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Clips

(June 19, 2017)

June 19, 2017 Page 2 of 17

Today’s Clips Contents

FROM LOS ANGELES TIMES (Page 3)

Angels' Cam Bedrosian is happy with the velocity of his fastball

JC Ramirez, Angels get lit up by the Royals 7-3

FROM ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER (Page 5)

Angels can’t collect the big hit in loss to Kansas City Royals

Mike Trout will start swinging a bat on Angels’ road trip

FROM ANGELS.COM (Page 8)

Angels unable to bounce back vs. Royals

Simmons a key factor at plate, on basepaths

Bedrosian's return a boost to 'eclectic' bullpen

Bridwell set for second career start vs. Yanks

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (Page 13)

Vargas gets MLB-high 10th win, Perez powers KC past Angels

FROM NBC SPORTS (Page 15)

Mike Trout to travel with Angels and resume swinging

FROM USA TODAY SPORTS (Page 16)

Mike Trout Monday: Will Mike Trout's injury prevent another historic WAR feat?

June 19, 2017 Page 3 of 17

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

Angels' Cam Bedrosian is happy with the velocity of his fastball

By Mike DiGiovanna

That the velocity of Cam Bedrosian’s fastball was a tick or two off from his usual 95-97 mph in his return

from a right groin strain Saturday night was more a reason for encouragement than concern for

the Angels reliever.

“Honestly, I’m pretty happy with what I’ve got,” said Bedrosian, whose fastball touched 93-94 mph

during a one-two-three eighth inning of a 9-0 victory. “I haven’t done anything with my lower body in

two months, so it’s gonna take a little while to get back. I’m not worried about it.”

Bedrosian, who opened the season as the team’s closer, went on the disabled list on April 22. An early

June setback pushed his return back another two weeks.

Unable to do any leg work during his rehab, Bedrosian will ease his way back into the exercises that will

build the lower-body strength he needs to throw his fastball at maximum velocity.

“I have to be careful,” said Bedrosian, who went 2-0 with a 1.12 ERA in 45 games last season before

suffering a season-ending finger injury in August. “I don’t want to re-injure anything.”

Converted starter Bud Norris seized the closer role in Bedrosian’s absence. Bedrosian, 25, is focused on

regaining his 2016 form, not the ninth-inning role.

“I just want to come in and help the team out,” Bedrosian said. “Whatever role that is, that’s what I’ll

look forward to doing.”

For now, Bedrosian will join the mix of relievers manager Mike Scioscia uses to hold late leads.

“A bullpen is always easier to manage when you have an established closer that you keep in that bubble

and you can work backwards from, but I think we’re a little bit eclectic down there,” Scioscia said.

“These guys are all doing a terrific job. I think we’ll see that group of guys that we’re counting on to hold

leads continue to grow, and Cam is gonna be right in the middle of that, for sure.”

Father’s Day honor

Sunday’s national anthem was sung by Drew Drysdale, the 24-year-old daughter of Don Drysdale, the

Dodgers Hall of Fame pitcher who died in July 1993, two months after Drew was born.

The performance kicked off a summer tour for Drew Drysdale, who hopes to sing the anthem at all 30

major league stadiums and seek out those who knew her father, who was 56 and a Dodgers broadcaster

when he died.

June 19, 2017 Page 4 of 17

“I think it’s a great tribute to a great man,” said Scioscia, a former Dodgers catcher. “Anyone who knew

Don understands what he was about.”

Short hops

With a three-hit day Sunday, Kole Calhoun is batting .358 (24 for 67) over his last 18 games following an

eight-for-65 (.123) skid. … Andrelton Simmons stole second in the first inning and third in the sixth,

giving him a career-high 12 stolen bases this season. … Right-hander Parker Bridwell will start in place of

the injured Matt Shoemaker on Tuesday in Yankee Stadium. Ricky Nolasco and Jesse Chavez are

scheduled to pitch Wednesday and Thursday, meaning there is no imminent plan to recall veteran right-

hander Doug Fister, who can opt out of his triple-A contract Wednesday.

JC Ramirez, Angels get lit up by the Royals 7-3

By Mike DiGiovanna

The early dominance was deceiving and draining. As Angels right-hander JC Ramirez racked up six

strikeouts in the first two innings of an eventual 7-3 loss to the Kansas City Royals on Sunday, the effort

required to finish off those hitters on a balmy 84-degree afternoon rose exponentially.

