TAMPA — When right-hander Ian Anderson came jogging out of the Angels’ bullpen to try to hold a two-run lead in the seventh inning last week, it was a first for him.
Anderson, who had pitched the night before, had never pitched in games on back-to-back days in his life. He’d been a starter for his whole career.
It didn’t go well. Anderson gave up six hits, sending the Angels on their way to an ugly loss. Anderson called it a “learning experience” as he adjusts to a new role.
Meanwhile, left-hander Reid Detmers is going through the same transition. Detmers made his first career relief appearance last week, and he still hasn’t pitched on back-to-back days.
When Detmers was asked last week about how he’s going to adjust to various new aspects of his job, he acknowledged there’s a lot he just doesn’t know.
Both Anderson and Detmers say all the right things about this new role. Both have been through a lot in the past few years – Tommy John surgery for Anderson and inexplicable struggles and a demotion for Detmers – so they are eager to contribute however they can.
“It’s going to take some time to get used to, but I’m kind of having fun with it right now,” Detmers said. “It’s something different. It’s a new challenge.”
Added Anderson: “I’m just happy to be back in the big leagues and have a shot at contributing and helping a team win.”
The Angels put both on the roster because they felt they were among their 13 best pitchers, even if they weren’t among the top five starters.
Their inclusion does create some complications for managing the pitching staff, though.
First, the Angels would like to have both pitchers as options should they need a replacement for one of their current five starters. Both pitchers were stretched out as starters during spring training.
However, regular-season games don’t usually lend themselves to scheduling the workload of relievers.
Detmers made his debut last week, starting the sixth inning with the Angels trailing by two runs. The plan was for him to finish the game. But the Angels quickly tied the score, so they shifted to trying to win the game, which they did. Detmers threw only 40 pitches and 1⅔ innings.
The next two times he pitched were one- and two-batter outings.
The Angels used Anderson for the first time for just one inning, holding a one-run lead and getting the game from starter Kyle Hendricks to setup man Ben Joyce. Anderson worked a perfect inning, but that game went into extra innings, requiring so many other relievers that the next day, Anderson had to be used again.
None of that is ideal. On Saturday night, it worked better. Anderson came in with a seven-run lead and pitched the final two innings, throwing 37 pitches.
Pitching coach Barry Enright said “there’s an art” to managing the workloads for pitchers like Anderson and Detmers, who are relievers and starters-in-waiting.
Manager Ron Washington said if they get to a point where Detmers or Anderson aren’t getting enough work, they could set up a simulated game.
The Angels were briefly in this spot last season with right-hander José Soriano. Although Soriano clearly pitched well enough to be a starter during spring training, the Angels broke camp with him in the bullpen.
The first time they used him, he entered in the seventh inning with a three-run lead and he pitched the last three innings for a save. Five days later, the Angels had a spot for him to pitch three innings. Chase Silseth then got hurt, and Soriano went into the rotation, throwing just 72 pitches in his first start.
Washington said he’d similarly like to have Anderson and Detmers pitch two or three innings at a time if the games cooperate because that saves the bullpen and keeps the pitchers stretched out to potentially start.
Eventually, the Angels will need someone outside of their current five to start. Both Detmers and Anderson say they will be ready to start if asked.
In the meantime, they are both experimenting with how to handle their current roles.
“We’re both kind of going through the same thing together,” Anderson said. “We’ve both never been in this situation. We’ve been chatting a bunch, kind of feeling it out together.”
UP NEXT
Angels (RHP Kyle Hendricks, 0-0, 3.00 ERA) at Rays (RHP Shane Baz, 1-0, 0.00 ERA), Tuesday, 4:05 p.m., FDSN West, 830 AM
