Key roster decisions left for Angels as camp wraps up

MESA, Ariz. -- It was a mostly uneventful time in Arizona for the Angels this spring, which is a good thing, because they left without any key players suffering major injuries.

Top setup reliever Robert Stephenson, who was signed to a three-year deal worth $33 million, has been dealing with shoulder discomfort and will open the year on the injured list, but it’s not considered serious. Infielder Michael Stefanic is going to open on the IL with a quad strain, but it’s also not a long-term injury. Otherwise, first baseman Nolan Schanuel has been dealing with back stiffness and infielder Luis Rengifo tweaked his left hamstring on Tuesday, but both are expected to avoid the IL.

It leaves the Angels -- who fell to the A's, 11-5, in their final game in Arizona on Saturday -- with just a few key decisions ahead of the annual Freeway Series against the Dodgers from Sunday to Tuesday and Opening Day against the Orioles in Baltimore on Thursday.

Manager Ron Washington, who left Arizona for California on Friday like most of the club’s regulars, said the roster hasn’t been decided quite yet. He’s also still tinkering with the lineup, including possibly having veteran third baseman Anthony Rendon serve as leadoff hitter because of his ability to get on base.

The two areas where the Angels still have to make a decision are with the last spot on the bench and the final two bullpen spots. Veterans Miguel Sanó and Ehire Adrianza are the two candidates for the bench role, while Guillermo Zuñiga, Hunter Strickland, José Soriano and Drew Pomeranz are the four remaining options for the two bullpen jobs.

“There are still things we have to decide,” Washington said Friday. “And we’re not going to decide them until we get out to L.A.”

Sanó and Adrianza are both former Twins who were signed to Minor League deals and offer contrasting styles. Sanó is a corner infielder with power, while Adrianza is a true utility player who can handle both middle infield spots and the corner outfield positions but is more of a contact hitter. Both players were signed to Minor League deals but can’t opt out.

Sanó, 30, is considered the favorite because the Angels don’t have as much power in their lineup as last year and he provides insurance at both first base for Schanuel and third base for Rendon. The former All-Star in 2017 has hit at least 30 homers twice in his career and can also serve as designated hitter.

He showed off his power and patience in 20 games in Arizona, hitting three homers and drawing six walks but he also batted .182 and struck out 16 times in 51 plate appearances. Some rust could be expected, however, as he didn’t play in 2023 and was limited to just 20 games in ’22 because of a knee injury. He also worked to lose 58 pounds during his time away from baseball.

Adrianza, 34, hit .194 with two homers and four RBIs in 18 games this spring but like Sanó, he’s coming off an injury, as he played in just five games with the Braves last year before undergoing shoulder surgery. He’s familiar with Washington from their time together with Atlanta from 2021-23. If he makes the club, Brandon Drury would be the backup at first base and Adrianza would back up Zach Neto at shortstop.

And then in the bullpen, the Angels have two spots open and still must decide what to do with Soriano, who has been stretched out to start this spring and turned in a dominant outing against the White Sox on Friday, striking out eight and walking none over six scoreless innings. He’s likely to remain a starter and open the year in the Minors to give the Angels depth, which would leave Zuñiga, Strickland and Pomeranz.

Zuñiga, who is on the 40-man and has a fastball that routinely reaches triple-digits, didn’t walk a batter this spring, which puts him in a good position. Strickland also didn’t issue any walks, which also gives him the edge over Pomeranz, who walked three in eight innings.

Strickland, 35, and Pomeranz, 35, were both signed to Minor League deals but Pomeranz has the opportunity to opt-out because he was on a 40-man roster to end last season while Strickland was released by the Reds last May and almost retired.

“We’re going to hold it down until Stephenson is ready but we still have some choices there,” Washington said. “We’ve got a decision out of those three or four guys. But we haven’t made that decision yet either.”