June 2, 2017 Page 1 of 30

Clips

(June 2, 2017)

June 2, 2017 Page 2 of 30

Today’s Clips Contents

FROM LOS ANGELES TIMES (Page 4)

Late-game decision, and one misplayed pop fly, lead Angels to a 4-2 loss against the

Twins

Procedure performed on Angels' Trout is 'a little controversial,' medical expert says

Rod Carew on Albert Pujols' quest for 600 homers: 'He’s not getting the kind of press

that he should'

FROM THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER (Page 8)

Late mistakes overshadow bright spots in Angels’ loss to Twins Angels Notes: Cameron Maybin hits the DL Whicker: Ervin Santana, from the Angels’ past, is still blasting

FROM ANGELS.COM (Page 13)

Tide turns on Halos after error in 9th

Meyer's effort provides Angels a silver lining

Alvarez stumbles after subbing for Norris

Ramirez faces Gibson as Pujols eyes 600

Maybin lands on DL as Angels' injuries pile up

Carew drops in on Twins before Angels series

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (Page 20)

Twins turn triple play, rally in ninth to beat Angels, 4-2

Minnesota Twins turn first triple play in 11 years vs Angels

Twins hope for more road mojo vs. Angels

June 2, 2017 Page 3 of 30

FROM ESPN.COM (Page 23)

Rod Carew's 'long trip' finds him back watching the teams he played for

Twins turn first triple play in 11 years against Angels

Inside Mike Trout's procedure, recovery process

FROM NBC SPORTS (Page 28)

Huston Street has a setback

FROM YAHOO! SPORTS (Page 29)

Three strikes and he's not out: Rod Carew's road to recovery going strong

June 2, 2017 Page 4 of 30

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

Late-game decision, and one misplayed pop fly, lead Angels to a 4-2 loss against the Twins

By Pedro Moura

The Angels appear to have struck gold with Bud Norris this year. In January, they handed the 32-year-old

a measly invitation to spring training. The longtime starter won a spot in their bullpen and quickly

ascended into their vacant closer’s role. He has nearly invariably succeeded.

But on Thursday night at Angel Stadium, manager Mike Scioscia chose left-hander Jose Alvarez to

preserve a one-run lead, not Norris, and his decision resulted in the Angels’ 4-2 defeat to Minnesota.

Hampered by Jefry Marte’s inability to catch a simple popup, Alvarez ceded the lead to the Twins and

took the loss.

Scioscia attributed his decision to lingering right knee soreness that forced Norris out of an appearance

last week.

“When Bud’s totally back to where he needs to be,” the manager said, “he’ll get some full innings.”

Norris said he was “working through some things, for sure,” but declined to say whether he thought his

workload needed monitoring.

“I don’t know if that’s necessary or not,” Norris said.

In four more bids at home run No. 600, Albert Pujols struck out, singled, grounded out, and flied out. He

has three more games to reach that milestone at home before he must take the show to Detroit,

where Jim Thome reached 600 six years ago.

Struggling to command his powerful fastball in the second inning, Angels starter Alex Meyer hung a 1-

and-2 curveball to Miguel Sano, who lofted it for a home run to center. Meyer then walked Max Kepler

on four pitches and threw wildly on a pickoff attempt, allowing Kepler to take second. Meyer escaped

the inning with two flyouts and a strikeout, and tiptoed through the next four innings.

When Jorge Polanco led off the seventh with a single, Meyer exited in favor of rookie reliever Keynan

Middleton, who retired the three Twins he faced. David Hernandez handled the eighth before Alvarez

entered for the ninth.

He retired the Twins’ first hitter on a hard line drive back to him, then induced a popup that Marte

missed and yielded a double to Eddie Rosario. Two runs scored on a Jason Castro single, and, for good

measure, Norris walked in another run when he finally took the mound and threw 23 pitches.

The Angels (28-29) managed little in the first three innings against Twins rookie left-hander Adalberto

Mejia, who was making his sixth career start.

June 2, 2017 Page 5 of 30

They then notched back-to-back singles to begin the fourth before Marte tapped a ball to third. Sano

fielded it, stepped on third and threw to second baseman Brian Dozier, who quickly threw to first base

to finish the triple play. It was the first triple play the Angels had hit into in 13 years, and the first the

Twins had turned in 11 years. The Angels have been involved in 16 triple plays in their history, and their

opponent has been the Twins on six of those instances.

The Angels notched their first run on a Kole Calhoun home run in the sixth and challenged for another in

the seventh. Marte walked and Martin Maldonado singled, putting the go-ahead run in scoring position

without an out. Then Danny Espinosa and Eric Young Jr. struck out. After Ben Revere singled off reliever

Tyler Duffey’s glove to load the bases, Andrelton Simmons took two strikes and popped out harmlessly.

He hurled his bat in disgust.

Calhoun lashed another home run to begin the eighth inning, again on the first pitch from a left-hander,

this time one named Taylor Rogers. That concluded the Angels’ scoring.

The Twins acquired and discarded Mejia and Meyer four days apart last year, around the non-waiver

trade deadline. Remarkably, both men pitched precisely six innings, threw 84 pitches and 51 strikes, and

exited after facing one batter in the seventh. Both yielded five hits and one run. Both walked two. Mejia

struck out five and Meyer four.

Procedure performed on Angels' Trout is 'a little controversial,' medical expert says

By Pedro Moura

The medical innovation known as an InternalBrace that could help Mike Trout expedite the projected

six-to-eight week recovery timeline for his torn left thumb ligament is encouraging but somewhat risky,

according to at least one medical expert.

Dr. Michael Hausman, chief of elbow and hand surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai,

did not treat Trout but is familiar with his type of injury.

“It’s basically a very, very thick, stout suture that helps to essentially temporarily stabilize the ligament

and reinforce it while it’s healing,” Hausman said in a telephone interview. “Ordinarily, you would have

to wait until the ligament is solidly healed, a 10-12 week process, before you could begin to use it and

put force on it. The temporary brace is thought to be strong enough to withstand forces early and

reinforce the repair and prevent it from being injured.”

Trout had surgery Wednesday to repair the ulnar collateral ligament tear, which he injured when sliding

into second base Sunday.

Hausman said the treatment may prove to be a widespread solution, but noted the lack of experience

and data confirming its performance.

June 2, 2017 Page 6 of 30

“It’s a little controversial because the downside is this very strong suture can actually essentially saw its

way through the bone,” he said. “That’s the concern. But it’s infrequent. Obviously, if it happens, it’s a

problem. We just don’t know the denominator yet. We don’t know if it’s one in a million or one in 10.”

Hausman said it was unclear what would happen if the suture did work its way into the bone.

“That’s potentially a tough problem because now you have a ruptured ligament and a big hole in the

bone where the ligament is supposed to attach,” Hausman said. “That becomes a challenge: How do I

re-attach the ligament to the bone where I’ve just made a hole?”

It’s not known how many athletes have had the thumb procedure — it’s often done in shoulders — but

the Angels’ Andrelton Simmons is one. He beat the same projected timeline that Trout was given.

One area where their injures differed is in Trout’s accompanying dorsal capsule tear, which Simmons did

not suffer. The doctor said it was unusual for the dorsal capsule to be torn in tandem with the UCL. It’s

more common to be torn along with the radial collateral ligament, on the other side of the thumb.

In Trout’s case, it indicates the moment of injury contained force significant enough to extend all the

way to the top of the thumb.

Hausman said the additional tear should not add to Trout’s recovery time.

The Angels have not made Trout available to speak to reporters. His surgeon, Dr. Steven Shin, is not

permitted to speak on the matter.

Maybin to the DL, Escobar activated

The Angels activated third baseman Yunel Escobar from the 10-day disabled list, where he had spent

nearly three weeks because of a hamstring strain.

