Los Angeles Angels

Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Robert Stephenson will miss the entire 2024 season with an elbow injury, per a team announcement on Wednesday.

Jeff Fletcher of the SoCal News Group added that the Angels will provide more details on Thursday.

The Angels signed Stephenson to a three-year, $33 million contract during the offseason after he posted a 2.35 ERA in 42 games for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2023.

Per Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors, Stephenson's contract marked the only multi-year deal the Angels gave out last offseason. He also offered more information on the contract.

"That deal contained a conditional $2.5MM team option for 2027 that would go into effect if Stephenson suffered damage to an elbow ligament that required an injured list stint of at least 130 consecutive days. It won't be entirely clear whether this qualifies until the team provides more specifics on the injury, but that seems possible."

Stephenson landed on the 10-day injured list on March 28 with right shoulder discomfort. He made his first rehab appearance on April 13 for the Triple-A Salt Lake City Bees but left after four pitches after noting right elbow concerns.

Stephenson has pitched eight seasons in the bigs with a career 4.64 ERA, beginning with the Cincinnati Reds in 2016. He stayed there for five seasons before heading to the Colorado Rockies via trade in Nov. 2020. Stephenson then linked up with the Pittsburgh Pirates off waivers in Aug. 2022 before they traded him to the Rays in June 2023.

Everything clicked for Stephenson in Tampa, far exceeding his career numbers while striking out 60 batters in 38.1 innings.

Stephenson was going to be a major piece in the Angels' bullpen, but unfortunately, the 30-year-old's season is now over.

Mike Trout is in the early stages of what should be an exciting season, but the Los Angeles Angels star has something just as exciting going on off the field.

The center fielder announced he and his wife, Jessica, are expecting a second child. He also revealed that the newest addition to his family is a boy.

With one son and another on the way, Trout could have a couple of future MLB stars in his family. They do have his genes, after all.

The three-time MVP is off to an outstanding start to the 2024 MLB season. He's already notched six home runs, which is tied for the most so far this year, along with eight RBI and a .318 batting average.

The Angels, who are entering a new era without star Shohei Ohtani, have split their games to begin the year, going 6-6. Los Angeles swept the Miami Marlins in a three-game series but have lost its other three series. This weekend, the Angels will take on the Boston Red Sox on the road. The Angels are looking for their first postseason appearance since 2014, but that task gets much more difficult with Ohtani off the roster.

Trout will have a heavy load to carry while leading the Angels this season, but he'll get to celebrate his new son along the way.

Add Mike Trout to the list of Caitlin Clark fans.

The Los Angeles Angels superstar posted an image of himself on Instagram wearing Clark's Iowa jersey ahead of Sunday's highly-anticipated showdown between the Hawkeyes and the undefeated South Carolina Gamecocks.

That's no surprise. Clark is an ascending superstar in the sport of basketball and was named the AP Player of the Year for the second consecutive season last week. She is among the factors in the continued rise in popularity for women's basketball, and has led Iowa back to the National Championship Game for the second straight year.

That has made her jersey an in-demand item. In February, online retailer Fanatics announced that Clark's jerseys and shirts had sold more than any other college athlete since it began selling collegiate athletic apparel in 2022 due to the changing NIL rules.

More than a few notable public figures have been among those rocking the Clark gear.

USWNT striker Alex Morgan brought a Clark jersey to the SheBelieves Cup and wore one before the San Diego Wave FC opener in March:

Country singer Tim McGraw rocked a Clark jersey while performing in Des Moines:

When Clark was poised to break Pete Maravich's all-time NCAA scoring record ahead of Iowa's final regular season game—a mark she ultimately surpassed—rapper Travis Scott said he wanted to get ahold of that jersey:

Clark's Iowa jersey is a hot item at the moment, but soon enough it will be her Indiana Fever uniform that is flying off the shelves. The Fever hold the top overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft and Clark is the presumptive favorite to be that selection.

Los Angeles Angels first baseman Nolan Schanuel's 36-game on-base streak to begin his career has ended after Major League Baseball retroactively changed his ninth-inning single to an error from his team's 13-4 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on March 30.

Brandon Deutsch of the Sporting Tribune provided more information:

Per Sam Blum of The Athletic, the Angels petitioned the league to have the scoring change reverted back to the original decision and spoke with MLB offices extensively on the matter. However, the decision will stand.

The Angels trailed 13-2 in the top of the ninth inning with runners on the corners and no one out during that aforementioned O's game.

Schanuel, who was hitless in his first three at-bats, struck a bouncing groundball to the right side.

Orioles first baseman Ryan Mountcastle snared the ball before it went to the outfield.

Mountcastle then tossed the ball to relief pitcher Mike Baumann for the out, but the right-hander dropped it while trying to get to the bag before Schanuel.

It was a tough play that could have been scored either way, but the ruling is now an error for Baumann after dropping the ball.

