3 questions surrounding the Angels

This story was excerpted from Rhett Bollinger's Angels Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

NEW YORK -- After a seven-game road trip through Boston and New York that saw the Angels go 2-5, manager Phil Nevin still came away encouraged.

The Angels are 9-10 this season but have been in every game outside of an 11-2 loss to the Mariners on April 5. It’s both a good sign and a source of frustration, as the Angels haven’t done the little things or played clean enough baseball to come out on top enough.

"We're in a good place,” Nevin said. “We're playing pretty good baseball. One little run here and we're off and running."

The Angels, though, have some questions after their first 19 games, so here’s a look at three facing them without speculating yet on the severity of catcher Logan O'Hoppe’s left shoulder injury, which he sustained in the ninth inning on Thursday.

1. Who is going to step up in the back of the rotation?

Lefty José Suarez has struggled to start the season, posting a 9.26 ERA through his first three starts with seven strikeouts and seven walks in 11 2/3 innings. Nevin said Suarez will remain in the rotation and make his next start, but it’s fair to wonder how many more starts Suarez will get if he doesn’t turn it around.

He also had a slow start to last season and was sent to Triple-A Salt Lake before coming back up and finishing the second half strong with the Angels. But he’s now out of Minor League options this season, so he’d have to be sent to the bullpen. Lefty Tucker Davidson could step into the rotation in that scenario with Suarez becoming a reliever. Right-hander Chase Silseth has also pitched well at Triple-A Salt Lake, posting a 0.90 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 20 innings but departed his start on Wednesday with a blister and his status is still uncertain.

Right-hander Griffin Canning has also been mostly solid in his first two starts after missing last season with a stress fracture in his lower back. Canning has posted a 3.48 ERA with eight strikeouts and three walks in 10 1/3 innings and has pitched more than well enough to keep his spot.

2. Can Neto solidify the infield, especially defensively?

The Angels were aggressive in bringing up Zach Neto from Double-A Rocket City on Saturday after he had played in only 44 Minor League games after being the No. 13 overall selection in last year’s Draft. Neto, 22, has already made several nice defensive plays at shortstop, showing off his impressive range and instincts. He’s hitting just .136 through his first six games but he’s starting to come around, including doubling twice on Wednesday.

If Neto can stick without having to be sent back down, it will make the infield defense better, as it allows them to move Gio Urshela around the diamond instead of using him as their primary shortstop. Urshela is a strong defender but profiles better at second base or the corner infield spots.

The Angels, though, need Brandon Drury to get going offensively, as he’s off to a slow start after a breakout year last year with the Reds and Padres. Luis Rengifo made a few costly errors and mental mistakes on the road trip and wasn’t in the lineup for three straight games. Rengifo is also coming off a solid year but needs to cut down on his miscues.

3. Is the bullpen strong enough to finish off games?

It’s unfair to pick too much on the bullpen, especially when the relievers are overtaxed with starters not pitching deep enough into games recently. The bullpen has fared well overall, posting a 3.27 ERA that ranks as the seventh-best mark in baseball. They’ve done it despite having the ninth-lowest strikeout rate in the Majors.

The Angels also don’t have a set closer, although lefty José Quijada has begun to emerge in that role with right-hander Carlos Estévez also getting a few chances. Right-hander Andrew Wantz has pitched well but has already been sent down because, among the club’s relievers, only he and fellow righty Jimmy Herget have Minor League options. It limits the club’s flexibility but there are some relievers pitching well in the Minors, including Austin Warren and hard-throwing prospect Ben Joyce. There have been some late-inning meltdowns, which stand out, but the numbers suggest the bullpen isn’t a huge issue.