Los Angeles Angels

Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani will have the opportunity to hit and pitch in the 2021 MLB All-Star Game.

The 27-year-old became the first player in history to be voted into the Midsummer Classic as a position player and pitcher. Angels manager Joe Maddon confirmed Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash is planning to use him in both roles.

"The conclusion is that he will pitch, but how it's going to happen has not been concluded," Maddon told reporters. "There's different ways to do it, obviously. He could start the game or come in game-in-progress. And how often do you hit him? And don't forget he'll be in the Home Run Derby the day before. There's a lot going on there. But Shohei is into it. It's not like we're trying to push him into doing anything. We're just trying to figure out the best way to do it."

The Angels skipper alluded to how making that a reality might be a little tricky, though.

Ohtani was voted in as the designated hitter for the American League's starting lineup. That presents a straightforward scenario in which he's also the starting pitcher. In the event Cash brings him out of the bullpen, things become more complicated.

The problem with an unprecedented situation is that MLB doesn't have any rules on the book to address it. The league hasn't faced a scenario in which an offensive player would exit the All-Star Game and then re-enter as a pitcher. 

MLB famously stuck rigidly to the rules in 2002—when both leagues ran out of pitchers—and ended the All-Star Game in a tie.

But there wouldn't be much harm in allowing Ohtani to make a quick departure, warm up in the bullpen and take the mound.

The All-Star Game has resumed being a pure exhibition since MLB removed the stipulation that the outcome would determine which league had home-field advantage in the World Series. And it's not as if this is likely to become an issue in future All-Star Games since Ohtani is such an anomaly.

The fans will understandably want to see the Japanese slugger pitch and hit and will wind up disappointed if it doesn't happen.

Los Angeles Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon exited Sunday's game against the Baltimore Orioles because of left hamstring tightness.

Rendon was 1-for-2 with a walk in the contest prior to exiting, with his hit coming in the form of a solo shot in the bottom of the third. Luis Rengifo replaced Rendon at the hot corner.

After the game, manager Joe Maddon let it be known the team's training staff does not believe Rendon's injury is anything serious.

"It should not be something elongated," Maddon said. "That's the original diagnosis I've been given."

The 31-year-old was the prized jewel of the Angels' 2019 winter, signing a seven-year, $245 million deal to join forces with Mike Trout. He responded by playing 52 games in 2020's COVID-19 shortened season, hitting .286 with nine homers, 31 RBI, 29 runs and a .915 OPS. 

Translated to a 162-game season, Rendon would have settled around 28 homers and 96 RBI. Solid production. 

He entered Sunday's action hitting .237/.325/.367 with five homers and 33 RBI through his first 57 games.  

Injuries have played a factor in Rendon's 2021 season, however, with a left knee contusion costing him time in May after he hit a foul ball off his leg. Luckily, X-rays on his knee came back negative, meaning a potentially bad injury was a more minor one.

"It did not look good live—he hit himself pretty good," manager Joe Maddon told reporters at the time. "You see guys get hit like that, you think a lot of different things."

He also missed time in April with a left groin strain. 

Rendon's hamstring injury is the latest blow to an Angels lineup that is missing key bats. Both Mike Trout (calf) and Justin Upton (back) are currently on the injured list.

Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani added another incredible feat to his eye-popping 2021 season.

The 26-year-old earned his first All-Star nod as a position player and a pitcher. No player in league history was simultaneously an All-Star in both categories.

Entering Sunday, Ohtani led MLB in home runs (30) and slugging percentage (.700). He was also batting .278 with a .367 on-base percentage. He added his 31st homer against the Baltimore Orioles.

As if that isn't enough, the right-hander is 3-1 with a 3.60 ERA and 83 strikeouts in 60 innings over 12 starts.

The All-Star roster reveal is another reminder that Ohtani's season shouldn't be taken for granted. What he's doing right now probably won't be replicated for the foreseeable future.

Los Angeles Angels manager Joe Maddon wants to see two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani both hit and pitch during the upcoming MLB All-Star Game.

According to Joe Reedy of the Associated Press, Maddon said:

"The maximum participation of Shohei within limits to me is the right thing to do. What else could you possibly want? We have to do it in a manner that is not going to be destructive in some way.

"In order to have him both pitch and hit, you have to relax a bit, the DH rule. I think they're prepared to do those kinds of things."

