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Clips

(June 28, 2016)

June 28, 2016 Page 2 of 23

Today’s Clips Contents

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES (Page 3)

Matt Shoemaker's win attempts continue to be thwarted by Angels

Angels pitchers Garrett Richards and Andrew Heaney get mixed reports after elbow

exams

Angels pitchers Garrett Richards and Andrew Heaney get mixed reports after elbow

exams

FROM THE OC REGISTER (Page 8)

Matt Shoemaker's hard luck continues as Angels waste another scoreless start in 4-2 loss to Astros

No 'decision making' for Angels on Garrett Richards, Andrew Heaney after ultrasound

results

Angels Notes: Skaggs pitches again; injury updates

FROM ANGELS.COM (Page 11)

Trout still on a tear, but Halos can't capitalize

Shoemaker has little to show for strong June

Trout maintains lead, nears 5th All-Star Game

Trout, Shoemaker shine in late loss to Astros

Lincecum looks to rebound vs. Astros

Surgery still uncertain for Richards, Heaney

5-year-old has wish come true with Angels

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (Page 21)

Correa breaks tie in 9th, Astros hold off Angels 4-2

June 28, 2016 Page 3 of 23

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

Matt Shoemaker's win attempts continue to be thwarted by Angels

Pedro Moura

Perhaps there is nothing else Matt Shoemaker can do. Perhaps his fate is predestined.

Because, for the sixth time this month Monday night at Angel Stadium, theAngels right-hander turned in a dominant performance, and for the sixth time this month, he left the ballpark without a win.

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He shut the Houston Astros down for six scoreless innings, and then the Angels bullpen blew a two-run lead. The Angels lost, 4-2, wasting a great performance from Shoemaker and an even better one from Mike Trout, who connected on his third consecutive three-hit game.

“Our team has to be more than Mike,” Angels Manager Mike Scioscia said.

Trout said Monday afternoon he remained unsure about whether he would participate in next month’s home run derby. Monday night, he launched an improbable home run, following a 1-and-2 curveball from Collin McHugh well below the strike zone and golfing it beyond the left-field fence for the game’s first run.

"When you throw a curveball to Trout, you know you’ve got to bounce it," McHugh said. "So I was trying to bounce it. I think it would have bounced."

Shoemaker handled the early innings without issue. He appeared to let up in the sixth, when he allowed a 383-foot shot to Houston’s Luis Valbuena. Bouncing off the top of the wall, right at the defining yellow line, the ball was initially ruled a home run but altered to a double after a review.

Then the Angels right-hander took advantage of the grace he was given. He got Jose Altuve to pop up, then struck out Colby Rasmus after hitting Carlos Correa with a fastball. Needing an additional out, Shoemaker set up Astros rookie A.J. Reed with fastballs and then fed him a splitter to strike him out.

Shoemaker struck out six men, all on splitters. In his last eight starts, a span in which he owns a 1.87 earned-run average, he has struck out 68 men and walked five.

“Matt is on an incredible run,” Scioscia said. “He pitched a great game tonight.”

Shoemaker maintained he was unconcerned about the undesirable result. He is focused on only one thing, he has said after every recent start, including this time: posting scoreless inning after scoreless inning. Zeroes, he calls them.

“Over the long run, if you do that, the team’s gonna win a lot,” he said.

In the bottom of the sixth, Trout blooped a ball to short right field and had three bases available. He tripped turning around second and fell face-first, forcing him to turn back and

June 28, 2016 Page 4 of 23

eliciting loud groans from the crowd. When he reached second, Trout grabbed Altuve’s head as they shared a laugh.

On Saturday, Altuve cost himself a cycle by tripping in the same fashion. While the two teams stretched Monday, Trout found the diminutive second baseman to poke fun at him. And then, three hours later, he himself fell.

“It was kind of some karma involved,” Trout said.

He still scored two batters later, when C.J. Cron shot a single to left field. The Angels advanced two more runners into scoring position that inning but got neither home.

In the seventh, after Shoemaker exited, Mike Morin yielded consecutive singles to Carlos Gomez and Evan Gattis. AfterJason Castro struck out, George Springer grounded a ball up the middle. Andrelton Simmons ranged 20 feet to snare it with his right hand and deliver a throw in time for Springer to be out by half a step. Still, a run scored.

Scioscia let Morin face one more batter. When he walked him, Deolis Guerra entered and promptly permitted a sharp, run-scoring single to Altuve.

In the ninth, Fernando Salas loaded the bases without an out and then permitted a go-ahead sacrifice fly. Scioscia called his wild performance “very uncharacteristic.” Salas was tired; he had recorded the last out of the eighth after pitching Sunday. But closerHuston Street and fellow reliever Cam Bedrosian were both unavailable.

Salas and Morin now figure to be the same Tuesday. After Scioscia removed Salas, newcomer J.C. Ramirez entered and fired a wild pitch, and Houston's fourth run came forth.

The Angels could not score more, although they loaded the bases to lead off the ninth inning. Catcher Jett Bandy struck out swinging and Simmons grounded into his ninth double play of 2016.

They were again without third baseman Yunel Escobar, who has sat since Thursday due to a bone bruise in his left knee. Scioscia said Escobar could return to the lineup Tuesday.

Angels pitchers Garrett Richards and Andrew Heaney get mixed reports after

elbow exams

Pedro Moura

Ultrasound exams on injured Angels pitchers Garrett Richards andAndrew Heaney found nothing conclusive for either man on Monday, but Richards’ results were more encouraging than Heaney’s, according to the team.

Both starters visited Dr. Steve Yoon in Los Angeles, where they each received a stem-cell injection to try to repair partial ulnar collateral ligament tears faster than surgery.

Heaney, a 25-year-old left-hander, received his in April. Richards, a 28-year-old right-hander, had his in May. Monday’s test was Heaney’s second ultrasound to check for healing within his ulnar collateral ligament; it was Richards’ first.

