ANAHEIM — Although Shohei Ohtani has now had cramps impact his availability three times in the last 10 days, he was right back in the Angels’ lineup again on Friday night.
“A day off is not gonna help this,” Manager Phil Nevin said. “When he’s DH-ing, he comes out here four or five at-bats and he’s the best one in the game. Staying off for a day of hitting I don’t think is going to do anything for him. He wants to play. He wants to be out there. He would tell me if he needs (a day off). I’ve asked him and he absolutely wants to be out there.”
Nevin said the Angels still haven’t decided when his next start on the mound will be.
“I anticipate him being OK to make his next start,” Nevin said. “He feels good today, but we’ll keep evaluating it over the next couple days.”
Ohtani’s next turn would be on Wednesday, the final game of the homestand.
On Thursday night, Ohtani had thrown 59 pitches in four scoreless innings when he said he could not hold the baseball properly because of the cramping in his right middle finger. He was OK to remain in the game as a hitter, and he blasted his 40th home run.
Ohtani also had cramping throughout his body in the second game of a doubleheader last week in Detroit, and then in his legs the next night in Toronto.
Nevin said he believes Ohtani is already doing all he can to prevent the cramping.
“He’s staying hydrated, getting his proper rest, doing everything he can,” Nevin said. “It’s just been a big workload for him this year. Come game time, he’s always felt great.”
Nevin said he is always open to giving Ohtani a rest whenever he needs one.
“He takes good care of himself as anybody in this league,” Nevin said. “He knows his body better than anybody. I trust him when he tells me he needs to come out of the game or he knows he can play or he needs a day off. We have those communications every day.”
ONE IN, ONE OUT
It was fitting in this injury-marred season for the Angels that on the day they got Brandon Drury back after more than a month on the injured list, they had to put Zach Neto on the injured list with continued back trouble.
Drury, who has been out with shoulder inflammation, was planning to play at least four rehab games at Triple-A Salt Lake, but after he hit a home run in Thursday night’s game, Drury decided he was ready to go.
“Dru felt something in his swing where he knows he can let it go,” Nevin said. “He can finish with one hand. No restrictions on it. So that’s the point we wanted to get to.”
Drury had said that he thought he might only miss a few games, and then when he got a cortisone injection right before the All-Star break, he hoped to be back right after the break.
“It’s been tough,” he said. “The shoulder is something you really need to swing. That’s my lead arm. So that’s what my speed and power comes from. That quick, explosive movement just killed me for a while, but now it’s getting much better. I’m happy to be back.”
Drury said it “would be ideal” if he didn’t need to make any diving plays in the field, but he made one at Triple-A and it was “fine,” so he said he’s prepared to do whatever he has to do.
Nevin said the decision to activate Drury a day earlier than planned was not related to Neto going on the injured list.
Neto had missed three-game stretches twice with the back issue. On Friday, the Angels finally just put him on the injured list because it wasn’t getting better.
“It’s just something I’ve been playing through,” Neto said. “It’s just a matter if it’s tolerable to go out there and play. I felt like these past couple days it was tolerable to go out there but it’s just one of those things that’s annoying. It doesn’t go away. Nothing in particular happened. It’s just lingering.”
There is no timetable for how long Neto will be out.
“Hopefully come back as quick as possible, as healthy as possible,” Neto said. “For right now, it’s just a day-by-day thing.”
NOTES
Mike Trout (fractured hamate) “felt real good” after hitting off a tee, Nevin said. Trout can progress as quickly as his pain tolerance will allow. He’s been out a month so far. …
Right-hander Chris Devenski (hamstring) is scheduled for two more rehab games in the Arizona Complex League. …
Right-hander Griffin Canning (calf tightness) threw on flat ground on Friday. “He’s progressing fine,” Nevin said. …
Infielder Kevin Padlo cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Salt Lake. Padlo was designated for assignment when the Angels acquired Randal Grichuk and C.J. Cron.
UP NEXT
Mariners (RHP George Kirby, 9-8, 3.43 ERA) at Angels (LHP Tyler Anderson, 5-2, 4.98 ERA), Saturday, 6:07 p.m., Bally Sports West, 830 AM