PEORIA, Ariz. — Angels top pitching prospect Caden Dana moved quickly to dispel any suggestion that his spring struggles have anything to do with arm discomfort.
On Tuesday against the Cleveland Guardians, the right-hander came on in relief, left the game after some initial struggles and went back to the mound the following inning, as spring rules allow. Neither inning went well.
Afterward, Angels manager Ron Washington suggested that common mid-spring arm fatigue could have been a culprit.
“There were times I thought he popped the ball pretty good,” Washington said.
An off day physically certainly would seem plausible. Dana was uncharacteristic in giving seven runs on five hits and four walks while recording three outs across the two innings he appeared, while recording three total outs.
The 21-year-old, who came into camp as an outside candidate for the No. 5 spot in the rotation, might have been out of sorts, but it had nothing to do with his arm.
“My arm’s definitely not dead. I feel fine,” Dana said. “Coming out of the ’pen is a little different for me. I’m still trying to adjust to that. So keep working on it. Keep getting better.”
His time in relief this spring is more of circumstance. The Angels are not planning on a new role for a pitcher they see as a long-term rotation piece. The club has what appear to be four set starters with left-hander Yusei Kikuchi on schedule for Opening Day, to be followed in some order by lefty Tyler Anderson and right-handers Jose Soriano and Kyle Hendricks.
Other starting opportunities this spring are going to righty Jack Kochanowicz and lefty Reid Detmers, who are in a spirited battle for the final rotation spot.
The battle leaves Dana to get in his work mid-game. And while the role is something of an out-of-body experience, Dana is game to take on the challenge, even if it might have an upper hand at the moment.
“I felt a little out of rhythm, obviously,” Dana said Thursday about his previous outing. “That’s the name of the game, throwing strikes and that’s not what I did.”
While Dana admitted that struggles in his brief major league appearance last season were a blow to his confidence, he is staying defiant in the face of some undesirable results this spring that have left him with a 15.88 ERA over 5⅔ innings.
“I know I’m a starter,” said Dana, who has fashioned a 12-12 record with a 3.01 ERA in 41 minor-league starts over three seasons. He had 244 strikeouts over 212⅓ innings.
“I mean, I’m not going to be coming out of the ’pen too often. But for the time being, just kind of adjust to it mentally and physically. It’s definitely a different world coming out of the ’pen. I’ve experienced that now and I still believe in myself.”
CENTRAL PARK
A day after playing in left field, Mickey Moniak was back in center field on Thursday, while Jo Adell played in right field against the Seattle Mariners. Washington said there was no deeper meaning to the positioning, with both players still targeted for center field this season.
“Today was Moniak in center, but (it was) Jo’s day to play so he went to right,” Washington said. “(There) will be a time when Jo goes to center and Moniak goes to right. We’re trying to give them as much time in both spots as we possibly can.”
LID LIFTER
Kikuchi will make his second Cactus League start in a home split-squad game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday.
In his first official game action, the left-hander gave up two runs on three hits with one walk and three strikeouts over 2⅔ innings against the Dodgers last Friday. The first batter he faced, Japan countryman Shohei Ohtani, tagged him for a home run.
At his current pace, Kikuchi would have just two more Cactus League starts remaining before facing the Chicago White Sox in the season opener on March 27 on the road.
Right-hander Jose Soriano also will start Friday in a split-squad game against the Kansas City Royals in Surprise.
NOTES
It might be the middle of spring training but it is never too early to start treating games like it was the regular season. The Angels took the rare step of having a full batting practice in advance of a Cactus League road game.
Taylor Ward led off and went 1 for 3 with a double as the Angels’ designated hitter in his first game action since missing time with a knee injury.