Ramirez, a converted starter who spent the last five years as a reliever, needed 19 pitches to complete

the first inning and 27 to finish the second, which ended with an eight-pitch strikeout of Alex Gordon. By

the third inning, Ramirez admitted he was a little gassed.

Staked to a 2-0 lead on the strength of Cameron Maybin’s single, Kole Calhoun’s run-scoring double and

Andrelton Simmons’ two-out run-scoring single in the first inning, Ramirez gave up a double to Ramon

Torres to start the third.

Lorenzo Cain and Eric Hosmer capped seven-pitch at-bats with one-out walks to load the bases. Salvador

Perez flied to shallow right field, the runners holding.

Mike Moustakas, the former Chatsworth High standout, ripped a three-run double to right-center field

for a 3-2 Kansas City lead. Brandon Moss walked and Alcides Escobar grounded to third base on

Ramirez’s 38th pitch of the inning.

Ramirez yielded a leadoff single to Gordon in the fourth inning and hit Torres with his 89th and final

pitch. Jorge Bonifacio singled against reliever Keynan Middleton to load the bases.

Hosmer hit a one-out sacrifice fly for his 500th RBI, and with two outs, Perez turned on a 97-mph

fastball, sending it 429 feet to center field for his 14th homer and a 7-2 lead.

“Three-plus innings, 89 pitches … that’s a full day’s work, that’s tough,” Angels manager Mike

Scioscia said of Ramirez. “He struck out some guys, sure, but he ran into a lot of deep counts. There was

a lot of traffic out there.”

June 19, 2017 Page 5 of 17

Ramirez (6-5) can run his fastball up to 98 mph, and his slider, which he used to strike out four batters

Sunday, has a sharp, downward break. But just because he has the stuff of a strikeout pitcher he’s not

trying to be one.

“You know what? I’m not that kind of pitcher,” he said. “I’m the type of pitcher who relies on contact. …

Today, I couldn’t get those guys to hit the ground ball or fly ball with fewer pitches. That’s why I threw

so many pitches.”

Left-hander Jason Vargas, the former Long Beach State standout who pitched for the Angels in 2013,

continued his strong return from elbow ligament-replacement surgery, relying on his changeup and slow

curve to limit the Angels to three runs and eight hits in six innings. Vargas, who sat out most of 2015 and

2016, improved to 10-3 with a 2.27 ERA.

The Angels had a chance to put a big dent in the deficit in the sixth inning, when Yunel Escobar doubled,

Simmons singled and C.J. Cron walked to load the bases with no outs.

Danny Espinosa, who is hitting .172, swung at a 2-and-0 pitch and flied to shallow right field, the runners

holding. Ben Revere hit a sacrifice fly to make it 7-3 and Juan Graterol popped out to end the inning.

“I think Danny got a little anxious,” Scioscia said. “It happens.”

The Angels outhit the Royals 12-10 but were two for 11 with runners in scoring position, Martin

Maldonado grounding into a double play with two on to end the eighth inning and Albert Pujols

grounding into a double play with two on to end the game. They rank seventh in the league with a .255

average with runners in scoring position.

“You’ve got to keep feeding the beast, putting guys in scoring position, and hopefully guys will come

through with the hit you need,” Scioscia said. “At times we have, but for most of the first half, we

haven’t.”

FROM ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Angels can’t collect the big hit in loss to Kansas City Royals

By J.P. Hoornstra

ANAHEIM — The Angels might have known the bounces weren’t going their way early Sunday.

In the first inning Kole Calhoun hit a fly ball off the top of the right-field wall, the fickle fence separating

home runs from hustle triples at Angel Stadium. The ball caromed back onto the field on an impressive arc

— no home run, no fireworks, not even after the crew chief reviewed the play on video.

Calhoun settled for an RBI double, one of the rare chances the Angels did not waste in a 7-3 loss to the

Kansas City Royals.

June 19, 2017 Page 6 of 17

“I haven’t seen one like that,” Calhoun said of his unusual carom, “but I’ll be the one to find that.”