If the ruling stayed a hit, then Schanuel would have had a shot at breaking the all-time record for reaching base safely (getting on-base via error does not count). That mark was set by Seattle Mariners first baseman Alvin Davis in 1984. Sarah Langs of MLB.com provided the numbers.

Alas, Schanuel will go into the books with the third-best streak of all-time on this list at 30, still a very impressive feat in its own right.

Mike Trout has become saddled with the "injury-prone" tag in recent seasons, appearing in just 36 games in 2021, 119 games in 2022 and 82 games last season.

But the three-time AL MVP feels he still has plenty of great baseball left in the tank.

"I think a lot of people are writing me off," he told The Athletic's Sam Blum. "I just use it as motivation."

Trout, 32, has remained productive when he actually plays. He still blasted 40 homers and had a .999 OPS in 2022, and likely would have won the MVP award if he played in more games. He had a 1.090 OPS in 2021, and in half a season last year still hit .263 with 18 homers, 44 RBI, 54 runs and a .858 OPS.

He was an All-Star in all three seasons, an honor bestowed upon him 11 times. But can he stay healthy?

In 2021, it was a torn calf muscle. In 2022, back issues hampered him. Last season, he fractured the hamate bone in his left hand.

"I just want to be out there," Trout told reporters in September. "Injuries suck. All the hard work and stuff and just freak stuff happens. I try to stay positive."

General manager Perry Minasian believes Trout will prove his doubters wrong in 2024.

"Mike cares. Mike wants to win as bad as anybody. I think he's put himself in a really good spot," he told Blum. "The work he's done before he got to camp. The work he did in camp. The amount of games he's played. The amount of at-bats he's gotten, how strong he is. I think he's due for a big year."

He won't exactly have a loaded supporting cast, however, after Shohei Ohtani bolted for the Los Angeles Dodgers in free agency and the Angels cut payroll rather than spend this winter. Minasian said the team was "aggressive" in the trade market but ultimately didn't pull the trigger due to high asking prices.

"There were players we liked in the trade market that we felt like could really help the club," he said. "But what we were losing, we couldn't stomach. Some of the players that were on this roster, we really, really like. Some of the players that are in our minor leagues, regardless of what publications say, we feel like have a chance to be pretty impactful young players going forward. So we made the decision we made."

If the Angels flounder in 2024, will the team entertain trade offers for Trout, allowing him the chance to pursue the title that has eluded him? Trout has only made the postseason once with the organization—at some point, will he grow weary of that lack of success?

Time will tell. But actually staying on the diamond is the first goal for Trout.

Former Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter J.D. Martinez received contract offers from the New York Mets and Los Angeles Angels, both of which were "too low for his liking," per The New York Post's Jon Heyman.

Martinez, who is coming off a one-year, $10 million deal with the Dodgers, reportedly declined a $15 million bid from the San Francisco Giants. While he may not get the number from another team, Heyman noted that he's looking to get close.

Last season, Martinez had 117 hits, 33 home runs and 103 RBI.

According to Spotrac, the 36-year-old has a market value of $15.4 million. Martinez, a three-time Silver Slugger Award winner, was named an All-Star for the sixth time in his career last year.

For the Angels, Martinez could help fill the void that Shohei Ohtani left by joining the Los Angeles Dodgers. Ohtani had 44 homers and 95 RBI last year. While Martinez wouldn't bring everything Ohtani provided, he could give Los Angeles a much-needed boost on offense.

The Mets have no clear option at designated hitter, likely looking to a combination of Mark Vientos, Starling Marte and DJ Stewart, per The Athletic's Will Sammon. If New York landed Martinez, it would have an answer for its designated hitter spot and another weapon on offense.

If either team wants a shot at landing Martinez though, they will likely have to be willing to raise their offer.

Shohei Ohtani's representatives have reached out to authorities requesting an investigation into an alleged "massive theft" at the expense of the Los Angeles Dodgers star, according to ESPN's Tisha Thompson.

That comes in the wake of over $4.5 million from Ohtani's bank accounts allegedly being wire-transferred to a bookmaking operation. A spokesperson for the star slugger and pitcher initially said that the wire transfer was done to cover the gambling debts of Ippei Mizuhara, Ohtani's longtime interpreter, which Mizuhara himself confirmed to ESPN.

But a spokesperson for Ohtani later denied Mizuhara's claims, and the interpreter also changed his accounting of the situation, saying Ohtani had no knowledge of his gambling debts and didn't have any involvement in the situation.

Mizuhara, who has since been fired by the Dodgers, had initially said that he and Ohtani transferred money in $500,000 increments before backtracking on that story, saying the Dodgers superstar had no knowledge of his gambling activities. ESPN did review banking records that showed $500,000 transfers made in September and October.

