Notes: Castro on trade rumors; roster moves
After seeing Tommy La Stella traded to the A’s on Friday, Angels catcher Jason Castro knows it’s possible he also could be dealt before Monday’s 1 p.m. PT Trade Deadline.
The Angels are sellers this year and could trade another impending free agent, such as Castro or shortstop Andrelton Simmons. Castro, 33, was signed to a one-year deal before the season and has never been traded in his 10-year career. The Blue Jays are looking for catching and shortstop help and could be match for either Castro or Simmons.
"It's out of my control," Castro said Saturday. "I try to try to focus on things that I can have an immediate impact on. Worrying about things outside of what you can control on a daily basis doesn't really help you much. So I continue to focus on the things to try to win ballgames day in and day out and then let things kinda happen as they may."
Entering Sunday, Castro had played in 18 games with the Angels, batting .192/.323/.385 with two homers and six RBIs. He was slowed by neck stiffness two weeks ago, but the catcher said he’s feeling better now and trying to find his way at the plate. Castro had an .856 OPS in 12 games before the injury, but he has a .403 OPS in six games since returning.
"It's always kind of a back and forth, just trying to find what is comfortable and what works," Castro said. "I feel actually pretty good with what I want to be doing. So it's just something that you're constantly working on and then trying to refine it."
Angels manager Joe Maddon said it’s a difficult time for players heading into the Deadline, but he just tries to be honest when dealing with players who have been involved in trade rumors.
"Everybody needs straight up [communication] more than ever. You just need to hear the facts and the truth right now," Maddon said. "I've spoken about this a lot lately, where I think truth and bias have become blurred. But I know, from a professional perspective -- I'm talking about baseball right now -- all these guys need to know here is the absolute truth."
Angels make roster moves
After trading La Stella on Friday, the Angels recalled infielder Luis Rengifo and lefty reliever Ryan Buchter from their alternate training site on Saturday. Lefty reliever Hoby Milner was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right back spasm, while the newly acquired Franklin Barreto was placed on the COVID-19 IL so he can undergo testing protocols.
Rengifo gives the Angels another infielder until Barreto is cleared to join the club, while Milner had been dealing with back pain for a few days and was hopeful it would subside. But the Angels couldn’t wait any longer for Milner to get healthy and he was placed on the IL retroactive to Wednesday.
"We thought it was one of those manageable things," Maddon said, "He was [warming] up last night. I don't know a time frame, except that it had been bothering him."