emmet Sheehan (3-2, 3.00 ERA) at Angels (LHP Tyler Anderson (2-7, 4.63 ERA), Tuesday, 6:38 p.m., FDSN West, SNLA, 830 AM, 570 AM