Additionally, Thompson reported the following:

Federal authorities learned of Ohtani's wire payments in January as part of their investigation into Bowyer's bookmaking operation, a source told ESPN. ESPN reviewed wire-transfer data for two of the transactions, each totaling $500,000; "Shohei Otani" is visible alongside various bank account and wire-transfer information and the word "loan." "Otani" is the Japanese two-way player's legal name.

Thompson reported that "a source close to Ohtani gave an explanation for the changing storylines: As Ohtani's handlers tried to determine what had happened, they initially relied solely on Mizuhara, who continued to translate for Ohtani."

A Dodgers spokesperson told Thompson that Mizuhara addressed the team after Wednesday's game, "telling them a story was coming out and that it was all his fault, saying he has a gambling addiction."

Federal investigators, meanwhile, are currently looking into Southern California bookmaker Mathew Bowyer. The money wired from Ohtani's accounts allegedly was sent to one of Bowyer's associates.

Thompson noted that "sources close to the gambling operation" said Mizuhara dealt directly with Bowyer and didn't gamble on baseball, only "international soccer matches and other sports."

And Bowyer's attorney, Diane Bass, said he never met or spoke to Ohtani.

Mizuhara said he didn't realize placing bets through Bowyer was illegal.

"I want everyone to know Shohei had zero involvement in betting. I want people to know I did not know this was illegal," he told ESPN. "I learned my lesson the hard way. I will never do sports betting ever again."

Were Ohtani involved in sports wagering in any way, it would be the biggest gambling scandal in the sport since Pete Rose was banned from baseball for betting on games while he was a manager of the Cincinnati Reds. Even if no bets were placed on baseball, as Mizuhara has claimed, placing bets with illegal bookmakers is prohibited by Major League Baseball and sports gambling remains illegal in California.

Mizuhara is currently being investigated by the IRS, according to the Associated Press.

MLB Network's rankings aren't the only ones making baseball players mad going into the 2024 season.

In response to ESPN's annual ranking of the top 100 players right now, Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson took exception to a few things.

Speaking to ESPN's Buster Olney, Olson explained it was "ridiculous" to have Mike Trout at No. 19.

"I know there's always recency bias," Olson said, "but I'm a little more swayed by the guys who have been there and done it for a while ... Mike Trout at 19. That's ridiculous. Nolan Arenado at No. 44? Goldschmidt at 47? That's pretty wild."

Trout has become a difficult player to evaluate on a list like this. The three-time AL MVP is still very good when he plays, but he's only appeared in 237 games over the past three seasons.

Last season was Trout's worst since he played 40 games in 2011. He hit .263/.367/.490 with 18 homers in 82 games. While those would be outstanding numbers for most players, his 131 OPS+ was 42 points worse than his career mark and 36 points worse than his previous low mark in a single season (167 in 2020).

Trout told reporters near the end of last season he "hired a ton of people to work on my body" going into 2023 in an effort to stay healthy. His injury came at a random moment when he fouled a pitch off and broke a bone in his left hand.

The 11-time All-Star attempted to return after missing seven weeks, but he only played in one game before going back on the injured list with pain in his hand.

Even with some decline in his hitting performance last season, Trout still posted a three-win season, according to FanGraphs' wins above replacement. He was on pace for close to six WAR when you stretch that out over 162 games.

Despite the complaints about Trout's ranking, at least he's still recognized as a top-20 player by ESPN. MLB Network didn't even acknowledge Ozzie Albies, Olson's teammate, as one of the 10 best second baseman in its positional rankings unveiled in January.

After spending the last three seasons with the San Diego Padres, free-agent pitcher Blake Snell is reportedly believed to be staying on the West Coast.

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, MLB team executives "widely believe" that the two-time Cy Young winner "will ultimately sign with the Los Angeles Angels or possibly the San Francisco Giants."

Nightengale noted that the Philadelphia Phillies also "have interest" in Snell, but "only on a one-year or short-term contract."

Earlier this offseason, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reported that many believed Snell was "seeking a deal worth more than $200 million after winning his second Cy Young Award." However, with Opening Day quickly approaching on March 28, receiving a contract worth that amount appears increasingly less likely.

Signing a short-term deal could be the best possible avenue for Snell at this point. Fellow Scott Boras clients Cody Bellinger and Matt Chapman recently signed three-year deals that include opt-outs after the first year with the Chicago Cubs and Giants, respectively, so Snell could be in line for a similar contract.

It should be noted that Snell turned down a qualifying offer from the Padres, so any team that signs him will owe San Diego at least one draft pick. Because of this, teams could be less likely to offer Snell a deal where he opts out after just one year.

Snell was named the NL Cy Young Award winner after going 14-9 with a 2.25 ERA and 234 strikeouts in 2023. Any team that lands him would be getting an ace who can lead the starting rotation, so he likely won't remain unsigned for much longer.