As they regained one of their regulars, they lost another. They placed Cameron Maybin on the DL

because of a bruised oblique he suffered while making a diving catch Monday. Angels manager Mike

Scioscia said that Maybin’s muscle continues to improve and noted the club’s plans to activate him June

9, at the outset of a weekend series at Houston.

Short hops

Right-hander Huston Street, recovering from a lat strain sustained in March, will not pitch in Class-A

Inland Empire by Friday, as had been planned. Bothered by right triceps tightness, Street will throw

another bullpen session in Anaheim before throwing a four-out minor-league outing, which will delay his

activation. … To make room for Thursday starter Alex Meyer on their 25-man roster, the Angels

optioned reliever Mike Morin to triple-A Salt Lake.

June 2, 2017 Page 7 of 30

Rod Carew on Albert Pujols' quest for 600 homers: 'He’s not getting the kind of press that he

should'

By Bill Shaikin

Rod Carew wanted to hop atop the bench in the visiting dugout. He tried on his own, tried again with

someone helping to lift him, and he finally decided to sit down on the bench.

He’ll get to the top of the bench in his own time. He is vibrant and full of life, six months after a heart

transplant. He just started his cardiac rehabilitation.

“Getting my strength back, and my balance,” he said.

He visited with the Angels and Minnesota Twins — the two teams for which the Hall of Fame infielder

played — before the clubs met Thursday at Angel Stadium. Albert Pujols, the Angels’ Hall of Famer in

waiting, entered play one home run shy of 600.

Carew called Pujols “Mr. Consistent” and said he appreciated how Pujols pushed to play every day, even

on legs and feet that have often betrayed him during his six years in Anaheim.

“That’s what I love about him,” Carew said. “Good players will do that. They will sacrifice their bodies, at

times, to be able to go out between those white lines.

“He makes you want to watch him hit. That’s just the kind of player he is. I love him like a brother. He is

really a good dude. You like to see good things happen to good people.”

Pujols would become the ninth player in major league history to hit 600 home runs, at 37 the youngest

save Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron and Alex Rodriguez. The milestone has attracted little national attention,

perhaps because home runs have become devalued, perhaps because Pujols is playing in relative

invisibility in Anaheim instead of in front of the large and loving crowds in St. Louis.

Carew said he had no idea why Pujols’ quest for 600 is not a headline story.

“I don’t know. I don’t know at all,” Carew said. “It’s not like he hasn’t been doing it on a consistent basis.

He’s been doing it consistently. He’s not getting the kind of press that he should get. He’s not a bad guy.

You can talk to him. I’m really surprised.”

As he has since he survived a massive heart attack two years ago, Carew implored fans to be mindful of

cardiac health. In advance of his heart attack, he said, he had gotten physical examinations but not

maintained a schedule of cardiac checkups, and he also said he had decided he felt well enough to stop

taking medication he had been prescribed.

In a fascinating twist, the 71-year-old Carew knew his donor. He received the heart of a 29-year-old

former NFL player who had been a middle school classmate of Carew’s son.

June 2, 2017 Page 8 of 30

“I’ve got a good, strong heart,” Carew said. “I told the doctors, get me a young heart. I want to see if I

can go out and get some base hits.”

Is he swinging a bat?

“Not yet,” he said, laughing. “I’ve got to swing the golf club first.”

In addition to urging fans to take care of their hearts, Carew also offered a piece of consumer advice: If

you are hospitalized, order the kosher food.

“Better than the regular hospital food every day,” he said. “If any of you guys go into the hospital, tell

‘em you want kosher food. You do not want the regular.”

FROM THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Late mistakes overshadow bright spots in Angels’ loss to Twins

By Jeff Fletcher

ANAHEIM — The Angels’ 4-2 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Thursday night was the story of two

encouraging bright spots surrounded by a whole lot of ugliness.

The good came in the form of slumping Kole Calhoun hitting two homers, both off left-handed pitchers,

and starter Alex Meyer tossing six strong innings in his return from the disabled list.

After that, though, the game was a mess of missed offensive opportunities — including hitting into a triple

play for the first time since 2004 — and a ninth-inning nightmare that included a defensive gaffe and two

ineffective pitchers.

Even Albert Pujols came up empty in his bid for homer No. 600, with a single in four trips to the plate.

“It’s a shame,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “Alex pitched a great game. The bullpen did a good job leading

up to the ninth. We couldn’t get those last couple outs.”

Thanks to Meyer’s pitching and Calhoun’s two solo homers, the Angels had a 2-1 lead in the ninth, when

Jose Alvarez got the call to start the inning.

Yes, the Twins had a preponderance of lefties due in the inning, but that’s not entirely why the left-handed

Alvarez was on the mound. Right-handed closer Bud Norris has been very effective against lefties this

season, and Scioscia has shown no reluctance to use him against lefties. At the moment, though, Scioscia

said he’s trying to limit Norris’ workload since he tweaked his right knee on Saturday in Miami.

Although Norris was not hurt badly enough to go on the disabled list, Scioscia said any work he could save

Norris would help.

June 2, 2017 Page 9 of 30

“When Bud is totally back to where he needs to be, he’ll get some full innings,” Scioscia said. “Right now

we’re trying to manage a bullpen that’s been used a lot.”

Norris acknowledged that he’s been “working through some things,” but he also said he didn’t think the

knee was bad enough that he needed to be limited.

“I don’t know if that’s necessary,” he said. “I’m going to come and pitch and help this team win games. If

it’s one out, or two outs or four outs, I don’t care. (Scioscia) is going to make the decisions that are best for

the ball club.”

Alvarez started the ninth against a lefty on Wednesday night, before Norris came in for the final two outs.

This time, Alvarez got the first out and then seemed to have the second, when Jorge Polanco hit a popup

to first.

But Jefry Marte let it drop. He drifted into foul territory, then back into fair territory, and the ball dropped.

“Jefry just misplayed it,” Scioscia said.

Alvarez then gave up a double to Eddie Rosario, sending Polanco to third. After an intentional walk, he

gave up a two-run single to Jason Castro, putting the Twins ahead, 3-2.

Then Norris entered. After a strikeout, he walked two straight hitters, forcing in an insurance run.

That nightmare inning spoiled the performances of Calhoun and Meyer, both of whom will need to find

more consistency if the Angels are to keep afloat.

Calhoun, who had a career .749 OPS coming into the game, was in the midst of a slump that had seen him

hit .144 with a .454 OPS over the previous 25 games. For a player the Angels envision setting the table at

the top of the lineup, that won’t do.

Generally, one of the signs a slumping hitter is improving is when he drives the ball the other way.

Calhoun’s sixth-inning homer was belted just left of center field.

“That’s kind of always the goal, to stay up the middle,” Calhoun said. “The guys out there on the mound

are pretty good. It’s easy to mess with timing, especially if someone is trying to find something. If I can get

back to a middle approach, that will help.”

Both his homers were also against left-handed pitchers, which is another encouraging sign.

“Sometimes it takes a lefty, when you’re a left-handed hitter, to get you using the whole field,” Scioscia

said.

While Calhoun provided the offense, Meyer was the pitching star. Meyer, who the Twins traded to the

Angels in the Hector Santiago deal at the deadline last summer, has been the same enigma for much of his

Angels tenure that he was with the Twins.

June 2, 2017 Page 10 of 30

In two of his last three starts, though, he performed the way the Angels hoped when they swung the deal.

On May 14, he gave up one run in 6-1/3 innings of a victory over the Detroit Tigers. After a rough start and

a brief stay on the disabled list with back spasms, Meyer picked up where he left off in the Tigers outing.

Meyer gave up a homer to Miguel Sano in the second, and that was it. He dominated for most of the night,

getting in only one tough jam, with runners at the corners and no outs in the fourth. He escaped that with

a shallow fly ball and a double play.

“He just tried to get his stuff over the plate and for the most part he did,” Scioscia said. “He didn’t make

many mistakes.”

Scioscia couldn’t say as much for the rest of his team.