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Angels General Manager Billy Epplersaid Richards’ exam showed his partial tear is healing as hoped. He was pronounced asymptomatic. Eppler said Richards will rest for six more weeks and be reevaluated. At that point, three months from the initial injection, he could resume throwing.

Heaney’s ultrasound did not encounter “progressive healing that would’ve been optimal.”

“At this point, he will continue to allow the properties of the injection to work for the next couple weeks,” Eppler said. “We will evaluate him close to the All-Star break and go from there.”

The Angels have not set a deadline for when the two pitchers must resume throwing before their 2016 season is shelved.

“In both cases, we are taking a conservative route,” Eppler said. “In one case, it’s shown a little more progression than in the other, but neither situation’s at a point of a decision making. Organically, this is going to declare itself one way or another before season’s end.”

The Angels did not make either pitcher available to speak to reporters before Monday’s game. Eppler was unworried about the possibility that the delays could jeopardize part of either pitcher’s 2018 campaign if surgery proves to be required.

The Angels received more injury news, on left-hander C.J. Wilson, who has pitched in one competitive game this season, May 25 for Class-A Inland Empire. Before and after that four-inning stint, he has been bothered by shoulder tendinitis. The 35-year-old will seek an additional doctor’s opinion on the problematic joint.

“It seems like it’s not firing the way he wants it to fire,” Eppler said.

Wilson's five-year, $77.5-million contract expires at season's end.

Short hops

Setup man Joe Smith felt more overall soreness than he anticipated following his eight-pitch inning on rehab assignment for Inland Empire on Sunday. He’ll throw again there Wednesday. If he feels all right, he’ll likely be activated Friday in Boston. … Infielder Cliff Pennington underwent an MRI exam on Monday that showed his strained hamstring is not fit to continue baseball activities. … Left-hander Tyler Skaggs (recovering from elbow surgery) started for Inland Empire on Monday, his first game action since April 20. Skaggs, who had been in extended spring training, remains at least a few weeks away from returning to the majors. … The Angels’ signing-bonus discussions with second-round pick Brandon Marsh, a Georgia high school outfielder, are “ongoing,” Eppler said.

June 28, 2016 Page 6 of 23

Angels pitchers Garrett Richards and Andrew Heaney get mixed reports after elbow exams

Dylan Hernandez

The scenes were almost unbelievable.

Late in the 2014 season, the San Francisco Giants would be ahead or behind by several runs and Tim Lincecum would enter the game to pitch an inconsequential inning or two.

Inconsequential, but not insignificant, not to the fans at AT&T Park, who would stand and cheer louder than they had cheered all game.

It didn’t matter to them that Lincecum was no longer winning Cy Young awards or leading the league in strikeouts. He was theirs and they adored him.

Los Angeles had Kobe Bryant. New York had Derek Jeter. The Bay Area had Tim Lincecum.

“Pretty special,” Lincecum said.

He could still be there if he wanted, pitching in relief, making an occasional start, taking in applause every time he stepped on the mound. His role in transforming the Giants into World Series champions would guarantee he would be revered for the remainder of his career.

Instead, the 32-year-old Lincecum will be making his third start for the Angels on Tuesday, pitching in front of fans who don’t feel they owe him anything.

Why?

“I have my own personal goals, when I finally get a full calendar year behind me,” Lincecum said. “I want to win 20 games. I want to go back to throwing 200-plus innings.”

He didn’t think he could do that if he stayed with the Giants, who didn’t have a place for him in their rotation.

There are every-man qualities about Lincecum that explain his popularity in the Bay Area.

He broke into the major leagues when he was only 22, which made him popular with children. He is generously listed at 5 feet 11, which made the average fan more inclined to cheer for him. His previously shoulder-length hair made him relateable to people he described as “quirky.” He was once in legal trouble after he was cited for possessing marijuana, which he believes made him appear human to fans who “made mistakes and have made better decisions afterwards.”

Except Lincecum isn’t an every man.

When he thought about re-signing with the Giants as a reliever, he didn’t think of it as staying in his adopted home.

“The bullpen seems more like a settling kind of thing,” he said, “and I don’t want to settle quite yet.”

Wasn’t he taking a risk by venturing out of his protective bubble in San Francisco?

Lincecum shook his head.

June 28, 2016 Page 7 of 23

“I just don’t look at it that way,” he said.

When he decided last month that he was recovered from a hip operation and ready to pitch again, he wasn’t looking for a hospitable environment as much as an opportunity to showcase himself.

He wanted starts. The injury-depleted Angels wanted a starter. So he signed with the Angels.

“I knew what I was fighting for,” he said. “This was the opportunity that presented itself.”

Whereas some scouts predict this will be the beginning of the end for Lincecum, he sees this as the start of his professional rebirth.

By pitching well over the remainder of the season, he figures he could earn a place in a rotation next year. But that’s not enough for him. Once he’s there, he intends to dominate again.

How he’ll do that is something he’s still figuring out.

His fastball, which used to touch 99 mph, is now in the low 90s. He limited the Oakland Athletics to one run in six innings in his first start for the Angels. Five days later, he lasted only three innings against the same opponent, giving up four runs.

“I think that’s what the game’s about,” Lincecum said. “The game’s always changing and there’s no one way to win games and there’s no one way to pitch. And people change all the time. Like myself. My body’s changed.”

He pointed to his hip and continued, “Even without this, my body has changed. I have to learn to work with that and find different ways to adapt, on a physical level, as well as a pitch IQ level.”

He smiled.

“I think I like pitching with my brain,” he said. “It was fun pitching with a bunch of raw stuff for a while. Now, it’s using my brain, like I’ve been doing for the last three years. I’m not the smartest pitcher, I don’t have the best IQ, I still get flustered in situations, I get overwhelmed, but I’m going to do my best to stay calm during those situations, stay within myself. I know that’s cliché, but it’s kind of made more sense to me as I’ve gotten older.”

