OC Register: Angels prospect Jordyn Adams soaking up MLB experience despite limited playing time

[AngelsWin.com]

ARLINGTON, Texas — Jordyn Adams said his second start in the big leagues was much different than his first.

“I felt like I was actually all the way there,” the Angels’ rookie center fielder said Wednesday, a day after his second start. “The first game, so much adrenaline in me, I didn’t even feel like I was there. I felt like I was just floating around.”

Adams, 23, made his major league debut on Aug. 2 in Atlanta. In that game, he made a few defensive mistakes and went hitless in four at-bats.

After that, he was used as a defensive replacement or pinch-runner. He didn’t get a chance to start again until Tuesday night in Texas.

In his second game, Adams had no issues defensively – and he nearly made a spectacular catch to rob a homer. He was hitless in two at-bats.

Although Adams is 0 for 9 with five strikeouts in two weeks in the majors, he said he’s still getting an idea of what it takes to succeed in the big leagues.

He said he’s learned to stick to an approach during an at-bat.

“They’re throwing you certain pitches to throw you off that approach,” Adams said. “Just coming up to the big leagues it’s more of a being a student of the game and not the best athlete.”

The Angels’ first-round draft pick in 2018, Adams might be nearing the end of his first stint in the big leagues. Mike Trout is getting close to coming off the injured list, and presumably, Adams would go back to Triple-A when Trout is activated.

Manager Phil Nevin said Adams will still reap benefits from this time in the big leagues, even with limited action on the field.

“Just sitting in the dugout watching a big league game, things slow down for you,” Nevin said. “You understand the pace is obviously a lot different than a Triple-A game. For him to sit in and absorb this, it’s gonna be a great benefit for his career.”

TROUT UPDATE

Nevin said the Angels are ready “to move forward” with Trout because he feels good about what he’s been doing.

“We might be able to make a decision here in the next couple days as far as seeing some pitchers,” Nevin said. “All of us are very encouraged about where he’s at.”

General Manager Perry Minasian said on Tuesday that the hoped Trout could face live pitching on Thursday, an off day for the Angels. Nevin said Wednesday that remains a possibility.

Trout is six weeks past surgery to remove the fractured hamate bone from his left hand. The normal rehab time is four to eight weeks.

MORE TROUBLE FOR CRON

First baseman C.J. Cron was out of the lineup because of continued trouble with lower back stiffness, Nevin said.

Cron is going to be re-evaluated when the Angels return home on Thursday. Cron had back issues with the Colorado Rockies before the Angels acquired him on July 30.

RENDON’S INJURY

Third baseman Anthony Rendon still has not begun baseball activity more than six weeks after suffering a bone bruise from fouling a ball off his shin.

Dr. Frank Petrigliano, an orthopedic surgeon and chief of the USC Epstein Center for Sports Medicine at Keck Medicine of USC, said there’s nothing unusual about the rehab taking this long.

“I think this is completely within the normal timeframe,” said Petrigliano, speaking in general terms because he hasn’t evaluated Rendon. “And it may take a while for him to get back, which is disappointing because obviously he’s had other issues.”

Petrigliano also said there was nothing unusual about the fact that the Angels only performed an X-ray and CT scan immediately after the injury, not doing an MRI exam for a couple of weeks. The MRI is what showed the bleeding in the bone.

Petrigliano said even if they had done an MRI immediately and been able to diagnose the bone bruise, they couldn’t have made it heal any faster.

“Basically, it’s going to be painful until the body starts to resorb that blood,” he said. “It can take many weeks.”

NOTES

The Angels still haven’t officially set Shohei Ohtani’s next start, but Nevin said it “looks like Wednesday.” That would be the final game of the upcoming homestand, (Aug. 23) against the Cincinnati Reds. …

Catcher Logan O’Hoppe was 1 for 2 and he played five innings at catcher in the first game of his rehab assignment at Triple-A on Tuesday. O’Hoppe was in the lineup again at catcher on Wednesday. The Angels are targeting a return for him next weekend, when the Angels are playing the New York Mets at Citi Field.

UP NEXT

Rays (TBD) at Angels (LHP Tyler Anderson, 5-4, 5.28 ERA), Friday, 6:38 p.m., Bally Sports West, 830 AM

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[Slegnaac]

Angels trade for player with known back issues.  Did the medical staff get pressured to sign off on Cron during the trade process?

 

They should let Ohtani pitch every Wednesday for the rest of the season.  Four of those Wednesdays are followed by a day off, giving him a full recovery day.

[Angelsjunky]

I do like the sound of Adams' attitude - he sounds like a smart kid, like he's thinking about the game and what it takes. Maybe he's a guy who can optimize what he has, and end up as something like a lesser version of Mike Cameron (who was really good and a bit underrated).

[Inside Pitch]

On 8/16/2023 at 10:45 PM, Angelsjunky said:

I do like the sound of Adams' attitude - he sounds like a smart kid, like he's thinking about the game and what it takes. Maybe he's a guy who can optimize what he has, and end up as something like a lesser version of Mike Cameron (who was really good and a bit underrated).

As you well know, Cameron is one of my all time favorite underrated players.  Never seen a guy catch so much shit despite being so good, but it made sense given he played the bulk of his career at a time when batting average was still viewed as a key stat and Ks were still somewhat frowned upon.

[CaliAngel]

I have faith in Adams. More than Adell. Good frame of mind. Take a chill pill on those throws tho bro.

Trout: Please don't rush. The season is over. Recover, train, look to the future, we don't need you now.

Cron, lol.

Rendon, please, just dump him.

I'm so sick of people on the telecast talking about Rendon like he's some godsend when he's been nothing but a useless dumpster fire (some dumpster fires are useful).

[Angelsjunky]

On 8/18/2023 at 11:57 AM, Inside Pitch said:

As you well know, Cameron is one of my all time favorite underrated players.  Never seen a guy catch so much shit despite being so good, but it made sense given he played the bulk of his career at a time when batting average was still viewed as a key stat and Ks were still somewhat frowned upon.

I vaguely remember now that like Cameron. But yeah, he's the type of player I enjoy looking over his stats, sort of in the Amos Otis category of underrated but very good.