Angels Notes: Cameron Maybin hits the DL

By Jeff Fletcher

ANAHEIM — The Angels swapped players on the disabled list Thursday.

On the day they activated Yunel Escobar after he missed a couple weeks with a strained hamstring, they

put Cameron Maybin on the DL with a left oblique muscle contusion. Maybin was hurt making a sprawling

catch on Monday night.

Manager Mike Scioscia said they are expecting him to be back as soon as he’s eligible, for a series next

weekend in Houston.

“It looks like he should be OK in five to seven days,” Scioscia said. “Right now it’s better to err on the side

of caution and give him all the time he needs. He keeps getting better every day, but if he would try to

push it right now, we would be at risk of losing him for an extended period of time.”

Maybin was well enough to take some batting practice on the field on Thursday afternoon, but apparently

not well enough to dissuade the club from placing him on the DL.

Unfortunately for Maybin and the Angels, the injury comes at a time when he was one of the hottest

players on the team. When the Angels moved him into the leadoff spot, he hit .391 with a .509 on-base

percentage.

Maybin went into the leadoff spot when Escobar, their primary leadoff hitter most of the past two

seasons, got hurt.

When Escobar returned on Thursday, he was batting cleanup. Obviously, the calculus changed because the

lineup is now without Maybin and, more significantly, Mike Trout.

Scioscia said they are hoping that Escobar’s ability to get the bat on the ball and hit for a high average will

work as well driving in runs as it did setting the table for Trout and Albert Pujols. Even though Escobar

doesn’t have the power of a traditional middle-of-the-order hitter, Scioscia hopes it will work.

June 2, 2017 Page 11 of 30

“Esky gets a lot of hits,” Scioscia said. “He doesn’t have to drive the ball. He’s got to knock in runs.

Hopefully he’s hitting the ball hard when guys are in scoring position.”

NO MORE ‘BUTTERCUP’

The Angels have officially scrapped the tradition of playing the 1960’s hit “Build me up, Buttercup,” during

the seventh-inning stretch. Tim Mead, the Angels vice president in charge of communications, said the

Angels haven’t necessarily abandoned it forever, but will try different songs.

“We’re just mixing it up,” Mead said.

The song was still played on Tuesday night, but not on Monday or Wednesday night.

The song had been a topic of frustration from a certain segment of the fan base, which had been calling for

its elimination for years.

CAREW VISITS

Hall of Famer Rod Carew, who spent the bulk of his career with the Angels and Twins, stopped by Angel

Stadium to see his former teams play.

Almost six months removed from a heart transplant that saved his life, Carew said he’s feeling better all

the time. He said he’s been doing cardio rehab twice a week, and he’s been watching lots of baseball.

He also is still campaigning for people to be aware of their heart health.

“It’s been a long journey, a tough journey,” he said. “Now my job is to let people be aware this is nothing

to mess with. Get checked.”

ALSO

Huston Street (strained lat), who was originally scheduled to have a four-out rehab game this weekend at

Class-A Inland Empire, felt some tightness in his triceps, so his throwing program is on hold, the Angels

announced. …

Doug Fister threw four innings in extended spring training on Thursday and “everything went well,”

General Manager Billy Eppler said. Fister, a veteran signed to a free agent deal a couple weeks ago, is next

scheduled to throw 60 pitches with Triple-A Salt Lake City on Tuesday. Fister’s contract calls for him to be

in the majors or be released by June 21. …

The Angels optioned Mike Morin to Triple-A to make room on the roster for Alex Meyer, who was

activated from the disabled list to start on Thursday…

Andrew Bailey (shoulder) is scheduled to resume throwing in the next few days, he said. Bailey has missed

nearly two months, including a break from throwing while he was re-evaluated.

June 2, 2017 Page 12 of 30

Whicker: Ervin Santana, from the Angels’ past, is still blasting

By Mark Whicker

ANAHEIM — Twelve years ago — 12 years ago? — the Angels pushed Ervin Santana out of the plane.

It was Game 5 of a five-game Division Series, with Mike Mussina glowering from the Yankees’ mound, with

red sticks clanging throughout Angel Stadium and with Bartolo Colon suddenly unable to unlock his

shoulder.

Colon would win the Cy Young Award in another month. But the Angels were running out of understudies.

Jarrod Washburn was down with strep throat. Santana was 22 years old, a smiling, 160-pound bundle of

fastball wattage that bench coach Joe Maddon had already dubbed “Magic.” He also had gone 12-8 that

season, his rookie year. So he knew where the rabbit was hiding in the hat.

Santana bobbed and weaved and parachuted his way into the sixth inning. He left with a 5-3 lead. The

Angels won because Santana had provided 97 octane gas when they were running on empty. He had been

in the midst of one of the most electrifying innings in Angels history.

Neil Allen was in the Yankees’ dugout. He is now the Minnesota pitching coach.

“We were pretty excited when Colon couldn’t go out there,” Allen said. “Then Ervin comes in and starts

coming after us. It was impressive. He ran it up there a lot firmer then.”

“Mike Scioscia had confidence in me,” Santana said, referring to the Angel manager then and now. “It was

win or go home. It was a fun experience.”

Santana, Colon, Robinson Cano and Francisco Rodriguez are the only men who played that night and still

play today.

On Saturday night, Santana pitches against the Angels for the Twins. He is 7-2 and his 1.75 ERA leads the

American League, as does his 0.844 WHIP. He has gone seven innings per start, which makes him a

modern-day Iron Man McGinnity.

He’s 34 and his 160 pounds are still there, with accompaniment, but Santana doesn’t really seem like the

elder statesman that Allen said he is.

Mostly, Santana is a poignant reminder of what it used to be like here, before people stared into cell

phones between Mike Trout’s plate appearances.

Santana was asked to explain his current brilliance and said, “Nothing has changed,” which is what he used

to say during his good years.

Numbers say he is throwing more changeups. He is shooting for his fifth season of 200 innings or more.

“Back then I was not pitching,” Santana said. “I was throwing. I can get ahead with my fastball and then

maybe throw a slider away and give myself a chance to get out of the inning.

June 2, 2017 Page 13 of 30

“I have a better feel for my changeup now. I have confidence, but sometimes you don’t always have the

same type of energy. For the team, we won our first game of the year. Last year we lost our first nine.

Everybody’s happier now. Everything has changed.”

The Twins came into Thursday’s game tied for first place in the AL Central. They were second two years

ago, but last year was like a calamitous insurance commercial. Santana has not only given the Twins

uncommonly good pitching, he has mentored Jose Berrios, who was rocked as a rookie, but now has a

better WHIP (0.788) than Santana.

“I asked Ervin if it was OK to put some of the younger Latin-American pitchers in his group,” Allen said.

“They saw how he did things. He told them not to worry about the press, your agent, your parents, any of

that. The most comfortable place to be in this game is in between those lines. And that’s the part you can

control.”

Santana is ninth among active pitchers with 2,249 innings. He said nothing has changed there, either. He

runs on the beach near his home of San Cristobal, in the Dominican Republic, and he swims and throws “a

lot of bullpens.”

He lives near Vladimir Guerrero, whom Santana says “is hanging out with his mom and his family, just

enjoying life,” before a near-certain Hall of Fame induction in 2018.

Santana pitched a no-hitter and made an All-Star team with the Angels, but they traded him to Kansas City

for Brandon Sisk after the 2012 season, and if you wonder who Brandon Sisk is, that’s the point.

Torii Hunter and Dan Haren became free agents. A belt-tightening winter, we were told. Then the Angels

signed Josh Hamilton for five years, $125 million.

The debris is still with us, from that and from years of fallow drafts and loopy trades and a crushing plague

of injuries. Ervin Santana visits tonight, with that sly sense of humor, insisting that nothing has changed.