He is confident the public will be on his side again.

“People can respect that and appreciate that,” he said. “I think fans do.”

June 28, 2016 Page 8 of 23

FROM THE OC REGISTER

Matt Shoemaker's hard luck continues as Angels waste another scoreless start in 4-2 loss to Astros

By JOEY KAUFMAN / STAFF WRITER

ANAHEIM – For at least the past month, Matt Shoemaker has pitched as well as anyone in the major leagues.

The once eye-popping 8.49 ERA he carried in mid-May has since been sliced in half, and it dropped further (to 4.12) after he tossed six scoreless innings against the Houston Astros on Monday night at Angel Stadium.

“Matty’s on an incredible run,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

But a dominant effort from the right-hander again failed to result in a victory for the Angels, who lost to Houston, 4-2, one day after they snapped a season-long, six-game losing streak with a walk-off win.

On Monday, the Astros broke a 2-2 tie in the ninth inning after a sacrifice fly by Carlos Correa. A wild pitch resulted in another run.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Angels loaded the bases with no outs, but Jett Bandy struck out swinging, then Andrelton Simmons hit into a 1-2-3 double play.

Shoemaker has been stellar over his last eight starts, holding opponents to 12 runs (1.89 ERA), while striking out 68 batters and walking five.

Against the Astros, he fanned six and walked one.

But, thanks largely to an Angels offense that has averaged three runs per game during this stretch, Shoemaker has only one win.

“It’s something that’s challenging,” Shoemaker said, “but I’ve just tried to go out there and put zeroes up and give our team a chance to win. Over the long run, if you do that, your team is going to win a lot.”

Shoemaker was pulled after the sixth inning at 99 pitches.

“He was getting a little bit tired,” Scioscia said. “That was time for him to come out.”

In the sixth, he threw 20 pitches and nearly allowed a run when Luis Valbuena hit one off the top of the wall in right field. It was initially ruled a home run, before it was overturned after a video review. Valbuena was on second base with a leadoff double, but Shoemaker induced a pop-up and struck out Correa and Colby Rasmus to end the inning.

The Angels had a 2-0 lead at that point thanks to some heroics from Mike Trout.

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Trout put the Angels on the scoreboard early when he golfed a solo home run 415 to left field in the fourth inning. By the time Trout made contact, Collin McHugh’s curveball had dropped to seemingly just a hair above the ground.

Research from an editor for BaseballSavant.com said it was the lowest pitch that had been hit for a home run by any major leaguer since April 2013.

“There’s nothing I work on for me to do that,” Trout said. “I happened to like that low pitch.”

It was Trout’s third straight game with a homer, the second time he has done so in his career, and his third straight three-hit performance.

“Our team has to be more than Mike,” Scioscia said. “We’ve been struggling to get our lineup a little deeper.”

A one-out, RBI single by C.J. Cron in the bottom of the sixth inning gave Shoemaker an insurance run.

But the lead was lost in the seventh inning.

Mike Morin allowed a pair of leadoff singles, before Carlos Gomez scored on a groundout by George Springer.

Simmons saved further damage when he got Gomez out at first base, running almost 50 feet to his left just shy of second base. Simmons scooped up the ground ball barehanded and got his throw to C.J. Cron in time.

Morin walked another batter and was replaced by Deolis Guerra, but Guerra did not fare much better. Jose Altuve turned on a 91 mph fastball for a hard-hit RBI single to tie the game.

Angels closer Huston Street, as well as Cam Bedrosian, were unavailable because of heavy workloads in the past week.

Street said he asked for a day off.

With the bases loaded and one out in the ninth, Correa jumped on a 3-and-0 fastball from Fernando Salas and sent it to the warning track in right field for the go-ahead sacrifice fly.

No 'decision making' for Angels on Garrett Richards, Andrew Heaney after ultrasound results

By JOEY KAUFMAN / STAFF WRITER

ANAHEIM – An ultrasound taken Monday of the ulnar collateral ligament in Garrett Richards’

right elbow showed “progressive healing” and “positive signs,” Angels general manager Billy

Eppler said.

Richards, the club’s 28-year-old ace, was considered “asymptomatic,” Eppler added, and he is

scheduled to be reevaluated in six weeks.

June 28, 2016 Page 10 of 23

He had received a stem-cell injection on May 16 from Dr. Steve Yoon at the Kerlan-Jobe

Orthopedic Clinic in Los Angeles – a regenerative procedure that is seen as an alternative to

Tommy John surgery in repairing UCL tears.

Andrew Heaney, another one of the Angels’ promising young pitchers, began stem-cell therapy

two weeks before Richards. But his ultrasound from Monday “did not show the progressive

healing that would have been optimal,” according to Eppler.

Heaney, 25, will be reevaluated after the All-Star break. Asked if he would be slated for Tommy

John surgery if that update did not show sufficient healing, Eppler said, “That will be on the

table.”

Neither Richards nor Heaney spoke with reporters Monday.

“In both cases, we were taking the conservative route,” Eppler said. “One case has shown a

little more progression than in the other. Neither situation is at a point of decision making.”

Heaney has not pitched since the Angels’ second game, when he allowed four runs in six

innings in a loss to the Chicago Cubs.

Richards made six starts, going 1-3 with a 2.34 ERA, but he left his last one at Texas on May 1

after four innings with what was later ruled to be a torn UCL.

Both players sought stem-cell treatment with the hope of recovering and pitching later this

season.

Though there are only two weeks left in the first half of the season, the Angels have not ruled

out the possibility that one or both could return in 2016.

Manager Mike Scioscia said they had not reached a “drop-dead point.”

To return, they would need to be cleared to throw, begin a throwing program and make

several minor-league rehabilitation assignments before making a start in the major leagues.

Asked about a deadline for either Richards or Heaney to pitch this season, Eppler said, “I

haven’t really set a date.”

