TEMPE, Ariz. — Just when it looks like Luis Rengifo has a chance to be ready for Opening Day, the Angels now have a new question about their infield.
Third baseman Yoán Moncada has a deep bruise in his right thumb, and he’s out indefinitely.
“It looks like he’s going to be on the shelf for a minute,” Manager Ron Washington said on Sunday. “Nothing is torn. Just got some deep bruises. We’ve got to let it settle down before we start letting him try to hit.”
Washington said he’s not sure if Moncada would be ready for March 27 opener.
“We’ve just got to wait and see,” Washington said. “Depends on how quick he heals.”
Moncada said on Saturday that his thumb felt better and he thought he might be able to play again as soon as Monday, but apparently further evaluations changed that timetable.
Washington said he’s not sure how Moncada, who is a switch-hitter, was hurt. He last played on Wednesday. He was in the lineup on Friday, but scratched a few hours before the game.
“Just one day, he came out there and the doc said that he hurt his thumb,” Washington said. “That could happen many ways. He doesn’t even know. He just woke up one morning and his thumb was messed up. Might have been something that happened and it didn’t affect him till the next day. But it is a deep bruise, and he can’t throw. And he has trouble swinging the bat. When you’re swinging the bat, you’re pulling down on that, so you’ve got to be cautious.”
Moncada’s absence means that Rengifo is now likely to get most of his time at third base, which is his best position anyway. It creates an opening at second base. The most likely starter at second is Tim Anderson, ahead of Christian Moore and Kyren Paris.
For Moncada, the setback is the latest in a career that’s been derailed by trips to the injured list.
Moncada, 29, played only 12 games last season with the Chicago White Sox, suffering a left adductor strain in April. He came back for one game in September, but the White Sox chose not to play him in the final two weeks in order to give an opportunity to younger players. Moncada has played just 208 games in the last three years.
The White Sox then declined his $25 million option, and the Angels signed him for $5 million.
The good news is that Rengifo at least seems to be recovering well from a hamstring injury that cost him some time in spring training. He has been getting at-bats for the past several days in minor league games, and he played in a big league exhibition game on Saturday.
Rengifo was in the lineup again for the Angels’ Cactus League game on Sunday, starting at second base. Washington said going forward, Rengifo will get his reps at third base.
The Angels still have Anderson, Paris, Moore, Scott Kingery and David Mershon in camp, but it seems that the most likely option for second base is Anderson. Kevin Newman is expected to be the starting shortstop until Zach Neto is ready to come off the injured list.
Anderson, 31, is trying to revive his career after poor performance and personal issues derailed him. He was released last season by the Miami Marlins.
This spring Anderson is 9 for 37 (.243) with a .651 OPS, but he’s been gradually improving after a 2-for-17 start.
“I think each day he goes out there and get a chance to compete, I think he’s been doing a tremendous job of competing,” Washington said. “And I think he’s gonna really, really be special for us. It’s still in him. We just got to be patient and let it grow. And I think every single day he comes here, we can see the growth.
“Even though he’s a veteran player, things haven’t been going the way he wanted to go, as far as his performance and his skill set, and I can see his skill set returning, and I can see his performance, it will get better as we continue to play baseball.”
Washington said he’s been satisfied with Anderson’s work at second, even though he’s mostly played shortstop throughout his career. Washington also said he’ll still give Anderson some opportunities at shortstop. Newman can also play second.
NETO UPDATE
Neto made throws from shortstop to first base on Sunday, the first time this spring he’s done that.
Neto, who has been rehabbing from right shoulder surgery, is not going to be ready for Opening Day, but he’s making steady progress to a return sometime in April.
Neto has been taking batting practice regularly, and he’s been standing in to track pitches during bullpen sessions. He still hasn’t hit against live pitching, but that could be coming soon.
LINEUP TALK
Washington continues to use his catchers in the No. 2 spot, just so they can get their at-bats with a minimum number of innings behind the plate. Later this week he will start using the lineups that he expects to use during the regular season, with the No. 2 spot being the biggest question.
Washington said Rengifo, Newman and Anderson are the leading candidates to hit second, which would be after Taylor Ward and before Mike Trout and Jorge Soler.
“I always describe the second hole as a situational guy,” Washington said. “A guy that can hit the ball to the right side, a guy that can bunt, a guy that can hit and run, a guy that can use the squeeze. He’s going to get 400 at-bats if he’s everyday player, to do whatever he wants to do with his at-bats. But sometimes in that position, I need you to execute, and I need a guy in that position that’s not selfish.”