FROM ANGELS.COM

Tide turns on Halos after error in 9th

By Rhett Bollinger and Maria Guardado / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- Jason Castro's two-run single off Jose Alvarez in the ninth inning highlighted a three-run

outburst that propelled the Twins to a 4-2 come-from-behind victory over the Angels in Thursday night's

series opener at Angel Stadium.

One inning after Kole Calhoun slammed his second home run of the night to put the Angels in front, 2-1,

the Twins rallied to erase the deficit behind two hits, a pair of walks and a costly error by first

baseman Jefry Marte. Alvarez recorded the first out by inducing a groundout from Max Kepler, but Jorge

Polanco then skied an infield popup that Marte could not reel in.

June 2, 2017 Page 14 of 30

Eddie Rosario followed with a double to left field, and Eduardo Escobar intentionally walked to set up

Castro's clutch hit. Minnesota then added an insurance run after Halos closer Bud Norris issued a bases-

loaded walk to Joe Mauer.

"We hung in there," said Twins manager Paul Molitor, whose club snapped a four-game losing streak

and improved to 15-5 on the road. "We got a little bit of a break on the popup there. We got some good

at-bats from our lefties to find a way to take the lead."

Twins left-hander Adalberto Mejia and Angels right-hander Alex Meyer delivered strong starting

performances for their respective clubs, with six innings of one-run ball apiece.

"You can focus a lot in the ninth inning -- obviously, we dropped the popup and we walked a couple

guys, but this game was lost in a lot of different ways," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "We had

some opportunities, and it's a shame because Alex pitched a great game."

Miguel Sano, who returned to the Twins' lineup after missing two games with an illness, finished 2-for-3

with a solo home run, and the third baseman initiated a 5-4-3 triple play in the fourth inning.

Angels slugger Albert Pujols, who hit his 599th career home run on Tuesday, is still seeking No. 600 after

going 1-for-4 with a single.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Calhoun goes deep twice: In the bottom of the eighth, Calhoun snapped a 1-1 deadlock by crushing a

first-pitch curveball from Taylor Rogers to right-center field for his seventh homer of the season. The 29-

year-old right fielder also tied the game at 1 with a homer off Mejia in the sixth. Both of Calhoun's

homers came against southpaws, securing the third multi-homer effort of his career.

"I've been putting pretty good swings on the ball lately and not getting anything to fall," Calhoun said.

"Seems like I'd been hitting the ball right at people, so it's nice to get a couple tonight."

Twins get trippy: With the Twins ahead, 1-0, in the fourth, Pujols and Yunel Escobar strung together

back-to-back singles off Mejia to put runners on first and second with no outs for Marte. But Marte

bounced a grounder to Sano, who stepped on third and flipped it to second baseman Brian

Dozier before Dozier fired to Joe Mauer at first in time to complete the 5-4-3 triple play. It was

Minnesota's first triple play since May 27, 2006.

"I thought about it before the pitch came that there was a possibility there could be a triple play," Sano

said. "We worked on it early in the day, fielding ground balls close to the line. I had it in mind, and it was

the perfect pitch."

UPON FURTHER REVIEW

The Twins challenged a play in the sixth, when Andrelton Simmons was ruled safe after shortstop

Polanco bobbled the ball before throwing to first. But after a review, the call on the field was

overturned. Calhoun homered on the next pitch, so it saved the Twins a run.

June 2, 2017 Page 15 of 30

The Angels unsuccessfully challenged a play in the ninth, as Rosario doubled with one out and Polanco

had to dive back into third after taking a wide turn, narrowly beating Escobar's tag. Replay was

inconclusive and the call was allowed to stand.

QUOTABLE

"I never thought about it as a triple play. When it was hit, I thought it was going to be a double play. But

it was awesome to get the triple play." -- Mejia

WHAT'S NEXT

Twins: Right-hander Kyle Gibson (1-4, 7.85 ERA) is set to start for the Twins in the second game of the

series on Friday at 9:07 p.m. CT. Gibson has struggled this year, but held the Rays to two earned runs

over 5 1/3 innings on Sunday.

Angels: Right-hander JC Ramirez (5-3, 3.38 ERA) will take the mound on Friday as the Angels and Twins

continue their four-game series at 7:07 p.m. PT at Angel Stadium. Ramirez will be making his first career

appearance against Minnesota.

Meyer's effort provides Angels a silver lining

By Kaelen Jones / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- The Angels continue to display their faith in Alex Meyer's potential, and in recent starts, the

young right-hander has rewarded the club.

In his latest performance, Meyer (2-2, 4.91 ERA) spun six-plus innings, allowing just one run on five hits

and two walks while striking out four batters in the Angels' 4-2 loss to the Twins on Thursday. The outing

marked Meyer's second quality start of the season (the other, a 4-1 win over Detroit on May 14), and his

first appearance since being activated from the 10-day disabled list, which he landed on May 24 with

back spasms.

"Physically, I feel fine," said Meyer. "I didn't feel restricted by anything, so from that aspect, everything

was good."

Unhindered, Meyer seemed locked in from the start. He finished the game throwing 51 strikes on 84

total pitches. Angels manager Mike Scioscia commended Meyer's effort to pound the strike zone.

"It's a shame [we lost] because Alex pitched a great game," Scioscia said. "He was trying to get his stuff

over the plate, for the most part he did."

Meyer said getting ahead was key to his effort. His aggressive approach was especially apparent during

the early innings. During the first frame he hurled a 98.9 mph four-seamer at Twins second

baseman Brian Dozier that resulted in a flyout. He exited having averaged 95.8 and 96.1 mph on his two-

and four-seam fastballs, respectively, according to Statcast™.

Meyer, who debuted for Minnesota in 2015 and was traded to the Angels on Aug. 1 last season, said, "It

was definitely exciting facing the team that I knew a lot of the guys on."

June 2, 2017 Page 16 of 30

He also said the excitement of returning from the DL motivated his strong performance.

"His stuff looked good," Scioscia said. "I think he had a little rhythm going."

The 2011 first-round Draft pick made a mistake when he left a breaking ball inside to Miguel Sano, who

hammered it out of the park for a home run. Aside from that, he was solid, bouncing back from his

previous outing against the Mets, when he "really struggled with my fastball against left-handers."

He said he met with pitching coach Charles Nagy, who helped him make a small adjustment to increase

his command. Since then, Meyer said, "everything kind of fell into place."

The club is high on Meyer's ability, and with six starts now under his belt, his confidence is beginning to

grow. Although, Meyer said he's taking things a game at a time.

"I definitely know, like anything in life, the more you do something, the more comfortable you're going

to feel," he said. "I've got a lot of people here pulling for me, trying to help me out to be the best pitcher

that I can be. I feel like I'm putting less pressure on myself when I go out there."

Alvarez stumbles after subbing for Norris

By Maria Guardado / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- The Angels never officially named Bud Norris their closer, but the veteran right-hander had

established himself as manager Mike Scioscia's preferred ninth-inning option after converting 10 of his

first 11 save opportunities.

But on Thursday night, Scioscia decided to send left-hander Jose Alvarez to the mound in the ninth to

protect the Halos' 2-1 lead. The move ultimately backfired, as Alvarez gave up two hits and first

baseman Jefry Marte dropped an easy popup to allow the Twins to rally and hand the Angels a 4-2

series-opening loss at Angel Stadium.

Scioscia said he chose to go with Alvarez instead of Norris in that key spot because Norris has been

dealing with right knee soreness since Saturday.

"When Bud's totally back to where he needs to be, he'll get some full innings," Scioscia said "Right now,

we're trying to manage a bullpen that's been used a lot."

Norris said he's "working through some things," but he added that he didn't think his ailing knee would

prevent him from handling his normal workload.

"I don't know if that's necessary or not," Norris said. "I'm going to come out here and try to pitch. That's

it. I want to come out here and help this team win games, and if it's one out, two outs, four outs -- I

don't care. [Scioscia's] going to make decisions on what's best for the ballclub, and we're going to go

from there."