They also remain mindful of delaying the inevitable. The recovery from Tommy John surgery

takes 12 to 18 months. So should either pitcher opt for the ligament-replacement surgery, he

would need to undergo the procedure around early September to ensure he could be ready by

Opening Day of 2018.

Without Richards or Heaney, the Angels face tough odds of making the postseason. They

entered Monday’s games 17 games back of first-place Texas in the American League West and

8.5 games back of the AL’s second wild-card spot. FanGraphs gives them a 0.2 percent chance.

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Eppler did not say if the uncertainty regarding the two arms would impact how the front office

approached the July 31 trading deadline.

“We’re always mindful of making the best decision for the organization,” Eppler said. “I’m

trying to take each case as it happens. If there’s anything to be done, any acquisitions, any

player signings, whether they're from the draft, whether they're from July 2, whether they're

in free agency, whether they're in waiver claims, are they bettering the organization? We

make every decision in that vacuum.

Angels Notes: Skaggs pitches again; injury updates

By JOEY KAUFMAN / STAFF WRITER

Appearing in his first minor-league game in 10 weeks, Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs threw 58 pitches over 4-1/3 innings for Class-A Inland Empire. He allowed one run and four hits, striking out five and walking none.

Skaggs, who is recovering from 2014 Tommy John surgery, was diagnosed in early May with biceps tendinitis.

The left-hander threw 2-2/3 innings in extended spring training in Arizona last week.

ALSO

Setup man Joe Smith (hamstring) will make another rehab start at Class-A Inland Empire on Wednesday. He said he “felt good” after throwing eight pitches in one shutout inning Sunday. … C.J. Wilson will seek a second opinion on his injured shoulder. “It's not firing the way he wants it to fire,” Eppler said. … Third baseman Yunel Escobar, who has a bone bruise in his left knee, was not in the lineup for the fourth consecutive game. … A.J. Achter was optioned to Triple-A to make room for J.C. Ramirez, who reported to the club after he was claimed on waivers Sunday. … Eppler said the team is still having conversations with high school outfielder Brandon Marsh, their second-round draft pick. He remains unsigned. “We have a little while,” Eppler said. The signing deadline is July 15.

FROM ANGELS.COM

Trout still on a tear, but Halos can't capitalize

By Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- The two-strike curveball Collin McHugh spun to begin the bottom of the fourth would've hit the dirt if left unimpeded. The Astros were certain of that. But Mike Trout decided he would swing, so he dropped his back shoulder and lifted the offering well beyond the fence

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in left-center field, out for his 17th home run of this season and good for his first of three hits on this Monday night.

The Angels eventually lost again, dropped by a 4-2 score in which they wasted another gem by Matt Shoemaker and could not capitalize on Trout's everlasting brilliance. After it was over, Angels manager Mike Scioscia uttered the phrase he often recites: "Our team has to be more than Mike."

But right now the Angels are not.

They have dropped seven of their last eight, sit 13 games below .500 and find themselves 18 games out of first place in the American League West, but Trout's greatness ensues.

"We're battling," Trout said. "We come in every day with a positive mentality. Obviously the guys that are banged up are trying to get back with the team, and the guys that are playing are playing hard."

But Trout is the only one doing anything substantial.

His 4.7 FanGraphs Wins Above Replacement score easily paces the Angels, more than double what has been produced by the second-place Kole Calhoun (1.9) and more than six times greater than that of anybody else on his team. He leads the Angels in homers, RBIs, stolen bases, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging and runs scored, and is the only one among them represented on the Esurance All-Star Ballot.

Trout has compiled a home run and two other hits in each of the last three nights. He has 13 hits over his last 22 at-bats, bumping his slash line to .319/.415/.572, but the Angels haven't been able to take advantage of his hot streak.

"You hope you can," Angels closer Huston Street said. "That's just the truth. Tonight, we didn't capitalize on some opportunities, and that's been the story of most of our losses."

Trout's fourth-inning home run, which put him on pace for 36 this season, was the lowest pitch to clear a fence since the one that Freddy Galvis golfed out on April 28, 2013.

Trout laughed when asked if he realized where it was.

"Yeah," he said, "that was kinda low."

It went out a projected 407 feet, with a launch angle of 27 degrees, according toStatcast™. Since his first full season in 2012, Trout has put 532 pitches below the strike zone in play and has produced hits 43.6 percent of the time.

"He's probably the best player on the planet, so that usually helps," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "He always factors in, one way or another. It feels like the at-bat's always going to come down to him."

Trout would've had a triple in the sixth, when his blooper fell in front of a divingGeorge Springer in shallow right field and rolled behind him. But the 24-year-old center fielder tripped while sprinting toward third base, then scampered back to second and playfully cupped the head of Astros second baseman Jose Altuve, whom he teased before the game for falling similarly a couple of days earlier.

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Said Trout: "There's kind of some karma involved there."

Trout later scored, coming home on C.J. Cron's single to give the Angels a 2-0 lead. But he didn't in the eighth, despite standing on second base with less than two outs. And he never batted in the ninth, an inning that saw the Angels load the bases with none out and come up empty.

In the moments leading up to Monday's game, Trout sat on the recliner in front of his locker and tossed a football with his mentor, Torii Hunter, playfully bragging about how much stronger his throwing arm has become and doing little to indicate any frustration with what is surrounding him.

He then played in his 139th consecutive game, the longest active streak in the Major Leagues, and he has no plans for a day off.

These days, the Angels can't really afford to give him one.

"I want to be out there competing," Trout said. "I try to do everything I can to help the team win. I want to be out there fighting."

Shoemaker has little to show for strong June

Angels starter goes winless in month despite 2.14 ERA

By Fabian Ardaya / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- Angels right-hander Matt Shoemaker's month of June has been as good, if not better, than any pitcher in the Majors.

However, he can't seem to find a win.

Shoemaker again fell victim to this trend Monday night, as the Angels couldn't hold on to a two-run lead and fell, 4-2, to the Houston Astros.