Ohtani, who has starred at the plate and on the mound this season, was voted in as the starting designated hitter for the American League squad in the 2021 MLB All-Star Game, which will take place July 13 at Coors Field in Denver.

The 26-year-old native of Japan is in his fourth MLB season, and he has finally developed into the superstar the Angels expected when they signed him.

Ohtani is enjoying by far his best season as a batter, hitting .280 with an MLB-leading 30 home runs. He also has 66 RBI, 58 runs scored and 12 stolen bases.

In addition, he performed well as the Angels' ace starting pitcher, posting a 3-1 record with a 3.60 ERA and 83 strikeouts over 60 innings.

Maddon said he has been in contact with Tampa Bay Rays and AL All-Star manager Kevin Cash about using Ohtani in every capacity and doing it safely during the All-Star Game.

As Maddon noted, MLB will have to alter the usual DH rule for the All-Star Game if the league desires to have Ohtani hit and pitch. The rule for non-exhibition games states that the designated hitter cannot play the field, meaning Ohtani would be ineligible to pitch in the All-Star Game under normal regulations.

Regarding how he expects to be used during the All-Star Game, Ohtani said through a translator:

"I think as players we're all like just pieces of the puzzle, and it's all up to the manager, how he's going to decide to use me. That's all I can say for now. It is a pretty big milestone. I want the team to win first. As long as I'm performing and helping the team win, I felt like it should come natural for me to be selected as an All-Star."

In addition to hitting and possibly pitching in the All-Star Game, Ohtani will take part in the Home Run Derby .

Ohtani will be part of a stacked field in the Derby that includes New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story, Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez and Baltimore Orioles first baseman Trey Mancini.

As the front-runner for AL MVP and one of the most rare players in MLB history, Ohtani will have all eyes on him in Colorado, and he figures to be the biggest draw with regard to the All-Star festivities.

If MLB is willing to make some concessions to make it possible for Ohtani to hit and pitch in the All-Star Game, it could go a long way toward generating additional interest in the event.

The family of late Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Tyler Skaggs has filed suit against the team, according to the Los Angeles Times' Nathan Fenno.

Fenno reported Skaggs' widow, Carli Skaggs, and his parents, Darrell and Debbie Skaggs, have filed negligence and wrongful death lawsuits in connection with his overdose death in 2019, alleging that former communications director Eric Kay was distributing illegal drugs to Angels players.

Carli Skaggs' lawsuit said, per Fenno:

The Angels owed Tyler Skaggs a duty to provide a safe place to work and play baseball. The Angels breached their duty when they allowed Kay, a drug addict, complete access to Tyler. The Angels also breached their duty when they allowed Kay to provide Tyler with dangerous illegal drugs. The Angels should have known Kay was dealing drugs to players. Tyler died as a result of the Angels' breach of their duties.

The Angels issued a statement Tuesday, saying the lawsuits are "entirely without merit":

Skaggs was found dead in his Southlake, Texas, hotel room on July 1, 2019. Following an autopsy, the Tarrant County medical examiner’s office said he died of an accidental drug overdose.

In October 2019, ESPN's T.J. Quinn reported Kay had spoken with officials from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and admitted giving oxycodone to Skaggs. Oxycodone was one of the substances in Skaggs's system at the time of his death.

Kay also told investigators he had informed two members of the Angels organization of Skaggs' drug use as early as 2017. Tim Mead, the team's former vice president of communications and one of the employees in question, denied the allegation. 

"I have had a lot of conversations with Eric Kay about a lot of things, but opioids and Tyler Skaggs were not one of them," Mead told Quinn, adding he wasn't aware of Skaggs' misusing opioids.

Both Mead and Kay are named as defendants in the lawsuits.

Quinn shared screenshots of Venmo transactions allegedly conducted between Kay and Skaggs. Kay's mother, Sandy, and wife, Camela, also told Quinn he had received a text from Skaggs about procuring unspecified drugs. Upon seeing the communications between Kay and Skaggs, Sandy Kay said she reached out to the Angels about the situation in order for Skaggs to stop messaging her son.

Last August, Kay was arrested and charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl resulting from Skaggs' death. He pleaded not guilty.

Dylan Bundy's season has hit a speed bump after the Los Angeles Angels right-hander left Monday's game against the New York Yankees after experiencing heat exhaustion.