June 2, 2017 Page 17 of 30

With two lefty bats and a switch-hitter due up in the ninth, Scioscia decided to match up and deploy

Alvarez, who recorded the first out on a comebacker to the mound and then coaxed a simple infield

popup from Jorge Polanco. But Marte allowed it to fall for a single, igniting the Twins' big rally. Alvarez

subsequently surrendered a double to Eddie Rosario, an intentional walk to Eduardo Escobar and a two-

run single to Jason Castro that put Minnesota ahead, 3-2.

"The bullpen, for the most part, did a great job leading up to the ninth," Scioscia said. "We just couldn't

get those last couple outs."

Ramirez faces Gibson as Pujols eyes 600

By Rhett Bollinger / MLB.com

JC Ramirez has been a pleasant surprise since joining the Angels' rotation in mid-April, and the right-

hander will look to keep it going against the Twins and right-hander Kyle Gibson on Friday in the second

game of the four-game series at Angel Stadium. Albert Pujols will be looking for career homer No. 600

The last player to reach 600 blasts was Jim Thome, with the Twins in 2011. Pujols, who hit No. 599 on

Tuesday, is 4-for-16 with two homers against Gibson in his career. In addition to the game being

available live to MLB.TV subscribers, MLB.com and Angels.com will feature free live look-ins of Pujols' at-

bats.

Ramirez has posted 3.20 ERA in nine starts, striking out 44 and walking 12 in 56 1/3 innings. He's coming

off a strong start against the Marlins, allowing an unearned run in seven innings.

Gibson has struggled this year, posting a 7.85 ERA in eight starts that caused him to have a short stint at

Triple-A Rochester. He surrendered three runs (two earned) over 5 1/3 innings against the Rays on

Sunday.

Things to know about the game

• Ramirez has never pitched against the Twins, and only catchers Jason Castro (0-for-3) and Chris

Gimenez (0-for-1) have faced him.

• Gibson has struggled against the Angels, going 0-2 with a 6.21 ERA against them in six starts. The right-

hander has yet to reach six innings pitched in eight starts this year.

• Opponents are only 2-for-24 with no extra-base hits and nine strikeouts against Ramirez's curveball.

That .083 slugging percentage is the second-lowest, behind only Corey Kluber, among starters who have

had at least 20 at-bats end with a curve or knuckle-curve.

June 2, 2017 Page 18 of 30

Maybin lands on DL as Angels' injuries pile up

By Kaelen Jones / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- The Angels placed outfielder Cameron Maybin on the 10-day disabled list with a left oblique

contusion on Thursday.

According to manager Mike Scioscia, Maybin sustained the injury while diving for a fly ball in left-center

field against the Braves on Monday, causing him to feel a bit of pain in his left side. He has not appeared

since then, so the move is backdated to Tuesday.

Scioscia said Maybin went through "some tests, came back and said there's no major damage, but [his

side is] bruised, it's sore, it's weak, [and] it affects him when he swings."

He added that Maybin should be ready in five to seven days, and anticipates the 30-year-old will be

ready by the time the Angels begin a three-game road series against Houston on June 9.

"Right now, it's better just to err on the side of caution and just give him all the time he needs," Scioscia

said. "He keeps getting better every day, but if he were to try and push it right now, we would be at risk

at losing him for an extended period of time."

Maybin participated in batting practice prior to Thursday's series opener against Minnesota, and Scioscia

confirmed his performance during warmups served as the determining factor in placing him on the DL.

Maybin was third in the Major Leagues in stolen bases (10) and walk percentage (18.9) while raising his

batting percentage 36 points (.242) during May. He's made three appearances in center field since Mike

Trout was placed on the DL with a torn UCL in his left thumb.

Starting center-field duties will now likely fall to Shane Robinson.

Escobar, Meyer reinstated; Morin optioned

Los Angeles reinstated third baseman Yunel Escobar and starting pitcher Alex Meyer from the DL in time

for both players to start Thursday's series opener against the Twins. Right-handed pitcher Mike

Morin was option to Triple-A Salt Lake in a corresponding move.

Los Angeles placed Escobar on the 10-day disabled list May 14 after he suffered a Grade 1 left hamstring

strain against Detroit. Meyer hit the DL with back spasms on May 24, causing him to miss his start

against Tampa Bay.

Escobar was slated to bat cleanup behind first baseman Albert Pujols on Thursday, something Scioscia

said he planned on implementing before.

"[One of our plans] was to put Yuni somewhere in the middle behind Albert to put him in a good

situation to drive in runs," Scioscia said. "We've had to adjust off that a little bit, but we still think it's a

good spot for him."

June 2, 2017 Page 19 of 30

Escobar entered Thursday hitting .266 with five home runs and 17 RBIs in 38 games.

Meyer, making his sixth start of the season, was 2-2 with a 5.79 ERA entering Thursday.

"He threw a power bullpen and felt great," Scioscia said. "We'll monitor him, but we don't have [plans to

restrict his usage] in place right now."

Street set back

• The Angels announced Thursday night that right-handed reliever Huston Street returned from his

rehab assignment early because of right triceps tightness.

Street began a rehab assignment with Salt Lake on May 24. He was previously expected to pitch in a

game with Class A Advanced Inland Empire on Thursday or Friday before potentially joining the Angels'

bullpen this weekend. Instead, he's considered day to day.

Thursday marked the first day Street, who began the season on the 60-day DL, was eligible for

activation.

Carew drops in on Twins before Angels series

By Rhett Bollinger / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- Hall of Famer Rod Carew has been continuing his rehab from heart and kidney transplants

in mid-December, and visited with his two former organizations on Thursday, when the Angels hosted

the Twins at Angel Stadium.

Carew, an 18-time All-Star who played with the Twins from 1967-78 and the Angels from 1979-85, said

he's been doing physical therapy without any setbacks and watches baseball from his Southern

California home every night. He's planning a trip to Minnesota this summer to see the Twins play, and

also plans to make it to Hall of Fame weekend from July 28-31 in Cooperstown, but he's waiting to get

cleared by a doctor to fly.

"I watch baseball every night and click through 10 games," Carew said. "I'm still very interested. I like

that the Twins are winning, which is what I look for every day. It's still a big part of my life. When you

grew up playing the game and you played the game and you've done things in the game, it's still going to

be there."

Carew, 71, said he goes to rehab three days a week for two hours each session. He suffered a heart

attack while golfing near his home on Sept. 20, 2015, and had a left ventricular assist device implanted

that he was required to use until his heart transplant.

Carew, with the help of the Twins and the Angels, created the Heart of 29 Campaign, named after his

jersey number that's retired by both teams. The biggest message of his foundation is to tell fans to get

their hearts checked. He's also become an ambassador to promote organ donation.

June 2, 2017 Page 20 of 30

"I'm getting my strength back and my balance," Carew said. "They're teaching me how to eat right. It's

been good. I exercise my legs and my arms. It's been a tough trip so now it's my job to let people be

aware of it and that it's nothing to mess with. Get checked because it hurts and they lost me three times

before I was brought back."

Carew regularly keeps up with the family of his transplant donor, Konrad Reuland, who played for the

NFL's Baltimore Ravens. They live about 20 minutes from Carew, and he's beyond thankful that

Reuland's organs helped extend his life.

"I told my doctor I wanted a young heart," Carew said with a smile. "I wanted to see if I could go out and

get some base hits."

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Twins turn triple play, rally in ninth to beat Angels, 4-2

Associated Press

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Miguel Sano claims he told Minnesota teammates earlier in the day they would turn a

triple play Thursday night. The only thing he failed to predict was the Twins rallying in the ninth inning to

beat the Los Angeles Angels.

The Twins turned their first triple play in 11 years in the fourth and then scored three in the ninth, taking

the lead on Jason Castro's two-run single, to pull out a 4-2 win over the Angels.