For the eighth start in a row, Shoemaker was magnificent. He threw six scoreless innings against the same Astros lineup he shut down earlier this week, working around five hits and a walk to hold his team to a 2-0 lead. The bullpen wouldn't hold on, as they gave up four runs in three innings and the Angels walked away with their seventh loss in their last eight games.

"It's not that frustrating because it's a long season and it's the game of baseball," Shoemaker said. "My job is to try to go out and put up zeros as much as I can. For the bullpen, it's the same thing. Sometimes things don't go our way."

Added manager Mike Scioscia: "Matt is on an incredible run. To do it against a team back-to-back is incredible. He made some adjustments, and he pitched a great game tonight."

Shoemaker wrapped up this month 0-3 with a 2.14 ERA. He is the first pitcher in the American League to do so since Sidney Ponson in 2002, and the first Angel sinceTom Murphy in 1971. He's the second pitcher in baseball to post 45 or more strikeouts and five or fewer walks in a month, joining Clayton Kershaw's spectacular May.

June 28, 2016 Page 14 of 23

His dominance has stretched over his last eight starts, as he's dropped his ERA from 8.49 on May 16 to its current number of 4.12. In five home starts, he's posted a 0.99 ERA and an absurd 48-to-2 strikeout-to walk ratio while currently riding a streak of 15 scoreless innings.

Shoemaker's run is accentuated when looking at his margin of error, which has been slim to none. Entering play Monday, Shoemaker's average of 2.73 runs of support ranked last in the American League and third-worst in the Majors. Monday, he got two runs on a Mike Trout home run and C.J. Cron's sixth-inning single.

Trout maintains lead, nears 5th All-Star Game

By Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- Angels center fielder Mike Trout maintained his hold on the lead among American League outfielders in fan votes for the All-Star Game when the latestEsurance All-Star Ballot was released on Monday, three days before polls officially close.

Trout's vote total was up to 2,972,582, nearly 800,000 more than Red Sox center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. and more than 1 million more than Red Sox right fielderMookie Betts.

When All-Star teams are unveiled Tuesday, July 5 -- at 4 p.m. PT on ESPN, during the "Esurance All-Star Selection Show" -- Trout will make his fifth trip to the Midsummer Classic and his fourth consecutive start. The only other AL players to make four All-Star starts before the age of 25 are Ken Griffey Jr., Ivan Rodriguez, Mickey Mantle, Al Kaline and Joe DiMaggio.

Trout, who won't turn 25 until Aug. 7, batted .313/.411/.552 through the first 12 weeks of this season, adding 16 home runs, 52 RBIs and 10 stolen bases.

The only players to compile more votes than him are Royals catcher Salvador Perez(3,754,594) and Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz (3,400,200). Also on track to join Trout in the AL starting lineup are Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer, Astros second baseman Jose Altuve, Orioles third baseman Manny Machado, Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts, Bradley and Betts.

Trout, the first player ever to be named the All-Star Game's Most Valuable Player in back-to-back years, will probably get the start over Bradley in center field based on merit. If the Royals' Lorenzo Cain (1,821,746) jumps Betts (1,915,637) in the final days, the AL would have three center fielders in the lineup.

Fans can cast their votes for starters at MLB.com and all 30 club sites -- on their computers, tablets and smartphones -- exclusively online using the 2016 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Ballot until Thursday, June 30, at 8:59 p.m. PT. Vote up to five times in any 24-hour period for a maximum of 35 times.

Fans may also receive the ballot by texting VOTE to 89269 (USA) or 101010 (Canada). Or text VOTA for a ballot in Spanish. Message and data rates may apply. Up to five messages. No purchase required. Reply STOP to cancel. Reply HELP for info.

June 28, 2016 Page 15 of 23

Following the announcement of the 2016 All-Stars, be sure to return to MLB.com and cast your 2016 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Final Vote for the final player on each league's All-Star roster. On Tuesday, July 12, watch the 2016 All-Star Game presented by MasterCard live on FOX, and during the game visit MLB.com to submit your choice for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet via the 2016 MLB All-Star Game MVP Vote.

The 87th All-Star Game, in San Diego, will be televised nationally by FOX, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than 160 countries via MLB International's independent feed. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB.com, MLB Network and SiriusXM will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com.

Trout, Shoemaker shine in late loss to Astros

By Fabian Ardaya and Brian McTaggart / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- Jose Altuve extended his Major League-best on-base streak to a career-high 30 games and Carlos Correa drove home the winning run as the Astros beat the Angels, 4-2, in a comeback victory on Monday night.

Correa, who had the bases loaded with one out in the ninth inning against relieverFernando Salas, knocked a sacrifice fly to right to bring in the go-ahead run, and steady Astros reliever Will Harris pitched his way out of a bases-loaded, no-outs jam in the bottom of the frame to seal the win. Houston has now won seven of its last eight games.

"He loves the big moment and he's pretty calm under pressure," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said of Correa. "He knows how to get runs in from third base, whether it be with a hit, the sac fly -- opposite field on a 3-0 count -- that's a mature approach and way to win the game."

Harris has converted all seven save chances since taking over as closer, but none bigger than this one.

"That was the biggest test to date for him, where he had to bail out a little bit of his teammates, a little bit of himself," Hinch said. "It was a really good night to end on a win based on how the game went. They were in control early, we got to their 'pen late, and then Will cements it with an unusual double play."

Angels right-hander Matt Shoemaker was brilliant again, wrapping up the month of June with a 2.14 ERA after six scoreless innings. He finished the month without a statistical win, the first American League pitcher to post a sub-2.50 ERA and go winless in a month since Sidney Ponson in 2002. The Astros quickly jumped on the Angels' bullpen for two runs in the seventh, tying the game, 2-2, before taking the lead for good in the ninth.