Kansas City won three of the four games in the series. The Angels finished their seven-game homestand

with three wins and four losses, a 36-37 record, and sole possession of third place in an increasingly

meaningless American League West race. The Houston Astros, who play the Boston Red Sox in the only

Sunday night game, have baseball’s best record and an 11 1/2-game lead in the division.

Up next for the Angels: six games away from home against the Yankees and Red Sox beginning Tuesday in

New York.

Sunday’s loss was hardly a microcosm of the Angels’ season. Having come from behind to win 25 games,

the Angels scored twice in the first inning but never led after Kansas City scored three runs in the third

inning and four in the fourth.

Starting pitcher J.C. Ramirez (6-5) threw 89 pitches but lasted just three innings. He was charged with five

runs, all earned. To a degree, this was a microcosm of his month.

In five May starts, Ramirez never completed fewer than six innings. He finished the month with a 3.38 ERA.

In four June starts, Ramirez has pitched into the sixth inning only once. His ERA has risen to 4.59 — a

conspicuous sign that the league is adapting to his power repertoire.

“Any pitcher that’s getting an opportunity needs to continue to throw the ball well and give us chances to

win,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “That’s what we need from our rotation: give us some length.”

Sunday, Ramirez struck out the side in the first and second innings. His fastball was still touching 97 mph in

the third, when he recorded two strikes on three of the first four batters he faced. However, Ramirez

allowed all three men to reach base on two-strike counts, setting up a bases-loaded double by Mike

Moustakas that gave Kansas City the lead for good.

Although he piled up strikeouts against a lineup of mostly contact hitters, Ramirez said, “I’m not that kind

of pitcher.”

“I’m a pitcher who is based on contact,” he said. “Sometimes the slider is moving really well and that’s

when I get the swing and a miss. Today wasn’t that way. I couldn’t get those guys to hit a ground ball, a fly

ball. … That’s why I threw a lot of pitches in the second and third innings.”

Ramirez tried to complete the fourth inning too, but a single by Alex Gordon and a slider that hit Ramon

Torres convinced Mike Scioscia to call on his bullpen.

Keynan Middleton fared no better, allowing a three-run home run to Salvador Perez that gave the Royals a

7-2 lead.

That was plenty of support for former Angels starter Jason Vargas, who became the majors’ first 10-game

winner (10-3). The left-hander succeeded in typical fashion, allowing plenty of contact — eight hits in six

innings — but avoiding any semblance of a big inning.

June 19, 2017 Page 7 of 17

The Angels put two runners on base in the third inning before Andrelton Simmons flied to deep center.

That was their best chance to seize some momentum, despite out-hitting the Royals 12-10.

Calhoun had three of the Angels’ five hits. Simmons, Cameron Maybin and Yunel Escobar had two hits

apiece.

The Angels finished 2 for 11 with runners in scoring position.

“We swung the bats well, we just didn’t get the big hit,” Calhoun said. “They got some big hits — the

double by Moustakas, the three-run home run by Perez. They got a guy on the mound who’s having an

unbelievable year. He kept us off-balance and that’s a good bullpen over there, too.”

Mike Trout will start swinging a bat on Angels’ road trip

By J.P Hoornstra

ANAHEIM — Mike Trout will be in uniform when the Angels visit the New York Yankees and Boston Red

Sox this week. For once, he will not be front and center.

Trout will begin taking dry swings Tuesday, Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. It’s a small but important

step in a lengthy rehab process from the thumb fracture Trout suffered last month.

“He’ll be with our medical staff as we travel,” Scioscia said. “When he starts into baseball activities, he’ll be

with the guys on our coaching staff. When he starts to put his hand in a glove he’ll have a splint in there

just to be able to catch, be out there and doing pregame to work on his defense, run down baseballs, get

acclimated with that part again.

“He’ll be with us. It’s where he belongs and where we want him.”

Trout underwent surgery May 31 and was projected to miss 6-8 weeks. The Angels’ game against the

Kansas City Royals on Sunday was the 20th Trout has missed since his injury.

Scioscia said that Trout is “about where you would expect a guy with his injury to be looking at moving

forward, with respect to picking a bat up.”

