ANAHEIM — Two months into the season, the Angels are still learning how to run the bases.
A day after Luis Rengifo committed another gaffe on the bases, manager Ron Washington repeated something he’s been saying all season.
“The key is decisions,” Washington said. “You gotta make decisions according to the 101 fundamentals of the game of baseball. And these guys undoubtedly haven’t had that opportunity to be aggressive on the base paths and now they got an opportunity to do it and they’re making some decisions that cost us. But for them to make the right decision, we’ve got to allow them to make decisions. We can’t make decisions for them.”
The Angels were down by a run in the fifth inning on Saturday when Rengifo singled into left field, sending Nolan Schanuel to third. Rengifo, however, tried to stretch it into a double, and he was thrown out easily.
It’s been a rough week for Rengifo, who also ended an Angels rally when he was caught stealing third with two outs in Houston. After that, Washington said he would take a more active role in telling the runners when to stay put.
The Angels have made 25 outs on the bases, in addition to 21 times caught stealing. The combination of those two is the most in the majors.
“If you want to be a running team, you’ve got to run,” Washington said. “They have to learn how to do it. It’s something they’ve never done. The mistakes they’re making on the base paths, they’re not coaching mistakes. They’re decisions that the players are making. We’ve just got to keep talking and keep going over it. We’re gonna have to get out there and make better decisions. But in order for them to make those decisions, we’ve got to be able to get out there and play.”
SANÓ’S MISHAP
Miguel Sanó was scheduled to play over the weekend in the Arizona Complex League, but his rehab assignment is now on hold because he burned himself with a heat pack, Washington said.
“He had a heat pack on his knee and he left it on too long and he burned himself,” Washington said. “It’s not a serious burn. He burned himself to the point that it’s hard to put stuff on.”
Sanó has been on the injured list since May 1 because of left knee inflammation. He said two weeks ago that he hoped to be active on the Angels just completed trip through Texas, but that didn’t happen. Now, the Angels would like to see him play in Triple-A before activating him.
NOTES
Right-hander Sam Bachman (shoulder surgery) pitched one scoreless inning in Arizona on Saturday night, his first competitive action since last season. The Angels are planning to rehab Bachman as a starter, so he’ll need to get up to at least five innings and 90 pitches. …
The Angels will be off on Memorial Day for the second time in three years. They also had an off day in 2022. …
The Angels will face New York Yankees lefty Nestor Cortes on Tuesday and lefty Carlos Rodon on Thursday. The Angels are 7-3 in games started by left-handers this season.
UP NEXT
Yankees (LHP Nestor Cortes, 3-4, 3.29) at Angels (RHP Griffin Canning, 2-4, 5.05) at Angel Stadium, 6:38 p.m. PT Tuesday, Bally Sports West, 830 AM.