Astros righty Collin McHugh managed trouble, giving up little after a Mike Trouthomer in the fourth inning. He gave up two runs and scattered six hits in six innings, picking up the no-decision following the team's seventh-inning rally.

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MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Altuve streak hits 30: Altuve extended his on-base streak to 30 games by going 2-for-5. The streak, which is the longest current streak in the Majors, is the longest by an Astros player since the speedy Willy Taveras reached in 31 consecutive games, July 27 to Aug. 29, 2006, which included his club-record 30-game hitting streak. He's hitting .405 during the streak and has hit safely in 29 of those games.

"It's crazy," Altuve said. "I hope I can do 30 more. Anything I can do to help the team and keep them in the games, I'm going to do it."

Trout on a tear: Trout homered for the third straight game on Monday, taking a McHugh curveball that was less than a foot off the ground and golfing it a Statcast-projected 415 feet away to open the scoring in the fourth inning. It was the lowest pitch hit for a home run since Freddy Galvis on April 28, 2013. It was the second time in Trout's career that he's homered three days in a row, with the other time being Sept. 16-18 against Oakland. He also registered his third consecutive game with at least three hits by adding a pair of doubles.

"[Mike]'s got a great idea of the strike zone, first of all, but when there are pitches that look like they are ankle high or even above the waist, he's getting to them," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "He's just a special player."

Shoemaker's winless run: Shoemaker extended his incredible run of fine pitching to eight games, working six scoreless innings and striking out six before exiting with 99 pitches. His ERA has dropped from 8.49 to 4.12 since May 16, and he's posted a 1.87 ERA since May 21. During this run, he has posted a 0.98 ERA at home (five starts), becoming the second pitcher in the Majors this season to post 45 or more strikeouts and five or fewer walks in a month (Clayton Kershaw, May). However, he hasn't earned a win since May 27. More >

Harris escapes: After Johnny Giavotella reached on a strikeout-wild pitch, Harris allowed two consecutive singles before striking out Jett Bandy and gettingAndrelton Simmons to hit into a 1-2-3 game-ending double play. Harris lowered his ERA to 0.80. More >

QUOTABLE "Some day you got into the fight and you think you have a sniper rifle, and everything is sharp and good and it's easy. Some days you go out there and you have a pocketknife, and today was one of those pocketknife days." -- McHugh

HIGHLIGHT REEL Astros right fielder George Springer thought he had a single up the middle to bring in a pair of runs and tie the game in the seventh inning, but instead settled for a RBI groundout as Angels shortstop Simmons ranged 51 feet to barehand the ball and throw him out in one fluid motion.

"Just trying to get a ground ball," he said. "I felt good, you know. I hadn't thrown in a while so I felt pretty fresh, my arm felt pretty good, my curveball pretty sharp. I made good pitches to Giavotella and [Jefry Marte] shot me in the four-hole with the shift. I still thought I was doing alright. I made a bad pitch to [Daniel] Nava, but I was pretty confident I would be able to keep the ball on the infield for the next couple of hitters and maybe get a double play."

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CAUGHT SLIPPING Trout looked like he had a surefire triple after his blooper fell just inside the right field foul line in the sixth inning, but tripped as he rounded second base and had to settle for a double. He quickly went over and nudged Astros second baseman Altuve, who had a similar incident on Saturday night.

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS Correa has five go-ahead RBIs in the ninth inning or later this season.

UNDER FURTHER REVIEW Astros third baseman Luis Valbuena thought he had tied the game at one apiece, taking Shoemaker out to right field for a solo home run. The play was reviewed, as Angels right fielder Kole Calhoun immediately thought the ball did not go over the wall. The ruling was overturned after a one minute, 33-second review, and Valbuena was awarded a ground-rule double. He wouldn't score in the inning.

WHAT'S NEXT Astros: Veteran right-hander Scott Feldman will return to the rotation to start Tuesday's 9:05 p.m. CT game against the Angels in place of right-hander Lance McCullers, who has developed a blister on the tip of his right index finger. Feldman went 0-2 with a 4.58 ERA in four starts at the beginning of the year before being moved to bullpen.

Angels: Right-hander Tim Lincecum (1-1, 5.00) is looking to do better than his last time out, when he gave up four runs in three innings and picked up a 5-4 loss to Oakland in his home debut as an Angel. He said he hopes to be able to get his mechanics corrected on his surgically repaired left hip, which caused him to throw almost exclusively fastballs and changeups against the A's. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. PT.

Lincecum looks to rebound vs. Astros

By Fabian Ardaya / MLB.com

Houston right-hander Scott Feldman (4-3, 3.07 ERA) will make his return to the starting rotation in the place of Lance McCullers on Tuesday, matching up against Angels right-hander Tim Lincecum (1-1, 5.00 ERA) in the second of a three-game set.

Lincecum will look to rebound after a disappointing home debut Thursday against Oakland. He lasted just three innings, giving up four runs in a 5-4 loss. Lincecum said he's still working on finetuning his mechanics on his surgically repaired left hip, but Angels manager Mike Scioscia said he's liked what he's seen so far.

"He's fit in seamlessly," Scioscia said. "He's mixed very well in the clubhouse, and on the mound there's no doubt that his stuff looks like he can really contribute for us. He's pitching better than we saw a couple of years ago in San Francisco, so from a physical standpoint, I feel like he's fine."

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Lincecum has performed well against the Astros in his career, going 5-0 with a 0.99 ERA in nine starts. Each of Lincecum's first three starts as an Angel have come against American League West division opponents.

Feldman will make his first start since April 24 against Boston. He's gone 0-2 with a 4.58 ERA as a starter this season, and will be asked to take over as McCullers (3-2, 3.91) deals with a blister on the tip of his right index finger.

"He deserves the first crack at it," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said of Feldman. "It's a spot start and he'll be able to be stretched out a little bit depending on how efficient he is. He's pitched a lot in his career as a starter. It's not going to spook him at all. I'm glad we have Scott Feldman available to take on this role when something like this comes up."