Despite the time he’s missed, Trout still leads the Angels in home runs with 16. He ranks second in the

American League in Wins Above Replacement (3.3) under the Fangraphs formula and ranks fourth in the

AL under BaseballReference.com’s version of WAR (3.4).

Trout began throwing and working out during the Angels’ just-completed homestand.

BEDROSIAN’S BACK

The last pitch Cam Bedrosian threw before going on the disabled list in April was a fastball clocked at 95.2

mph. His first pitch upon returning Saturday was clocked at 94.1. He never topped 94.3 in his only inning of

work.

June 19, 2017 Page 8 of 17

The radar readings begged the question of whether Bedrosian’s strained groin had enough time to heal. Or

if the former closer could coax the same adrenaline in a non-save situation than when preserving a narrow

victory.

To Bedrosian, the difference in speed didn’t seem that large under the circumstances.

“That’s honestly not bad,” he said. “(Velocity) is hard to maintain when you can’t do any lower body

workout.”

Other than his rehabilitation activities that focused on smaller muscles, Bedrosian said he hadn’t done any

lower-body resistance training since his injury.

For that reason, Bedrosian said his velocity “is going to take a little while, probably, to get back. Hopefully

soon I can start getting in there, get some weight. I’ve got to be careful at this point. I’ve just got to work

my way into it.”

BRIDWELL GETS THE NOD

Parker Bridwell will make his second start of the season when the Angels visit the Yankees on Tuesday,

while the other starters will get an extra day’s rest.

Tuesday’s start originally belonged to Matt Shoemaker, who was removed from his most recent start

Wednesday with tightness in his forearm. Instead it will go to Bridwell, who threw 3 2/3 shutout innings

against the Yankees in relief on Wednesday. The rookie right-hander has allowed three runs over 9 2/3

major league innings this season.

Bridwell said he threw an abbreviated 20-pitch bullpen Sunday.

Right-hander Ricky Nolasco will start Wednesday opposite left-hander Jordan Montgomery and right-

hander Jesse Chavez will start Thursday against right-hander Luis Severino.

FROM ANGELS.COM

Angels unable to bounce back vs. Royals

By Jeffrey Flanagan and Kaelen Jones / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- The Royals rode a three-run third inning and four-run fourth frame to defeat the Angels, 7-

3, in Sunday's series finale at Angel Stadium. With the victory, Kansas City captured its third straight

series win.

Left-hander Jason Vargas (10-3, 2.27 ERA) picked up his Major League-leading 10th win of the season,

allowing three runs on eight hits and two walks over six innings.

June 19, 2017 Page 9 of 17

The Angels took a 2-0 lead in the opening frame on an RBI double by Kole Calhoun and a one-run single

by Andrelton Simmons, however starter JC Ramirez (6-5, 4.59) was unable to hold the lead, relinquishing

five runs on five hits and four walks across three-plus innings.

Ramirez, who recorded six strikeouts on 89 pitches Sunday, was more concerned with his high pitch

count than content with the number of batters he fanned.

"I want to go six and seven innings," he said. "I think it wasn't a bad start, I just threw a lot of pitches."

Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas hit a three-RBI double in the top of the third to give Kansas City a

3-2 advantage. In the fourth, first baseman Eric Hosmer lifted a sacrifice fly and Salvador Perez launched

a three-run homer the following at-bat, pushing the Royals ahead, 7-2.

"They got two big, two-out hits -- one by Moustakas and one by Perez," said Angels manager Mike

Scioscia. "Really set the tone for the whole game."

Hosmer's RBI marked the 500th of his career.

"To reach 500 is a tremendous honor, especially nowadays with the pitching as good as it is," Hosmer

said. "Obviously, you can't do it without guys getting on in front of you."

The win moves the Royals, who complete their West Coast road trip at 7-2, to 33-35. Meanwhile, the

Angels drop to 36-37, and are 10-10 since Mike Trout hit the disabled list with a thumb injury May 29.

Royals manager Ned Yost was asked if the recent surge might get attention from around the league.

"I don't really care if people look at us or not," Yost said. "We feel good about our team. In years when

we [got to the World Series] we haven't had people look at us like we're very good. We've learned not

to pay attention to it. We just go out and play as hard as we can and try to win ballgames."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Perez redeems himself: Perez gave Kansas City a commanding 7-2 lead when he drilled a three-run

homer off Angels reliever Keynan Middleton in the top of the fourth. In a bases-loaded situation in the

third inning, Perez flied out to right field leaving the runners stranded.

