The Angels got a mixed injury update this week, with two players being shut down for the rest of the season while one pitcher avoided the worst-case scenario.
First baseman Nolan Schanuel and infielder Kyren Paris are both done for the year, according to a report from Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. Schanuel has been out since Aug. 20 because of a right intercostal strain, and after playing in one rehab game for Triple-A Salt Lake on Sunday, he aggravated the injury. He went back to Anaheim for testing, and after meeting with the training staff, the Angels decided to shut him down for the final two series.
Schanuel’s season closes with a .276/.351/.385 slash line, seven home runs, 22 doubles and 49 RBIs in 107 games. He had a strong early stretch as well, but his year was interrupted by injuries, including an ankle issue earlier in the season.
Paris’ season also ends here. He fractured his right index finger while fielding grounders before Thursday’s game against the Minnesota Twins, per Bollinger. The infielder has never been much of a hitter, and his career average sits at .147.
There’s been little reason for the Angels to lean on Paris anyway, especially with Oswald Perez and Denzer Guzman also slumping for months.
On the pitching side, the news was better: Natera won’t need surgery. That’s a relief for the Angels, considering he had been one of their more dependable relievers, posting a 3.13 ERA with 48 strikeouts in 31-2/3 innings.
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