Feldman has gone 6-9 with a 4.57 ERA in 29 career appearances against the Angels. He's worked against them twice in relief this season, tossing a scoreless frame each time.

Things to know about the game

• Hinch said McCullers stopped his throwing program simply as a precautionary measure with Feldman's availability and the All-Star break just two weeks away. McCullers could return to the rotation this weekend in Houston against the White Sox, or he could throw Monday, which would have been his normal day to pitch had he been able to make his Tuesday start.

• Scioscia said Angels third baseman Yunel Escobar is "making progress" in his return from a bone bruise in his left knee, but did not say whether or not he expects him to be back in the lineup on Tuesday. He hasn't played since suffering the injury in the seventh inning on Thursday. Jefry Marte has been the main replacement at third base, with right fielder Kole Calhoun assuming leadoff duties.

• Astros second baseman Jose Altuve extended his career-long on-base streak to 30 consecutive games with a third-inning single in Monday's series opener at Angel Stadium. He's the first Astros player to reach in 30 consecutive games since Willy Taveras a decade ago. It's the longest active streak in the Majors.

Surgery still uncertain for Richards, Heaney

Angels starters underwent stem-cell therapy for injuries

By Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- Garrett Richards' partially torn ulnar collateral ligament showed "progressive healing" in a followup MRI, while Andrew Heaney's "did not show the progressive healing that would've been optimal," Angels general manager Billy Eppler relayed to reporters on Monday afternoon.

As to whether the two frontline starting pitchers will ultimately need Tommy John surgery?

"Really hard to say," Eppler said. "In both cases, we were taking a conservative route. One case showed a little more progression than the other, but neither situation is at a point of decision-making at this point."

June 28, 2016 Page 19 of 23

Richards will be re-evaluated in six weeks, which takes him all the way out to Aug. 8 without throwing a baseball. Heaney will be re-evaluated shortly after the All-Star break, in two to three weeks.

Richards, a 28-year-old right-hander, and Heaney, a 25-year-old left-hander, both underwent stem-cell therapy in hopes of avoiding an elbow-ligament replacement surgery that would knock them out until at least the start of the 2018 season.

The Angels haven't ruled either out for '16, but it's becoming increasingly clear that neither is likely to pitch this season. The hope is that stem-cell therapy can at least provide a normal offseason that will allow Richards and Heaney to be ready for the start of 2017.

The Angels haven't set a deadline with either pitcher, Eppler said, but added that a decision will not drag out to the point where they risk also missing a portion of the 2018 season if they ultimately opt for surgery.

"Organically, this is going to declare itself one way or the other," Eppler said, "before season's end."

Richards, eligible for free agency after the '18 season, and Heaney, controllable for five years after this one, opened as the Nos. 1 and 2 starters, respectively.

Heaney felt discomfort in his forearm during his first start, was promptly placed on the disabled list with a flexor muscle strain, then was shut down in the early stages of a throwing program and underwent stem-cell therapy on May 2. Richards left his sixth start, in Arlington on May 1, after 79 pitches because of what the club initially called dehydration and cramping, then underwent an MRI that revealed a high-grade tear of his UCL, prompting stem-cell therapy on May 16.

Both procedures were performed by Dr. Steve H. Yoon, out of the nearby Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic, who extracted stem cells from bone marrow and injected them directly into the damaged ligament.

Richards is "clinically asymptomatic of any issue," Eppler said, but Heaney has yet to make enough progress.

Richards and Heaney would both have to show they can throw competitively before the organization is comfortable ruling out Tommy John surgery.

"Clearly if they get to the point of picking up a baseball, throwing a baseball, going through the rehab protocol, going out on the rehab assignments, at that point, when they're competitively throwing pitches of consequence, they'll know," Eppler said. "That will be declared at that point in time."

Worth noting

• Mike Trout said he "hasn't thought about" whether he would like to compete in the T-Mobile Home Run Derby. Trout has yet to compete in the event, but has always sounded open to someday taking part. Trout said the new format, with timed rounds, "is more fun to watch. But I'm not sure."

June 28, 2016 Page 20 of 23

• C.J. Wilson spent Monday getting a second opinion on his ailing left shoulder, which has bothered him while throwing off a mound since the start of Spring Training. Wilson had been throwing off a mound of late, but Eppler said: "It seems like it's not firing the way he wants it to fire."

• Tyler Skaggs, pitching in his first official game since April 20, completed 4 1/3 innings for Class A Advanced Inland Empire on Monday, giving up one run on five hits and no walks while striking out five. Skaggs threw his fastball 90-95 mph, sitting mostly at 93, in a 58-pitch outing.

• Eppler said conversations with the Angels' second-round pick, high-school outfielder Brandon Marsh, are "ongoing." Marsh is the only player taken within the top 10 rounds who has yet to sign and has a commitment to Kennesaw State University. The Angels have until July 15 to sign their picks.

• Angels setup man Joe Smith felt good while throwing an inning for Class A Advanced Inland Empire on Sunday, but only needed eight pitches to finish it. Smith, out since June 7 with a left hamstring strain, will make another rehab appearance on Wednesday and hopes to get activated by Friday.

• Third baseman Yunel Escobar missed his fourth straight game Monday because of a bone bruise in his left knee. Angels manager Mike Scioscia said Escobar is "making progress," but is still unsure when he'll return. Jefry Marte started in his place at third base, while Kole Calhoun led off again.

• The Angels added J.C. Ramirez to the active roster on Monday, optioning fellow right-handed reliever A.J. Achter to Triple-A to create room. Ramirez, 27, was claimed on waivers from the Reds on Sunday and has a 6.40 ERA in 27 appearances this season, striking out 28 batters in 32 1/3 innings.

"I personally think I need to be better because I have the stuff," Ramirez said. "I just haven't had the results yet."