Vargas survives: In the bottom of the sixth, Vargas allowed the first three batters of the inning to load

the bases with none out. However, the left-hander buckled down, forcing a sac fly and two popouts to

keep Kansas City in control, up 7-3. More >

"He started laboring and had the bases loaded and none out, but did what he does best -- limit the

damage," Yost said.

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS

Simmons set a career high when he swiped his 11th stolen base of the season in the bottom of the first

inning. Simmons only needed 72 appearances to pass the 10 stolen bases he recorded in 124 games last

season.

June 19, 2017 Page 10 of 17

UPON FURTHER REVIEW

When Calhoun laced his RBI double, it bounced off the top of the right-field wall to give the Angels a 1-0

lead in the first. The crew chief reviewed the play, but officials confirmed that the ball stayed in the

park, and Calhoun remained at second base.

"It looked like it was worth reviewing, for sure," Scioscia said. "I couldn't tell exactly if it had scraped the

wall coming back from out, scraped the side wall. ... I think that's about as close as you can come to a

home run without getting one."

WHAT'S NEXT

Royals: Right-hander Jason Hammel (3-6, 5.05 ERA) takes the mound for the Royals as they return home

to face Boston at 7:15 p.m. CT on Monday. Hammel gave up one run over 6 2/3 innings in the Royals' 7-2

win over the Giants on Wednesday.

Angels: Rookie right-hander Parker Bridwell (1-0, 2.19 ERA) will toe the rubber for the Angels on

Tuesday, when they open a three-game series against New York at 4:05 p.m. PT. Bridwell is starting in

place of right-hander Matt Shoemaker, who was placed on the 10-day disabled list on June 15 with a

strained right forearm extensor.

Simmons a key factor at plate, on basepaths

Angels defensive whiz goes 2-for-3, steals two bags vs. Royals

By Kaelen Jones / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- Andrelton Simmons' ability in the field is well known, but the Angels shortstop's bat has

been at the forefront of what's been a sensational year. During Los Angeles' 7-3 loss to the Royals on

Sunday, Simmons went 2-for-3, collecting an RBI and a walk along with two stolen bases.

The two-time Gold Glove Award winner leads the Halos with 22 multi-hit games. Since May 12, he's

reached base safely in 28 of 36 games while batting .328 (45-for-137) over that same stretch, raising his

season average 39 points to .278, which ranks third on the team.

"We know about what he does in the field," said Angels manager Mike Scioscia, "but in the batter's box,

he's been really good and gotten some big hits for us. It's important to us."

Simmons has been a key offensive factor, thanks to his ability to get on base. His on-base plus slugging

percentage of .745 ranks fourth among Angels fielders.

The 25-year-old said earlier in the week -- after he hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the Angels' win

over the Yankees on Wednesday, his seventh of the season -- that experience has been crucial to his

increased comfort level at the plate.

"Experience, practice and getting to see those pitches a little more," he said. "Getting better. Still

learning, but definitely recognizing the pitches a little better now."

June 19, 2017 Page 11 of 17

That experience has bred consistency. Simmons has made the most of his chances at the plate, this in

spite being floated around different spots in the order. He's batted leadoff (nine games), second (five

games), fourth (once), fifth (21 games), sixth (26 games) and seventh (10 games) this season.

"Simba's been really consistent at the plate," Scioscia said. "He's hitting in a lot of different spots in the

order for us, and he's doing a great job."

The wiry infielder's eye at the plate has also led to him getting an opportunity to utilize his speed.

Sunday marked Simmons' third career multi-steal contest, and he set a career high by swiping his 11th

and 12th bases of the season, needing just 72 games to do it.

Scioscia says it's a byproduct of Simmons reaching base -- not just via hits -- with regularity.

"I think he's just getting on base," Scioscia said. "He's getting the chance to play baseball. He's run the

bases extremely well and he's hit the ball extremely well and he's getting big hits for us.

"Andrelton's having a terrific year."