Yankees second baseman DJ LeMahieu was up to bat with two outs in the second inning when Bundy began vomiting on the mound. MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger noted the 28-year-old was "visibly sweating throughout his outing" as the temperature hit 90 degrees at Yankee Stadium.

Bundy has struggled to start this season with a 6.68 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 63.1 innings through 13 starts.

The 2017 season was the first time he looked anything like the pitcher the Baltimore Orioles thought they were getting when he was drafted fourth overall in 2011. He had a 4.24 ERA with 152 strikeouts in 169.2 innings.

Things ultimately never came together for Bundy in Baltimore. He posted a 4.67 ERA in five seasons before being traded to the Angels in December 2019. He responded well to the move with a 3.29 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 65.2 innings over 11 starts.

Los Angeles is counting on Bundy to help stabilize the back of its rotation as the team pursues a playoff spot for the first time since 2014. He has stayed mostly healthy the past three seasons, making a combined 72 starts.

Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani will participate in the Home Run Derby at Coors Field in Denver on July 12, he announced Friday.

The two-way star has gone yard 19 times this season, so he is well on his way to surpassing his career high of 22 from his rookie season in 2018. His total ranks third in MLB behind Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Fernando Tatis Jr., who have 22 apiece.

Ohtani, who is the first confirmed participant in the competition, is slashing .270/.354/.615, and he's 3-1 on the bump with a 2.70 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 73 strikeouts in 53.1 innings.

According to Baseball Savant, Ohtani would have 17 home runs this season if he played all his games at Coors Field.

He's a near lock to participate in the All-Star Game itself since he easily outpaced Boston Red Sox star J.D. Martinez to hold the American League's designated hitter spot when the first set of vote totals was released Monday.

A second voting period opens June 27.

Angels manager Joe Maddon hinted Monday that he wasn't opposed to Ohtani's taking part in the Home Run Derby.

"I'm not as against that as others," Maddon told reporters. "I just don't like it when it becomes never-ending. You know, there's got to be a more finite method of doing this. It is exhausting. It can be exhausting. But again, that would be something that I would want to ask him how he felt about it. He will be honest. I don't think this is something you want to attempt to force him to do or not to do."

The only way this could be more fun is if Ohtani could put all his talents on display and played both sides of the ball in the All-Star Game. For now, we can at least count on seeing him at the Home Run Derby.

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout didn't commit to a return date but remains positive about his recovery from a right calf strain.

"I'm happy with my progress so far," Trout told reporters Monday. "It has been good the last couple of days. I should have a better idea on a return date once I start moving around, as in jogging and running."

The 29-year-old started the 2021 season on fire, hitting .333 with eight home runs, 18 RBI and a 1.090 OPS in 36 games.

However, Trout left his team's May 17 game against Cleveland with a Grade 2 right calf strain. He was placed on the injured list.

Despite the time he has missed, he remains 14th among position players in WAR (2.4), per FanGraphs, a testament to his performance so far.

Trout's absence obviously continues to leave a massive hole in the Angels lineup. As long as he's out, the 27-32 Angels will likely continue to struggle making up ground on their division rivals. They sit seven games back of the first-place Oakland Athletics.

Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani will miss his scheduled start on Thursday against the Oakland Athletics. 

He's not injured—he just got stuck in traffic.

Manager Joe Maddon told reporters that Ohtani was on one of the team's buses that got stuck in traffic, so he was forced to take a BART train to Oakland's RingCentral Coliseum. He'll now bat second as the team's designated hitter on Thursday and start on Friday. 

The change came because Ohtani wasn't able to get to the stadium in time for an adequate warm-up. Patrick Sandoval will start in his place Thursday. 

According to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com, an accident on the Bay Bridge, which connects San Francisco to Oakland, delayed the team's travel. San Francisco's rapid transit system replied to his report, denying that there was any issue on the BART that further delayed the team's arrival. 

Ohtani has made six starts this season, amassing a 2.37 ERA while allowing three home runs and fanning 45 in 30.1 innings. His presence on the mound could have gotten the Angels off to a strong start in their four-game series with their AL West rival. 

Sandoval has made two starts in five appearances this season, his third in the league, with a 4.96 ERA. 

The Angels (22-27) are fourth in the division and six games behind the first-place A's (29-22).