Minnesota overcame two solo home runs from Los Angeles' Kole Calhoun, while keeping Albert

Pujols stuck at career home-run No.599. Pujols had one single in four at-bats.

The Twins turned the triple play in the fourth, their first since May 27, 2006. After leadoff singles by

Pujols and Yunel Escobar, Jefry Marte hit a sharp one-bouncer right to third baseman Sano. Sano

stepped on third for the force, fired ahead of the sliding Escobar to Brian Dozier at second, whose relay

to first easily beat Marte to complete the first triple play turned against the Angels since 2004.

"I kept thinking about it," Sano said. "I came early this morning and practiced getting the groundballs

down the line, touching third and throwing to second. Once the situation came, I just kept saying,

`(starter Adalberto) Mejia, just give me the right pitch and I'll get it."

Sano and the entire infield leapt in celebration.

"Rumor has it, he called it," said Twins manager Paul Molitor. "I don't know if he was excited about the

play or being prophetic."

June 2, 2017 Page 21 of 30

Sano had given the Twins a 1-0 lead with his 13th home run of the season in the second off Alex Meyer.

However, Calhoun tied it in the sixth with a homer off Mejia and gave the Angels the lead with his

second of the game in the eighth off Taylor Rogers (3-1).

Calhoun, who hit just .158 in the month of May, now has seven home runs.

"I've been putting pretty good swings on the ball lately and not getting anything to fall," Calhoun said.

"Seems like I'm hitting balls right at people, so it's nice to get a couple tonight."

The Twins' rally in the ninth against reliever Jose Alvarez (0-2) was aided by a miscue from Marte, who

dropped a one-out popup from Jorge Polanco for an error. Eddie Rosario doubled him to third, and after

an intentional walk to Byron Buxton, Castro looped his two-run single into left.

"We hung in there and got a little bit of a break on the pop-up," Molitor said. "Jason took a couple

fastballs but then dunked one out there to give us the lead."

Bud Norris walked in a final run.

Minnesota's Brandon Kintzler got the last three outs for his 14th save.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Twins: 3B Sano, who leads Minnesota in home runs (13) and RBI (40), returned to the lineup in the

cleanup spot after missing two games with an illness. He has batted third most of the season.

Angels: Placed OF Cameron Maybin on the 10-day disabled list was a left oblique bruise. Manager Mike

Scioscia said they expect him to be ready when he's eligible to come off the DL June 9. ... 3B Escobar

(hamstring) was activated and hit fourth. ... Closer Cam Bedrosian (groin strain) is scheduled to start his

rehab assignment Friday with Single-A Inland Empire. ... Reliever Huston Street returned from his rehab

assignment with right triceps tendinitis.

CLOSER WATCHES

Scioscia stuck with Alvarez in the ninth, even though he had Norris and his 10 saves warming up in the

bullpen. Scioscia said Norris is still recovering from a minor knee injury. "I don't know if we've ordained

anybody as a closer," the manager said. "Bud has got the lion's share of them, but with him coming off

the tweak (to his knee) that he had in Miami, I think we felt very comfortable with Jose matching up in

the ninth."

UP NEXT

Twins: RHP Kyle Gibson tries to get his season on track Friday against the Angels. Gibson started the

season 0-4 and an ERA that ballooned to 8.62, but allowed a season-low two earned runs in his last start

against Tampa Bay.

June 2, 2017 Page 22 of 30

Angels: RHP JC Ramirez looks to continue his strong turnaround as a starting pitcher. He has pitched at

least six innings in his last five starts posting a 2.67 ERA. He will be making his 10th start after opening

the season with three relief appearances.

Minnesota Twins turn first triple play in 11 years vs Angels

Associated Press

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Minnesota Twins have turned their first triple play in 11 years during the

fourth inning of their game against the Los Angeles Angels.

The Twins made the feat look easy Thursday night after Los Angeles' Albert Pujols and Yunel Escobar

opened the inning with singles against Adalberto Mejia.

Third baseman Miguel Sano fielded Jefry Marte's sharp grounder right near the bag, stepped on the

base and threw quickly to second baseman Bryant Dozier, whose throw to first comfortably beat Marte.

Minnesota recorded its first triple play since May 27, 2006.

The Angels hadn't had a triple play turned against them since July 7, 2004.

It was the second triple play in the majors this season.

Twins hope for more road mojo vs. Angels

Associated Press

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Most major league players do not look forward to road trips. However, after the

homestand the Minnesota Twins had, Brian Dozier said he was happy to get out of Minneapolis.

The Twins were blasted by Houston to end a 1-5 homestand, the Astros scoring 40 runs in three games

and beating up a bedraggled bullpen. Plus, the Twins are enjoying good road mojo this season. After

beating the Los Angeles Angels 4-2 on Thursday night, they are now 15-5 on the road.

"It was a bad homestand," Dozier said, "so we were all a little happy to get on the road."

Adalberto Mejia pitched six strong innings Thursday. Tyler Duffey worked out of trouble in the

seventh. Kole Calhoun hit a go-ahead home run off Taylor Rogers in the eighth, but the Twins used an

error and clutch hits by Eddie Rosario and Jason Castro in the ninth to give Rogers the win.

Brandon Kintzler worked a 1-2-3 ninth for the save.

The Twins hope this is the start of a good trend for their pitching, especially the bullpen. The Twins have

allowed 77 home runs this season, the second-highest total in the American League. Minnesota's

bullpen ERA is the highest in baseball at 5.29. Since May 13, 12 pitchers have moved from the Twins to

the minors or back.

June 2, 2017 Page 23 of 30

The Twins' Friday starting pitcher, right-hander Kyle Gibson (1-4, 7.85 ERA), once was a bright spot in the

organization. He went 11-11 with a 3.84 ERA in 2015. He slipped last season, to 6-11 with a 5.07 ERA,

and got off to such a bad start in 2017 -- never lasting more than 5 1/3 innings in six starts -- that he was

sent to Triple-A Rochester.

Manager Paul Molitor was succinct when he sent Gibson down.

"He's putting us in a bad spot more times than not," the Hall of Famer said. "I still have faith in him, but

we need to give him an opportunity to work things out."

Gibson made two starts at Rochester and pitched 12 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on 12 hits and four

walks. But his recall on May 22 had more to do with Phil Hughes going on the disabled list and the

bullpen erupting in flames.

Gibson has gone five innings and 5 1/3 innings in two starts since returning. He earned a win at

Baltimore in the first, but he took the loss against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday. He is 0-2 with a 6.21

ERA in six career starts against the Angels.

The Angels' Friday starter, right-hander JC Ramirez (5-3, 3.38 ERA), has been one of the bright spots on a

pitching staff that has been flogged by injuries. The former reliever began transitioning to a starting role

in spring training because so many starters were returning from injuries.

Ramirez made three relief appearances before moving into the rotation, and he has been excellent in 10

starts. He has pitched at least seven innings four times, a team high. He allowed seven hits and a walk in

seven innings in his last start, Saturday at Miami.

Ramirez is 3-1 with a 2.35 ERA in his past seven starts. This will be his first career appearance against

Minnesota.

"He's been outstanding," Los Angeles manager Mike Scioscia said. "It is not an easy transition to make

(to be a starter), especially since he's spent his entire career working out of the bullpen. The big thing is

his consistency. He's working deep into games, and there (have) been very few where he hasn't kept us

in the game."

FROM ESPN.COM

Rod Carew's 'long trip' finds him back watching the teams he played for

By Alden Gonzalez / ESPN Staff Writer

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Rod Carew recorded his 3,000th hit right here, 32 years ago, when Angel Stadium was

named Anaheim Stadium and milestones like that meant everything. He returned for Thursday’s series

opener between the Los Angeles Angels and Minnesota Twins with a chance to see Albert Pujols belt

career home run No. 600.