Bedrosian's return a boost to 'eclectic' bullpen

Trout to join Angels on road trip to New York, Boston

By Kaelen Jones / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- The Angels welcomed back right-handed reliever Cam Bedrosian during Saturday's 9-0

win over Kansas City. Bedrosian was reinstated from the 10-day disabled list prior to the contest and

made his first appearance since suffering a right groin strain April 22.

"Right now it feels pretty good," said Bedrosian, who threw one scoreless inning Saturday. "It was a

good first outing."

"I think there were some real positives with Cam," said Angels manager Mike Scioscia. "His delivery

looked clean. I think his stuff looked good."

Bedrosian, 25, was expected to be a key member of the Angels' bullpen, which performed admirably in

his absence. Entering Sunday, the Angels' bullpen had a 2.14 ERA (11 runs allowed over 46 1/3 innings)

over its last 13 games.

The closer role has been held by Bud Norris, a former starter, who's logged 11 saves in 12 chances this

season. While Bedrosian is certainly a candidate to reclaim the job, he said his adrenaline and

performance isn't relative to what inning he throws.

"To me I just want to be able to come in and be the same thing I was before and help the team out," he

said. "Whatever role it is."

Scioscia wasn't concerned with distinguishing any reliever roles for now, adding that the group is

eclectic.

June 19, 2017 Page 12 of 17

"Those guys are doing a terrific job whenever they take the ball and they're asked to pitch," Scioscia

said. "I think that we'll see that group of guys that we're really counting on to hold leads continues to

grow, and Cam is going to be right in the middle of that, for sure."

Mike Trout to travel with Angels to New York, Boston

Mike Trout, who is recovering from surgery on a torn UCL in his left thumb, will travel with the Angels to

New York and Boston on their upcoming road trip.

Scioscia said Trout, who has already been running and throwing, will begin taking dry swings Tuesday.

The outfielder hasn't put his hand in a glove yet. The next steps he'll take include hitting off a tee,

playing soft toss and taking batting practice.

Joining the team on the road trip is a step in the right direction for Trout's rehab, but Scioscia said the

club will "get excited about Mike when he starts taking live BP and passes that test, and can go out and

start playing in rehab games. We don't know when that's going to be."

The Angels entered Sunday 10-9 since Trout suffered the injury.

Worth noting

• Angels left fielder Eric Young Jr. was omitted from Sunday's lineup in favor of Ben Revere because of

the latter's career numbers against Royals starter Jason Vargas. Revere entered Sunday's matchup

batting .429 (3-for-7) against Vargas.

Bridwell set for second career start vs. Yanks

By Kaelen Jones / MLB.com

The Angels will start rookie right-hander Parker Bridwell in Tuesday's series opener at Yankee Stadium.

The Yankees, who have lost six in a row, will counter with right-hander Michael Pineda.

Bridwell (1-0, 2.79 ERA) will start in place of Halos right-hander Matt Shoemaker, who was placed on the

10-day disabled list June 15 after he sustained a strained right forearm extensor during the Angels' 7-5

win over New York on June 14.

Bridwell's latest appearance was in relief of Shoemaker in that game. The rookie tossed 3 2/3 innings,

allowing one run on seven hits while permitting no walks and striking out one.

Pineda (7-3, 3.71) drew a no-decision against the Angels in the June 14 game, allowing five runs on 10

hits and two walks, while striking one batter.

Three things to know about this game

• The Angels will try to keep Yankees star right fielder Aaron Judge in check. Judge went 3-for-15 with a

two-run homer and five strikeouts during the clubs' three-game set earlier this week.

June 19, 2017 Page 13 of 17

• Left-hander Aroldis Chapman was activated from New York's 10-day disabled list Sunday following a

bout with left rotator cuff inflammation. He threw a perfect eighth inning in a 4-3 loss to the A's. The

Yankees' bullpen went 0-4 during their six-game losing streak.

• In his first career start, Bridwell lasted six innings, allowing three runs on six hits, including two home

runs, and a walk in Los Angeles' 9-3 win over the Braves on May 30.

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Vargas gets MLB-high 10th win, Perez powers KC past Angels

Associated Press

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Jason Vargas never had to worry about clearing his schedule for the All-Star Game.

That might be about to change.

Vargas earned his 10th win, most in the majors, and Salvador Perez hit a three-run homer as the Kansas

City Royals beat the Los Angeles Angels 7-3 on Sunday.

