What's the likelihood of Michael Trout playing the first game after the All-Star break?
@ShuebBaafe2
Who will get sent down when Trout gets back, Ben Revere or Eric Young?
@EdwardCastro10
Barring any setbacks, the plan is for Trout to rejoin the Angels for their second-half opener against the Rays next Friday. Trout served as the designated hitter in his first rehab game with Class A Advanced Inland Empire on Wednesday, but he still needs to ease back into playing the outfield, which likely will require at least a few more games in the California League.
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When Trout is ready to return to the Majors, the Angels will be faced with a tough call in terms of deciding whether to keep Revere or Young on their 25-man roster. Young provided a much-needed jolt for the Angels after Trout got hurt, but he's batting .161 with a .381 OPS in 12 games since June 20. Revere has struggled for most of the season, but he has begun to show signs of a turnaround and is hitting .370 with an .841 OPS in nine games over that span. It should also be noted that the Angels owe Revere $4 million this year, which could give them more of a reason to hold on to him.
If the Angels are buyers at the Deadline, do they have enough assets to get an impact player, and who might they go after?
@ChrisW1212
Assuming the Angels are in the Wild Card hunt at the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline, it's hard to see them landing an impact player because they don't have a bounty of top-tier prospects in their farm system. It's also difficult to predict which players they might target because there are many areas of their roster that could use upgrades.
The Angels' rotation has been hit hard by injuries, so perhaps it would make sense to try to add some pitching depth, but the club also has left-hander Tyler Skaggs and right-hander Matthew Shoemaker on the mend. Their bullpen has been their strength all season, but it currently lacks a lefty reliever. The Halos also have received the worst production in the Majors at second base (.538 OPS) and first base (.581 OPS). They tried to bolster their second-base options by bringing Nick Franklin into the mix, but a solution at first base has yet to appear, as Luis Valbuena, C.J. Cron and Jefry Marte have not performed as expected. Cron and Marte are at Triple-A, and Valbuena, who signed a two-year, $14 million deal in the offseason, is batting .188 with a .600 OPS in 54 games.
The Angels could stick with Valbuena and hope that he begins to hit closer to his career norms, but there will be some first basemen available on the trade market should they choose to look externally. Yonder Alonso, Lucas Duda and Matt Adams could be nice fits, but their price tags seem likely to take the Angels out of the running for their services.
What are the plans for Parker Bridwell with Shoemaker's return imminent?
@TWALTZ
Bridwell has certainly emerged as one of the more pleasant surprises of the Angels' season. After acquiring the 25-year-old right-hander from the Orioles in exchange for cash considerations or a player to be named later in April, the Angels gave Bridwell a chance to start in their organization, and he found himself in the club's Major League rotation just six weeks later. In six appearances for the Halos, Bridwell has logged a 3.24 ERA over 33 1/3 innings. Though the Angels initially expected Bridwell to make a few spot starts while Shoemaker recovered from a forearm strain, he'll likely keep his rotation spot in the near future, as Shoemaker suffered a setback following his first Minor League rehab start Tuesday.
The Angels technically optioned Bridwell to Triple-A Salt Lake on Thursday, but he wasn't going to make his next start until the second half, so he'll presumably be back once he's eligible to return on July 16.
What is the progress with Andrew Heaney?
-- Erik E., Indio, Calif.
Heaney has shifted his rehab from Tommy John surgery to Arizona, where he will face hitters and practice fielding drills before pitching in Minor League games. During Spring Training, the Angels said they did not expect Heaney to pitch this season, but they've since loosened their stance, leaving open the possibility of a 2017 return.
When do we expect to see Jo Adell play?
@CANTHITWITHRISP
Adell, the Angels' 2017 first-round Draft pick, is in Arizona with the club's Rookie-level affiliate and should make his professional debut at some point this summer. The 18-year-old remains years away from the Majors, however.