With Ward out, Adell back for another chance
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PHILADELPHIA -- The reeling Angels were dealt a blow on Sunday, as right fielder Taylor Ward was placed on the 10-day injured list with a mild right hamstring strain. Los Angeles called up former top outfield prospect Jo Adell to take Ward’s place on the active roster.
Ward, 28, has had a breakout season, batting .333/.443/.644 with 10 homers and 26 RBIs in 38 games. But he's been bothered by several injuries, as he opened the year on the IL with a left groin strain, suffered a neck stinger that caused weakness in his right shoulder on May 20 and felt some tightness in his right hamstring while running on Friday.
The hamstring injury isn’t expected to be serious, as Ward was available to pinch-hit on Saturday. But the Angels want to be cautious with him and get him fully healthy. Ward had been trying to play through his neck stinger but batted .167/.259/.333 over his past eight games. He’s eligible to return on June 14 against the Dodgers.
"It's not awful,” Angels manager Joe Maddon said. “It just needs attention. The conversation indicated that hopefully it'll be the minimum amount of time. We're hoping it's not more than that."
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With Ward on the IL, the Angels brought up Adell, who opened the season with the big league club and hit .215/.227/.400 with three homers, three doubles and eight RBIs in 19 games before being optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake on May 3. Adell started off red-hot at Triple-A before cooling off, batting .222/.341/.597 with six homers and 15 RBIs in 19 games. Adell, though, said it was his defense that the Angels wanted him to work on in the Minors.
"I really put an emphasis on my defense, which is what my goal has been since the season started," Adell said. "I feel good. I went down and worked really hard."
Adell, 23, added that it was tough to be sent down but that it gave him the chance to play every day and work on things. The Angels had a crowded outfield with Mike Trout, Brandon Marsh and Ward, but now Adell has a chance for more consistent playing time with Ward out. Juan Lagares remains the club's fourth outfielder.
"I was a little disappointed, but at the end of the day, I knew I'm still young in this," Adell said. "So I just continued to work. I just tried to do things to help myself get back."