As the first pitcher to reach double digits in wins, Vargas finds himself ahead of perennial All-Stars such

as Clayton Kershaw and Chris Sale. Still, the Royals' unassuming left-hander with the 2.27 ERA isn't

locking in travel arrangements to Miami next month just yet.

"I've never been invited to the summer classic, so we'll just see," said Vargas, who allowed three runs

and eight hits in six innings. "The coaches have a lot to do with what's going on with the pitching staff.

We'll just keep going until the All-Star break and see where things shake out."

Although he ended up with another comfortable win, Vargas (10-3) found himself in trouble early and

late. The Angels took a 2-0 lead in the first inning before the streaking Royals offense stepped in.

Mike Moustakas hit a three-run double in the third, giving him 19 RBI this month and providing the

Royals with a lead they did not relinquish.

Perez then launched a drive to center field for his 14th homer of the season, leaving Cameron Maybin to

climb the wall for show as part of a four-run outburst in the fourth.

"He went out and gave up some runs there early, and we picked him up right away," Royals first

baseman Eric Hosmer said about Vargas. "He's been picking us up all season with the outings he has

been putting in. That's what good teams do -- they pick up their guy when he slips up a little bit."

Vargas was able to avoid another slip-up before departing. Facing a bases-loaded jam with nobody out

in the sixth, he was able to limit the damage to one run, bookending two popups around Ben Revere's

sacrifice fly.

June 19, 2017 Page 14 of 17

Angels starter J.C. Ramirez did not have the same luck. Ramirez (6-5) was pulled after failing to get an

out in the fourth, needing 89 pitches to make it that far. He started off well enough by striking out five

consecutive batters, but then lost the strike zone. Ramirez walked four and hit a batter with a pitch as

he gave up five earned runs.

"Even though he was striking those guys out, he needed a lot of pitches and worked really hard," Angels

manager Mike Scioscia said. "I don't think he ran out of gas. Those guys did a pretty good job in the

batter's box against him."

BIG BATS

The Royals went 7-2 on their California road trip and scored at least seven runs in six of those victories,

bolstered by 18 homers.

With his team now well on pace to set a franchise record for home runs in a season, Hosmer is most

impressed with when they are coming, citing Perez's two-out shot that broke the game open.

"They have been some big homers, too, especially on this road trip," Hosmer said. "As long as they keep

coming in big spots like that, we'll take every single one."

Hosmer picked up his 500th career RBI earlier in the fourth.

OH, SO CLOSE

When Kole Calhoun doubled off the very top of the wall in right field to drive in a run for the Angels in

the first, even he wasn't sure what to make of the play. Scioscia came onto the field thinking it was

definitely worth another look. The umpires agreed, initiating a video review.

It turned out the call on the field was absolutely right.

"I think that's about as close as you can get to a home run without getting one," Scioscia said.

Calhoun went 3 for 5, notching his 16th RBI over the last 18 games.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Royals: Perez and DH Brandon Moss were back in the lineup after getting a rest during a 9-0 loss

Saturday. ... Whit Merrifield got the afternoon off and was replaced at second base by Ramon Torres.

Angels: CF Mike Trout (thumb) will start swinging a bat next week, but Scioscia isn't ready to deviate

from the previously announced timetable of a six-to-eight-week recovery. "He's about where you would

expect a guy with his injury to be looking at," Scioscia said.

UP NEXT

June 19, 2017 Page 15 of 17

Royals: RHP Jason Hammel (3-6, 5.05 ERA) faces Boston's Hector Velazquez (1-1, 6.48) on Monday,

marking his first appearance against the Red Sox since 2013. Hammel has allowed just one run in each of

his last two starts.

Angels: RHP Parker Bridwell (1-0, 2.79) takes injured Matt Shoemaker's spot in the rotation Tuesday

night at Yankee Stadium for the start of an eight-game road trip. Bridwell has never started against the

Yankees, but did toss 3 2/3 innings as a reliever against them on Wednesday, giving up one run and

seven hits. Michael Pineda (7-3, 3.71) pitches for New York.

FROM NBC SPORTS

Mike Trout to travel with Angels and resume swinging

By Craig Calcaterra

Mike Trout — a big fan of emojis — tweeted a very Mike Trout tweet last night:

New York !!!

