NEW YORK — Chris Taylor played just two games in Arizona on his rehab assignment, and that was motivation enough to say he was ready to return to the majors.
“Excited to be here,” Taylor said on Monday, after he was activated from the injured list. “Playing in Arizona, it’ll make you want to come back real quick.”
Two games in the excessive heat of Arizona were plenty for Taylor, who was rehabbing from a broken hand. Taylor had four hits in six at-bats with two walks. He was also hit by a pitch.
“I felt like I swinging it pretty good when I was there,” Taylor said. “Obviously the pitching is not the same level, but overall, when I got injured my swing was in a good place. Hopefully I can pick up where I left off.”
Taylor was released earlier this season by the Dodgers, and he started slowly with the Angels. In his final five games before he was injured, he was 5 for 16 with three doubles and a homer.
The Angels could use him because the Angels are trying to keep third baseman Yoan Moncada from aggravating his knee injury by swinging from the right side, so Kevin Newman has been starting those games. Now, the Angels could start Taylor against lefties. Either he could play third or he could play second and move Luis Rengifo to third.
Taylor can also play right field, either starting when Jorge Soler needs a day off or going in for defense to replace Soler late in games. The Angels have been giving Soler regular days off in an effort to keep him healthy amid a much heavier workload in the outfield than expected.
The Angels optioned Gustavo Campero to make room for Taylor on the active roster.
SCHANUEL RETURNS
First baseman Nolan Schanuel was back in the Angels’ lineup a day after suffering a bruised left wrist when was hit by a pitch.
Schanuel said on Monday that he believed he had broken a bone when he was hit on Sunday. Even after X-rays revealed no fracture, he said he thought it was 50-50 whether he’d be able to play on Monday.
Schanuel took some swings in the cage and determined the pain was tolerable.
“It felt good enough to play,” he said. “For me, the most important thing is to be out on the field. So I’ll do whatever I can to get out there.”
NOTES
Second baseman Christian Moore (sprained thumb) is still not doing any baseball activity. Moore is doing strengthening exercises back in Southern California. After Moore was placed on the injured list on July 3, he said he hoped to be back in two weeks, but that was considered optimistic at the time. …
The Angels are still undecided on their starting pitcher for Wednesday. At this point the most likely options are some kind of bullpen game – with Jake Eder and/or Carson Fulmer involved – or bringing up Victor Mederos from Triple-A. There’s also an outside chance they could call up top pitching prospect George Klassen from Double-A. …
Right-hander Jack Kochanowicz did not throw any four-seam fastballs during his first Triple-A start of the season on Sunday. Kochanowicz was sent down after posting a 6.03 ERA in 19 major league starts. Interim manager Ray Montgomery said he doesn’t believe Kochanowicz should shelve his four-seamer entirely, but he did appreciate the effort to refine the sinker that has been his best pitch. …
Right-hander Caden Dana, who has been out of the Triple-A rotation for about a month because of fatigue, is scheduled to start again this week. …
Right-hander Ryan Johnson is not currently pitching at Class-A because the Angels are giving him a break to manage his workload. Johnson is not hurt. Johnson began the season in the major league bullpen, but he was sent to the minors to start. He has a 1.99 ERA in 10 Class-A starts. …
Right-hander Chase Silseth, who has also missed time at Triple-A with what the Angels called fatigue, has been working in shorter stints in the Arizona Complex League. The Angels are considering bringing him back to Triple-A as a reliever to make him a candidate to help in the major league bullpen in the second half.
UP NEXT
Angels (RHP Kyle Hendricks, 5-6, 4.88 ERA) at Mets (RHP Frankie Montas, 2-1, 5.03 ERA), Tuesday, 4:10 p.m. PT, FDSN West, 830 AM