(Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Angels are about to start the 2023 season.
They will do it with a couple of notable absences, though.
“Jared Walsh will start the season on the IL as he deals with headaches and insomnia. He’s doing a two-week program. Max Stassi will also start the season on the IL with a hip issue. Logan O’Hoppe and Jake Lamb made the team,” Angels insider Sam Blum tweeted.
Jared Walsh will start the season on the IL as he deals with headaches and insomnia. He’s doing a two-week program.
Max Stassi will also start the season on the IL with a hip issue.
Logan O’Hoppe and Jake Lamb made the team.
— Sam Blum (@SamBlum3) March 27, 2023
After two really productive seasons in 2020 and 2021, Walsh regressed last year to a .215/.269/.374 line.
He was one of the worst regulars for the Angels in 2022, with -0.6 Wins Above Replacement (WAR).
Hopefully the two-week program helps him solve his health issues and he can return to his previous level in no time.
Stassi was scheduled for a lot of work from the catcher position, but won’t be ready in time.
It looks like Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani (and Anthony Rendon, Taylor Ward, Tyler Anderson, and other top players) will have to deal with a bit of a short-handed roster early on.
The 2023 campaign can be a pivotal one for the future of the franchise.
It will be the year in which Ohtani decides whether he wants to be part of the Angels’ future or not.
Everybody will need to work together to make sure that happens.
Walsh and Stassi will be big parts of that, too.
If they are fully healthy, they can be above-average offensive contributors.
Not having them on the roster will undoubtedly hurt the team, but they should be able to return eventually.
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