5-year-old has wish come true with Angels

By Fabian Ardaya / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- Adorned in full uniform and cleats, manager Mike Scioscia's newest player made his first big league appearance before Monday night's game against Houston.

Five-year-old Johny Rojas, with a glimmering grin, looked up at center fielder and former American League MVP Mike Trout as the two exchanged advice about the night's game. He got his arm loose, tossing pitches to infielder Gregorio Petit as he practiced his bunting.

About two months ago, Johny was in the hospital recovering from his second liver transplant. While the liver did not take as well as they had hoped, the Angels presented Johny with the opportunity he'd always wanted -- a chance to go to a Major League baseball game.

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"He's been asking for several months for me to bring him to [Angel Stadium]," Johny's father, Carlos Castro, said. "I usually don't have the time to do it. This is the time he's ever even been to a place like [Angel Stadium]."

The Orange County and Inland Empire Make-A-Wish Foundation brought up the idea of watching his favorite baseball team, the Angels, in person. Castro said it has been a "more than difficult" time for Johny in regards to his health. Johny is awaiting his third liver transplant, and Castro hopes things can finally start to turn around for his son.

"I'm looking forward to it, and hoping that he can come out of it OK and move forward," Castro said. "The first two, it just didn't happen."

Johny has dealt with liver issues from birth, regularly finding himself in need of medical care. Castro has tried his best to give his son as close to a normal life as possible. He described his son as an active, avid lover of sports, particularly soccer and baseball.

After taking in Sunday's Copa America final between Argentina and Chile on television, Johny prepared for his next challenge -- making his Major League debut the next day at Angel Stadium. Suiting up with the Angels' typical white pants and white jersey and sporting a brand-new red and white glove, Johny observed Angels batting practice from the field. He got a chance to sit and watch Scioscia's daily media scrum and meet with the FOX Sports West broadcast crew to see the inner workings of an MLB game.

More importantly, he got a chance to do something he had asked to do for months -- spend a day at the ballpark.

"This is exactly what it is: a wish come true," Castro said.

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Correa breaks tie in 9th, Astros hold off Angels 4-2

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- For most of the night Monday, the Astros trailed. Yet manager A.J. Hinch was

confident if Houston could simply catch the Angels, the game would swing.

"When we can get into a game of bullpens, we feel pretty good about it," Hinch said. "They get

their outs. I like going to our `pen, certainly when it's a close game."

After the Astros rallied to tie the score with two runs in the seventh and then took the lead with

two more in the ninth, closer Will Harris wriggled out of major trouble in the bottom of the

inning to preserve a 4-2 victory.

Los Angeles loaded the bases with nobody out, but Harris struck out Jett Bandy and

snagged Andrelton Simmons' comebacker to start a 1-2-3 double play that ended the game.

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"Give Harris credit, he pitched out of a jam," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "Our guys are

battling, we're playing hard. We're just not winning enough situations in games to keep them

on our terms. We did a lot of good things tonight, and the Astros did a couple of things better."

Carlos Correa's sacrifice fly on a 3-0 pitch in the ninth with the bases loaded drove in the go-

ahead run for the Astros. Houston scored its second run in the inning on a wild pitch by J.C.

Ramirez.

The surging Astros have won six straight against the Angels and eight of nine overall.

"(Correa) loves a big moment and is pretty calm under pressure," Hinch said. "He knows how to

get runs in from third base, whether it be with a hit or the sac fly on a 3-0 count. That's a

mature approach and the way to win the game. I want no one else up in the middle of our

order."

The comeback enabled the Astros to overcome another productive night from Angels star Mike

Trout. He homered in his third consecutive game for Los Angeles, which has lost seven of eight.

Trout added a pair of doubles and scored both Angels runs.

Trout's home run, his 17th, came on a pitch that was just inches off the ground.

"He's probably the best player on the planet," Hinch said. "He always factors in, one way or

another."

Luke Gregerson (3-1) tossed a scoreless inning for the win, and Harris earned his seventh save

in as many chances.

The Astros have the top bullpen in the majors since May 1. Harris has only been Houston's

closer since June 5.

"That was the biggest test to date for him," Hinch said.

Angels starter Matt Shoemaker left with a 2-0 lead after six innings. In his last eight starts, he is

1/3 with a 1.87 ERA.

But the Angels' bullpen was no match for Houston. Los Angeles used five relievers and all of

them struggled.

"We have confidence in our guys in the bullpen," Scioscia said. "These guys pitched well last

year. This year they're not quite as crisp. We haven't gotten the same production from them."

Collin McHugh went six innings for the Astros, allowing two runs and six hits.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Astros: RHP Lance McCullers was scratched from his scheduled start Tuesday night with the

beginnings of a blister on his right index finger. Hinch said McCullers could rejoin the rotation

Friday or Monday (which would be his next regular turn).

June 28, 2016 Page 23 of 23

Angels: Mixed results from a pair of ultrasounds on starting pitchersGarrett

Richards and Andrew Heaney. Both had stem-cell injections in the hope of avoiding elbow

surgery. Angels GM Billy Eppler said Richards was asymptomatic and will be re-evaluated in six

weeks. Heaney, however, did not show improvement and will be re-evaluated in two weeks. ...

Eppler also said LHP C.J. Wilson will get a second opinion on his sore shoulder. ... LHP Tyler

Skaggs, coming back from Tommy John surgery, started for Class A Inland Empire and threw for

the first time in 10 weeks, allowing one run and five hits in 4 1/3 innings. He struck out five.

UP NEXT

Astros: RHP Scott Feldman (4-3) will make the spot start for McCullers. The 6-foot-7 Feldman

has appeared in 20 games for Houston, with four previous starts. For the last eight seasons he

has primarily been a starter.

Angels: RHP Tim Lincecum (1-1) makes his third start with Los Angeles. Lincecum, coming back

from hip surgery, had one highly effecting performance against the A's (one run, six innings)

and one rough outing (four runs, three innings).