June 2, 2017 Page 24 of 30

“I hope so,” Carew said from the visiting dugout 90 minutes before first pitch. “Get it when the Twins

are up by a lot.”

Pujols didn’t homer, instead going 1-for-4 with a sharp single to left in the fourth and a flyout to center

in the eighth. But Carew’s Twins rallied in the ninth and won 4-2, improving their record to a surprising

27-23 on the first day of June.

Carew, 71 years old and less than six months removed from a life-saving heart and kidney transplant, is

now able to walk without much assistance and said he’s feeling “pretty good.” He recently began

physical therapy, which consists of two-hour sessions three times a week. And he watches baseball

“every night.”

“I click through 10 games a night,” Carew said. “I’m still interested in it.”

Carew was an 18-time All-Star and eventual Hall of Famer who split his career between the two

franchises he watched on Thursday night, spending 1967-78 with the Twins and 1979-85 with the

Angels.

While playing golf in Corona, California, on Sept. 20, 2015, he suffered a massive heart attack that nearly

took his life.

“It hit me like a ton of rocks,” Carew said. “One minute I swung the club. The next minute I’m on the

cart. The next minute I’m in the locker room. The next minute I’ve got paramedics getting ready to zap

me, because I flatlined.”

A left ventricular assist device was initially implanted in Carew’s chest to help his heart pump. As he

gained strength, he was placed on the list of candidates for a heart and kidney transplant. The organs

eventually were donated by former NFL tight end Konrad Reuland, who died of a brain aneurysm on

Dec. 12 and grew up about 15 minutes from Carew.

“Small world,” Carew said. “But I have a good, strong heart. I told the doctors, ‘Get me a young heart. I

want to go out and see if I can get some base hits.’”

Carew’s surgery took place at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and lasted 13 hours. He was in

intensive care for 10 days, in the hospital for nearly a month and at a local rehabilitation center for

another two weeks. He’s close to getting back to his normal self now.

Carew lives about a half-hour from Angel Stadium and is currently employed as a special assistant in the

Twins’ front office. With the help of both clubs, he began the Heart of 29 Campaign, where he assists

the American Heart Association in raising awareness and prevention of heart disease.

“It’s been a long trip,” Carew said. “It’s been a journey. A tough journey. My job is to let people be

aware that this is nothing to mess with. Get checked, because it hurts.

"Boy, I tell you, I pray a lot now. I used to pray before, but not as much as I do now. I talk to my friend

upstairs a lot, every day. When I wake up, I say, ‘Thanks for another day.’ That’s all I can do.”

June 2, 2017 Page 25 of 30

Carew addressed the Twins in the clubhouse prior to the game and sat in an empty broadcast booth

with his wife during it. He hopes to take a trip to Minnesota later this summer and also wants to attend

Hall of Fame Weekend in Cooperstown, New York, in late July, so long as he is cleared to fly.

Carew’s favorite part about today’s baseball “is that the Twins are winning.”

But he is also a fan of other players, particularly Pujols.

“I love him,” Carew said, “because he’s Mr. Consistent. Over the last couple years, playing with his legs

that way, and still going out and playing and not going on the [disabled list]. That’s what I love about

him.

"Good players will do that. They will sacrifice their bodies at times to go out in between those white

lines. And Albert is definitely one of them.”

Twins turn first triple play in 11 years against Angels

By ESPN.com news services

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Minnesota Twins turned their first triple play in 11 years during the fourth inning

of their game against the Los Angeles Angels -- and third baseman Miguel Sano said he told teammates

earlier in the day what was coming.

The Twins made the feat look easy Thursday night after Los Angeles' Albert Pujols and Yunel

Escobar opened the inning with singles against Adalberto Mejia.

Jefry Marte then hit a sharp one-bouncer right to Sano. Sano stepped on third for the force and fired

ahead of the sliding Escobar to Brian Dozier at second, whose relay to first easily beat Marte to

complete the triple play.

"I kept thinking about it," Sano said after the Twins' 4-2 win. "I came early this morning and practiced

getting the ground balls down the line, touching third and throwing to second. Once the situation came,

I just kept saying, 'Mejia, just give me the right pitch, and I'll get it.'"

Sano and the entire infield leapt in celebration.

"Rumor has it he called it," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "I don't know if he was excited about the

play or being prophetic."

Minnesota recorded its first triple play since May 27, 2006.

The Angels hadn't had a triple play turned against them since July 7, 2004.

It was the second triple play in the majors this season.

June 2, 2017 Page 26 of 30

Inside Mike Trout's procedure, recovery process

By Stephania Bell / ESPN Senior Writer

Every year a handful of players succumb to a thumb, finger, hand or wrist injury sustained during a

head-first slide; this year, it just so happens that the reigning AL MVP is among the victims.

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout, regarded as perhaps the best player in baseball, is on the DL

for the first time in his career after tearing the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his left thumb. It is not

only the Angels who are grieving, but all of Major League Baseball, as one of the most recognizable faces

in the sport is forced to the sidelines for an extended absence.

But maybe Trout's absence won't be as long as everyone fears. And more importantly, maybe when he

comes back, he'll pick up right where he left off.

On Wednesday, Trout underwent surgery with Dr. Steve Shin, director of hand surgery at the Kerlan

Jobe Orthopedic Clinic in Los Angeles, to repair his damaged thumb ligament. The general goal of

surgery with these injuries is simple: restore the normal anatomy and function of the UCL by repairing it

to its bony attachment.

But, in Trout's case, there was another step involved.

According to the Los Angeles Times, general manager Billy Eppler confirmed that Trout underwent

internal brace augmentation along with the UCL ligament repair and repair of the dorsal capsule. The

capsule is soft tissue at the joint. It is often injured with these types of injuries, but it is easily repaired

and does not affect the rehab or overall timetable.

In recent years, Shin has been pioneering a form of this particular surgical procedure that includes

reinforcing the UCL repair with synthetic tape. The tape, SutureTape (made by Arthrex), is just over a

millimeter in width, yet is incredibly strong. In this procedure, the surgeon anchors the tape over the

ligament, essentially forming a bridge, and the procedure is referred to as a UCL repair with internal

brace augmentation.

The surgeon drills one hole in the bone at the site of the ligament tear (most commonly at the base of

the thumb) and another hole near the origination site of the ligament on the first metacarpal (the long

bone of the hand that runs to the base of the thumb). Then, an anchor which holds the suture threads

and one end of the tape is passed through the hole at the base of the thumb. This suture repairs the

ligament back to the bone at its original attachment site, just like with a traditional repair.

The extra reinforcement comes with the placement of the tape over the ligament. A second anchor

containing the tape tails is placed through the drill hole on the metacarpal, completing the internal

brace construct. When the second anchor is being inserted, the thumb is positioned with a slight bend at

the base to create the ideal tension in the internal brace. (It is critical for proper healing and

functionality that the tape is not tighter than the native ligament.)

June 2, 2017 Page 27 of 30

Why reinforce the ligament? After all, if the traditional repair has worked well enough to allow virtually

all who have the procedure to return to their prior level of function, why create an additional step?

It would be easy enough to make a case for providing extra strength to support the ligament in its

natural function of protecting the thumb simply by pointing out how often these injuries happen. If the

ligament were strong enough to withstand the forces it is at risk of being subjected to, it wouldn't tear

so often in the first place. In a recent laboratory study conducted by the Arthrex Research Department

using cadaver specimens, the thumb UCL with internal brace was four times stronger than the standard

repair with suture alone.

As encouraging as the extra-strength insurance of the internal brace repair may sound, the primary

benefit of this additional reinforcement may not simply be in preventing re-injury. Given that the

addition of the SutureTape immediately strengthens the repair, the athlete can begin moving his thumb

much more quickly, mitigating some of the negative consequences typically seen with prolonged

immobilization (stiffness, muscle atrophy) and helping with overall healing.

Translation? Shorter rehab time equals potentially a quicker return to play and, quite possibly, better

performance at time of return to play.

