Schanuel, Paris done for the year; Natera avoids surgery

ANAHEIM -- First baseman Nolan Schanuel and infielder Kyren Paris both said Friday they will miss the rest of the season due to injury. But the Angels received good news that lefty reliever Samy Natera Jr. won’t need surgery after being diagnosed with left forearm inflammation.

Schanuel, who has been out since Aug. 20 with a right intercostal strain, played in one rehab game with Triple-A Salt Lake on Sunday, but he aggravated the injury in the first inning and played through discomfort. He returned to Anaheim to undergo further testing and treatment and the Angels decided it would be best to shut him down. Vaughn Grissom and Moisés Ballesteros will continue to see action at first over the final nine games.

“Went on a rehab, tried to come back, and wasn't feeling any better,” Schanuel said. “And talked to [head trainer Mike] Frostad and the training staff, and just thought it was best to take it easy and get back to being healthy.”

Schanuel, 24, finishes his season with a .276/.351/.385 slash line with seven homers, 22 doubles and 49 RBIs in 107 games. Schanuel, in his third full year as the club’s starting first baseman, struggled early in the year while dealing with an ankle injury. But he finished strong, slashing .290/.370/.391 over his last 78 games.

“Just understanding that I can be a really good contact bat in the lineup and hit for a high average, get on base, and the power will come,” Schanuel said. “I think if my power shows in doubles, then that's the kind of hitter I have to be. Looking forward to a good offseason, train, see where it goes and come back and have a good spring.”

Like Schanuel, Natera was already on the injured list, but Paris was placed on the 10-day IL before Friday’s game with a right index finger fracture sustained while fielding grounders during infield practice before Thursday’s game. Center fielder Bryce Teodosio was called up and will mostly be used as a defensive replacement and pinch-runner.

Natera had been out since Sept. 11 with left forearm inflammation, which often can be a precursor to Tommy John surgery. But after undergoing an MRI exam, Natera was told he didn’t sustain any ligament damage and will have a six-week recovery period that won’t affect his offseason.

It was a big sigh of relief for Natera and the Angels, as he was impressive as a rookie this season with a 3.13 ERA with 48 strikeouts in 31 2/3 innings. The 26-year-old also picked up three saves and looks to be a big part of the club’s bullpen going forward.

“I really wanted to finish strong, but this happened so I just got to get ready for next year,” Natera said. “It's my first year here and just to see that I can hang here, it's good and just motivating for next year.”

Paris, meanwhile, scuffled offensively, going 0-for-15 with eight strikeouts in eight games as a September callup. But the 24-year-old fared well at Salt Lake, slashing .307/.427/.554 with 13 homers and 50 RBIs in 62 games.

He said he suffered a fluke injury but the recovery time is six weeks, so he’ll also be able to have a normal offseason. Paris remains someone who could provide infield depth next season, but he has to prove he can hit at the Major League level.

“I was really just learning more about who I am as a hitter, learning more about my approach,” Paris said. “Then just working with the hitting staff there on a daily basis. Really just keeping things simple. And then I think just reps. Just seeing a lot more pitching, you kind of develop into becoming a better hitter.”