Looking Back
A former MVP goes on the DL for the first time while another hits 600 and a former World Series winner throws a no-no.
The Angels are trying to stay afloat for a potential playoff spot — they’re a game under .500 entering Sunday — but they were dealt a major blow over Memorial Day weekend when two-time American League MVP Mike Trout tore the UCL in his left thumb while sliding into second base in a game against the Marlins. He underwent surgery later in the week and is expected to miss six to eight weeks, which means he could be out until August.
This is the first time in Trout’s seven-year career that he has landed on the disabled list. He is not only the Angels’ best player but also in the conversation as the best player in Major League Baseball. At the time of his injury, he was hitting .337 with 16 home runs and 36 RBI in 47 games, putting him on pace to set career highs in those categories if he wasn’t facing an extended DL stint. With a full season under his belt, on that pace, he would certainly be in the conversation for an AL MVP again this season — he’s finished second in MVP voting three times, in addition to the two times he’s won it.
In Trout’s absence, OFs Eric Young Jr., Ben Revere and Shane Robinson are expected to see increased playing time, none of whom can come anywhere close to matching the production output the team is used to getting from Trout.
In better news for the Angels, veteran DH Albert Pujols hit his 600th career home run on Saturday in a home game against the Twins. Pujols becomes the ninth player in major-league history to join the 600-homer club. The milestone shot — a grand slam — came off of Twins SP Ervin Santana in the bottom of the fourth inning of a game the Angels went on to win, 7-2. It traveled an estimated 363 feet and was the three-time MVP’s only hit in four at-bats on the night.
Pujols hit No. 600 a few days after hitting his 599th home run on Tuesday. He is the first player to join the exclusive club since former DH Jim Thome launched his 600th on Aug. 15, 2011 — as a member of the Twins. The 37-year-old Pujols is the fourth-youngest player to hit 600 home runs and the first whose 600th was a grand slam. The closest active players behind Pujols on the all-time home run list are Tigers 1B Miguel Cabrera and Rangers 3B Adrian Beltre, who have 451 and 446, respectively, entering Sunday.
Nobody on the Diamondbacks hit a home run on Saturday — or a single, double or triple. Marlins SP Edinson Volquez no-hit the D-backs at home en route to a 3-0 win. Volquez walked two batters but faced the minimum 27 hitters in the game. He compiled 10 strikeouts and needed just 98 pitches to complete the sixth no-hitter in Marlins history and first of his career. He completed the game in style, striking out the side — SS Nick Ahmed and pinch hitters Daniel Descalso and Chris Owings — in the ninth inning.
There was some question about whether Volquez would even make it past the first hitter he faced in the game. He hurt his ankle covering first base on the game’s opening play when Diamondbacks CF Reymond Fuentes collided with him. He joked after the game that he “thought he broke [his] ankle.”
Volquez dedicated the no-hitter to friend and former Royals teammate Yordano Ventura, who passed away in a car crash in January, on what would have been Ventura’s 26th birthday.
In addition to Trout, other players who went on the DL this week include: A’s SP Kendall Graveman (shoulder), Royals SP Danny Duffy (oblique), Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia (wrist) and SP Eduardo Rodriguez (knee), Rockies RP Adam Ottavino (shoulder), Rays OF Peter Bourjos (elbow) and SP Matt Andriese (groin), Astros SP Joe Musgrove (shoulder), Phillies SP Vince Velasquez (elbow) and RP Joaquin Benoit (knee), Orioles C Welington Castillo (groin), Marlins SP Justin Nicolino (finger), Angels OF Cameron Maybin (oblique), Dodgers OF Joc Pederson (concussion) and SP Alex Wood (shoulder), Mariners SS Jean Segura (ankle), and White Sox RP Michael Ynoa (hip).
The Week Ahead
Some of the series to look for this week include a cross-country battle of division leaders when the NL West-leading Dodgers host the Nationals, who sit atop the NL East, for three games starting Monday. The Red Sox visit the Yankees for three starting Tuesday as the top two teams in the AL East continue their famed rivalry. The Cubs host the Rockies for a four-game start getting underway Thursday. The Yankees host the Orioles in another divisional battle starting Friday. In a series featuring teams exceeding expectations, the NL Central-leading Brewers head to Arizona to meet the Diamondbacks beginning Friday.
Some pitching performances of note this week include Dodgers SP Hyun-Jin Ryu filling in for Wood on Monday against the Nationals. Two struggling pitchers meet Tuesday at Yankee Stadium when Red Sox SP Drew Pomeranz takes the mound against Yankees SP Masahiro Tanaka. White Sox SP Jose Quintana hopes to right the ship Tuesday against the Rays and SP Chris Archer. Marlins SP Jeff Locke looks to follow-up a strong first start of the season as he opposes Cubs SP Jake Arrieta. Diamondbacks SP Robbie Ray hopes for a fourth-straight strong start Tuesday at home against the Padres, who throw SP Dinelson Lamet out there for his third start of the season. Wednesday sees Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw make his next start, taking on the Nationals. Red Sox SP David Price gets his third start of the season Thursday, against Yankees SP Michael Pineda. That’s also the day Volquez is slated to go for the “Johnny Vander Meer,” two straight no-hitters. He’ll face the Pirates in Pittsburgh. Mets SP Matt Harvey looks to improve upon his 5.43 ERA Friday when he takes on the Braves in Atlanta.
Thoughts From Scott 