One of the biggest pitfalls after a thumb, finger, wrist or hand injury to a power hitter -- besides the

obvious consequences of the injury itself -- is the lack of power at the plate when the player does return.

It has become expected that it will take a hitter time to ramp up to his previous level of play after

injuring a body part responsible for controlling grip and bat swing. The loss of range of motion and

strength that follows the immobilization normally associated with one of these injuries takes extended

period to overcome. After weeks of rehab, a player may recover enough mobility and strength to

execute baseball activities, but may still be lacking the ideal amount needed for his particular mechanics.

Often the player returns to competition, usually in the form of rehab games to start, as a means of not

only restoring timing and functional performance but also to further sport-specific strength and motion.

It is known in the medical world that earlier motion after injury or surgery will result in less stiffness of

the tissue and decreased atrophy of the involved muscles. The sooner an athlete can begin restoring

motion and strength, the more likely he is to regain both fully. And, the decrease in overall downtime

means less time required to restore functional performance. For a hitter, that could translate to

increased efficiency at the plate immediately after a return from injury.

Unfortunately, immobilization is often a necessary part of protecting the newly healing tissue after

injury or surgery. With a UCL repair, too much movement too soon could damage the repair, defeating

the purpose of the surgery. In the case of a standard repair, the thumb is typically placed in a cast for

several weeks to allow the ligament time to sufficiently heal back to the bone. Even after the cast is

removed, a protective device (such as a splint) is initially required as the athlete resumes activity.

In the case of the UCL repair with internal brace augmentation, the period of immobilization is merely a

matter of days. The reinforcement offered by the tape is such that the athlete can begin range of motion

activity within several days, performing strengthening and early baseball drills within a couple weeks

June 2, 2017 Page 28 of 30

and resumption of unrestricted baseball activities as early as four weeks, assuming all is progressing

well. From that point, it becomes a matter of deciding when the athlete is ready to return to

competition.

Looking for a comparison? Look no further than Trout's teammate, shortstop Andrelton Simmons, who

underwent a similar procedure in May of 2016. Simmons underwent surgery, also performed by Shin, to

repair a torn UCL in his left thumb (like Trout, Simmons injured his non-dominant thumb). He too had

the internal brace augmentation. Simmons began swinging a bat, playing catch and fielding ground balls

within two weeks post-surgery. At four weeks, he began a rehab assignment and at just over a month

post-injury he rejoined his major league club.

Perhaps more noteworthy is how Simmons played when he returned. For starters, he had two hits in his

first game back. Although the remainder of his first week appeared to be a bit of a struggle (three hits in

23 at-bats), Simmons went on to hit .315 for the remainder of the season. And, he missed only four

more days in 2016 (one for rest, three because of a contusion on his opposite hand). He has had no

issues with his thumb since his return.

While comparisons can be useful, it is important to remember that each athlete heals at his own pace

based on his individual injury and recovery. The timing of a return can also be influenced by player

position, seasonal calendar and the needs of a team. Given the variables, it would be wise not to try to

project Trout's precise return date. The timetable offered by the Angels of six to eight weeks is certainly

reasonable, and allows for the potential of any one of the above named factors to play a role. The best

interest of their star player for the long term remains the primary goal of the club, and there is no need

to rush him into action before he is convincingly ready to return.

Nonetheless, Trout has been such a remarkable player throughout his still-early baseball career that

everyone wants to see him return and be, well, Mike Trout. Based on the combination of his athleticism,

skill, work ethic and overall health -- with a little help from modern medicine -- it appears by the end of

the 2017 season, Trout could very well make us forget he was ever sidelined.

FROM NBC SPORTS

Huston Street has a setback

By Craig Calcaterra

Angels reliever Huston Street has experienced a setback in his rehab from a lat strain. The culprit:right

triceps tightness. He was nearing a return from the disabled list but now his rehab assignment has been

paused as he recovers from his latest ailment.

Street, who was put on the shelf early in spring training, is no stranger to the disabled list. He missed

two months of the 2016 season after undergoing knee surgery and has spent part of every major league

season rehabbing various leg, elbow and shoulder ailments. Last year, beset by an oblique strain,

June 2, 2017 Page 29 of 30

hamstring cramp and chronic medial knee pain, he delivered a career-worst 6.45 ERA, 4.8 BB/9 and 5.6

SO/9 over just 22.1 innings with the Angels.

Bud Norris is closing for the Angels. He’ll likely continue to do so for a long, long time.

FROM YAHOO! SPORTS

Three strikes and he's not out: Rod Carew's road to recovery going strong

By Tim Brown

ANAHEIM, Calif. – What life looks like at 71, at any age but Rod Carew is 71 now, is a matter of glorious,

retched perspective. He’d tried several times Thursday evening to hoist himself to the top of the dugout

bench here, until finally he smiled and settled for the reachable bench below, foiled by the strain of

years and miles and plain old gravity. A man learns to pick his battles, lest they pick him first.

“It’s been a long trip,” he said. “It’s been a journey. A tough journey. … It hurts.”

Except for the slight tremble in his hands and lips, Carew bore the steadiness of his faith, of a body

learning itself again, of certainty. He filled out a blue jacket and red golf shirt. He laughed at his own

joke, something about why doctors insisted he apply plenty of sunscreen daily.

“Figure it out,” he said they told him. “You got a white guy’s heart.”

That still cracks him up, more than five months after the transplant.

Carew spent Thursday night at Angel Stadium in a booth behind home plate. He works for

the Minnesota Twins as a special assistant, so he was here for that, and he spent seven years as an

Angel, so he was here for that, and he is a fan of Albert Pujols, and was here for that. Thirty-two years

ago, he’d stood a few feet from where Pujols did Thursday night, gotten a fastball from Frank Viola and

lobbed it into left field for his 3,000th hit. He knows the round numbers, how we honor them, how they

come and go. Then, one day, you’re standing on a golf course, and the last thing you remember is one

paramedic shouting to another, “Hurry up, dammit, we’re losing him! Hurry up!” and understanding

that the him they were losing was him.

He was brought back three times that day. In December, he received a new heart and kidney from late

NFL player Konrad Reuland of the Baltimore Ravens. As an 11-year-old, Reuland met Carew. That’s

about as close as a guy can get to starting over, to deepening one’s relationship with the glorious,

retched perspective. His responsibility now, he said, is to the next guy, to the one who also didn’t take

his medication for a few days and then forgot all about it, and to the guy who also figured that sort of

scary stuff happens to other people, and to the guy who also, quite suddenly, considered the

consequences. He calls it the Heart of 29 campaign, which helps raise money for the American Heart

Association.

June 2, 2017 Page 30 of 30

“The only thing that I thought about was my wife,” Rod said. “Who’s going to take care of her? And

how’s she going to do?”

Rod and Rhonda sat side-by-side Thursday night for the first pitch, in a purple-gray dusk. Two floors

down, in a courtyard off the main entrance, stood a statue of Michelle Carew. She is Rod’s daughter

from his first marriage. She died at 18 of leukemia, 21 years ago. He visits the courtyard when he comes

to the ballpark, and sees his beautiful girl, forever 18. He carries that, too, with weary grace.

Most nights Carew watches the Twins on television, then finds a late game and watches that too. He’s

getting stronger, eating properly, filling out again, rehabbing three days a week, two hours at a time. He

intends to be in Cooperstown this summer to welcome Jeff Bagwell, Tim Raines and Ivan Rodriguez into

the Hall of Fame.

That’ll be part of the journey, the next part, followed by the next part, and he’ll remind himself of all the

reasons the journey continues, from the pain that struck him to the heart he carries to the woman he

sits beside.

“I remember I just asked myself, ‘Why? Why?’” Carew said. “I should never ask questions. What you

don’t understand, it’s not in our control anyway. … I’ll tell you, I pray a lot now. I talk to my friend

upstairs every day.”