ARLINGTON, Texas — Torii Hunter, who knows a little about playing center field, already likes what he’s seen from Angels center fielder Bryce Teodosio.
He also believes there’s more in there.
“He still has a lot of upside and a lot of things that he can work on and correct,” said Hunter, an Angels special assistant who regularly shows up in uniform when the team plays near his home in the Dallas area. “Right now he’s going off sheer talent, but he’s up here with the right people.”
Hunter, a nine-time Gold Glove Award winner, goes back a few years with Teodosio. Hunter’s son, Torii Jr., played with Teodosio in the Angels’ farm system.
On Monday, Teodosio had a chance to catch up with both Hunters, but they didn’t talk much shop. The elder Hunter said whenever Teodosio wants some of what he has to offer about playing center field, he’s ready to share.
“If the opportunity presents itself and he comes to me, then I know he’s open for what I have to say,” Hunter said. “You can’t just force nothing on anybody. I’m watching and right now he’s playing OK. … Right now you see flashes of all the things that he does and what he can do.”
Teodosio’s defensive metrics have already put him among the best center fielders in the majors in the three-plus weeks he’s had the job. At the plate, he’s hitting .211 with a .568 OPS after a hot start. Hunter believes that Teodosio will also be productive offensively.
“He’s gonna hit because of that speed,” Hunter said. “He’s gonna play center field. And you’ve got to take that from him right now, because in center field he’s been doing pretty well. We need that.”
Hunter said he’s also had a chance to talk to second baseman Christian Moore this week in Texas. Hunter met Moore just after he was drafted last summer.
“We had a great conversation,” Hunter said. “I don’t want to throw out there what he said, but we did have a great conversation about this game, about the major leagues. It’s totally different. But he’s open for a lot. This dude, I had him when he came in and transitioned last year for a week, and the bulldog he has inside of him is something different. Now it’s about maturity, understanding the league and making adjustments. Give him a couple months, maybe a couple years – hopefully not too many – and this guy’s gonna be a superstar. You’re gonna see the bulldog in him. He’s a dog. In a good way.”
Hunter also said he’s still interested in becoming a manager. For now, he’s busy enough, as owner of five restaurants, two coffee shops, a brewery, a cigar lounge and a creative space.
“If the opportunity (to manage) presents itself, I think that’s something I would definitely look into, a hard consideration,” Hunter said.
NOTES
Utilityman Chris Taylor will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A on Wednesday. It’s a short trip because Salt Lake is playing at Round Rock (Texas), which is just a couple of hours from Arlington. Taylor, who is rehabbing from a broken hand, is expected to play four or five games in the minors. …
Tyler Anderson, who is on paternity leave, is scheduled to pitch the series finale on Wednesday, but the Angels were still waiting to confirm with him that he’ll be ready to go. If not, they are prepared to shift Anderson to Friday and bring up someone else to pitch Wednesday. …
The Rangers are undecided on Wednesday’s starter because ace Nathan Eovaldi has a rotator cuff strain, ending his season. …
Montgomery said right-hander Carson Fulmer has so far been diagnosed with an elbow strain, but he’s going to undergo more tests. …
Montgomery said there’s no update so far on right-hander Victor Mederos, who was scheduled to have an MRI on his shoulder on Tuesday. …
Right-handed reliever Ben Joyce said he was cleared to begin throwing in two weeks. Joyce, who had season-ending shoulder surgery in April, had a follow-up appointment with Dr. Keith Meister on Tuesday. …
First baseman Nolan Schanuel said his left wrist is still too sore for him to begin any baseball activity. …
Yoán Moncada still can’t hit right-handed, but the switch hitter attempted to hit left-handed against a left-handed pitcher. He swung at the first pitch and hit a weak ground ball to first base. The Angels had a 3-0 lead at the time, and there were two outs and a runner at first, so it made sense to essentially give away that at-bat in order to keep the third baseman’s glove in the game. …
A young girl standing behind the Angels’ dugout during batting practice was holding a sign that said she would trade Zach Neto some of his favorite candy for a bat. Neto made the deal, giving her a bat and taking the candy: Sweet Tarts Ropes.
UP NEXT
Angels (LHP Tyler Anderson, 2-8, 4.73 ERA) at Rangers (TBD), Tuesday, 5:05 p.m. PT, FDSN West, 830 AM