CHICAGO — The Angels are going to be without Luis Rengifo for at least a week.
An MRI exam Friday morning showed just right wrist inflammation, so Rengifo was placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Thursday. Rengifo was hurt on a foul ball in the ninth inning of Wednesday’s game.
The injury costs the Angels a player who had been arguably their most productive player from the start of the season. Rengifo is also a valuable trade chip. It’s possible he could still be traded before the July 30 deadline, depending on how quickly he comes back from the injury.
In the meantime, Rengifo’s injury opened the door for infielder Keston Hiura to return to the majors for the first time since 2022. A product of Valencia High and UC Irvine, Hiura was a Milwaukee Brewers first-round pick in 2017 and produced a .938 OPS in his rookie year in 2019.
He hasn’t been as successful since, and he spent 2023 and the start of 2024 in Triple-A. He began this season in the Detroit Tigers’ system, and the Angels picked him up last month.
Hiura hit .360 with 12 homers in 19 games at Triple-A Salt Lake.
“Everything felt good,” Hiura said. “I think I was telling people the last week or two when I was with Toledo (in the Detroit system), things started to come together. I felt good at the plate, capitalizing on mistakes by pitchers. Just carried it on over to Salt Lake. Things were going well, barreling balls. Obviously he was happy with the results.”
Hiura has played first, second and the outfield. The Angels mostly like him for his bat, though. He was in the lineup at DH on Friday.
“He swung the bat really well,” Angels general manager Perry Minasian said. “We’re looking at what our options are down there. You’re trying to match the needs we have at the big-league level. He just seemed like a good fit.”
NOTES
The Angels moved right-hander Andrew Wantz to the 60-day injured list to create a spot on the 40-man roster for Hiura. Wantz was being evaluated for an elbow injury. The Angels haven’t released the diagnosis, beyond elbow inflammation, but obviously they believe it’s serious if they moved him to the 60-day injured list. …
Anthony Rendon’s live at-bats against minor-league pitchers were scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Angel Stadium. Manager Ron Washington said Rendon would get as many at-bats as he needed over the two days. …
The Angels still have not decided whether Roansy Contreras will get another start next week. Contreras gave up three runs in 2 2/3 innings Thursday. One option that has emerged is right-hander Sam Bachman, who also pitched Thursday at Double-A. Bachman gave up one run in six innings, with eight strikeouts. Bachman pitched 11 games in the majors in 2023, before undergoing shoulder surgery after the season. …
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Washington said he planned to have the Angels skip pregame batting practice on the field all three days in Chicago, in an effort to give the players “a break.” Washington said the Angels looked mentally fatigued in recent days. “Seven or eight days, we played tremendous baseball, and that’s the energy it takes to maintain tremendous baseball. We lost that energy. I just see as fatigue, mental fatigue, not physical.” …
Washington said he planned to have shortstop Zach Neto spend some time with Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson this weekend. Washington was one of Swanson’s mentors with the Atlanta Braves.
UP NEXT
Angels (LHP Tyler Anderson, 7-8, 3.03) at Cubs (RHP Kyle Hendricks, 1-6, 7.48) at Wrigley Field, 11:20 a.m. PT Saturday, Bally Sports West, 830 AM.