Los Angeles Angels get Joe Smith back, Soto close

The Los Angeles Angels are trying to get healthy and reliever Joe Smith was activated Friday in time for the first of a ten game road trip in Boston.  Catcher Geovany Soto has played two games so far in Triple-A for Salt Lake City rehabbing his injured knee.  Hopefully he will be able to come back soon as well.

The Los Angeles Angels have seen so many players on the injury list this season, it seems to be a game of who’s next.  With Smith coming back Friday, and Soto on the mend, things are looking up.

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Smith pitched a scoreless 6th inning in the Angels 5-4 loss to Boston Friday night in his action major league action in nearly a month. He was activated Friday as Mike Morin was sent back to Triple-A.

The Angels bullpen could use a shot in the arm as it has been in shambles over the past month with closer  Huston Street struggling as well as almost everyone they have thrown out there. The only Angels relievers who have pitched well consistently have been Deolis Guerra (2.57 ERA) , and Cam Bedrosian (1.29 ERA), all other relievers have ERA’s of 4.00 or above. Smith’s fill-in as team set-up man Fernando Salas has an 8.62 ERA in his last 15 outings, not what I would call relief.

I am not suggesting Joe Smith is the savior either as he is sporting a 3.76 ERA this season, but he also pitched injured the last three weeks before going on the DL.  However, the comfort of having Joe Smith back in his usual 8th inning set-up role which the Angels have primarily used him in over the last three seasons may be coming to an end.  With Angels engaged in trade talks with numerous teams Smith’s name has come up along with starter Matt Shoemaker, and third baseman Yunel Escobar.

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Smith will be a free agent at the end of the 2016 season, so the Angels may be thinking about trying to get something for him before he potentially walks away at the end of the season. I’m not sure what it would take to re-sign Smith for another year or two, but I think unless it is too pricy the Angels should lock him down again as he has been the most consistent right-handed reliever they have had since Scott Shields.

As for Geovany Soto he has started his rehab assignment for the Triple-A Salt Lake City Bees and has gone 1 for 8 in two games so far for the Bees.  There is no word on the timetable for Soto’s return, but with Jett Bandy‘s emergence as a viable back-up option for the Angels, .265 batting average in the last month with two homers and six RBI’s, the Angels may not be inclined to rush Soto back to Anaheim.  We will just have to wait and see.

Next: Offense breaks out

As for Joe Smith for now he is in the Angels bullpen and he should provide some stability, but for how long will be the question.