That, obviously, means that Trout is traveling with the Angels to New York for their east coast swing.

Which is significant because the only reason to be with the team on the road trip is to take part in

baseball activities. Which he will: Pedro Moura of the L.A. Times reports that Trout will begin swinging a

bat again soon as his recovery from thumb surgery stays on schedule.

Trout suffered a torn ligament in his left thumb on a headfirst slide during the Angels-Marlins game on

May 28. His recovery was expected to be between six and eight weeks, and he may be on the early side

of that if he’s swinging a bat now.

Trout was hitting .337/.461/.742 with 16 home runs, 36 RBI and 10 stolen bases through 47 games when

he went out. In his absence, Cameron Maybin has handled center field, while Eric Young Jr. has been

playing left. Young has been hitting surprisingly well, actually. Because of that the Angels have somehow

managed to tread water in Trout’s absence, going 10-10 in the 20 games he’s missed. They were one

game under .500 when he left.

June 19, 2017 Page 16 of 17

FROM USA TODAY SPORTS

Mike Trout Monday: Will Mike Trout's injury prevent another historic WAR feat?

By Ted Berg / For The Win

Mike Trout remains on the sideline with a thumb injury, though there’s good news on that front: Trout

will travel with the Angels for their East Coast road trip this week and is expected to begin swinging a bat

on Tuesday. From the vigilant Trout chroniclers at the O.C. Register:

Trout will begin taking dry swings Tuesday, Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. It’s a small but important

step in a lengthy rehab process from the thumb fracture Trout suffered last month.

“He’ll be with our medical staff as we travel,” Scioscia said. “When he starts into baseball activities, he’ll

be with the guys on our coaching staff. When he starts to put his hand in a glove he’ll have a splint in

there just to be able to catch, be out there and doing pregame to work on his defense, run down

baseballs, get acclimated with that part again.”

That, friends, is good news. Trout has said he is hoping to return before the All-Star break begins on

Monday, July 10. And while that seems perhaps a touch optimistic, it’s a) not impossible — some

players, notably Trout’s teammate Albert Pujols, have bodies that heal quickly and defy typical injury

timetables and b) a signal that Trout might reasonably be ready to return to action when the Angels

come back from the break on July 14 against Tampa Bay.

If Trout returns for the second half of 2017, he will join the Angels with 69 games remaining on their

schedule for the season. That bodes well for his team, which has played fairly well in his absence and

remains in the wild-card hunt, and it suggests there’s a chance Trout’s injury will not prevent the

extension of one of this author’s favorite and most frequently referenced Trout feats.

By Wins Above Replacement, Trout finished the 2012 campaign as the all-time leader in the stat among

all players through their age-20 seasons. He finished 2013 as the all-time leader in the stat among all

players through their age-21 seasons. He finished 2014 as the all-time leader among all players through

their age-22 seasons. He finished 2015 as the all-time leader among all players through their age-23

seasons. He finished 2016 as the all-time leader among all players through their age-24 seasons.

Do you spot the pattern? By WAR, since the completion of his first full big-league season, Trout has

never not been the best player of all-time at his age. It’s awesome and it’s nuts, and Trout appeared well

on his way to establishing himself as the sport’s best-ever 25-year-old when he landed on the disabled

list for the first time in his career late last month.

As it stands, Trout could sit out the rest of the season and still rank as the third best player at his age of

all time, just behind Mickey Mantle and well behind Ty Cobb. Cobb finished his age-25 season in 1912

with 55.8 career WAR. Trout is currently sitting at 52 WAR.

June 19, 2017 Page 17 of 17

The Angels’ outfielder looked like he was on his way to establishing a new, higher level in 2017 before

the injury, but it’s hard to comfortably expect he’ll return from thumb surgery and maintain his

outrageous 1.203 OPS for the second half of the season — especially since hand injuries are reputed to

sap hitters’ power.

But if Trout can play in as many as 61 of the Angels’ 69 games in the second half and maintain the per-

game WAR rate he averaged from 2012-2017, he will produce another 3.8 WAR to finish the season tied

with Cobb for the all-time lead among players through their age-25 seasons. It seems like a lot to ask,

but it’s also Mike Trout. The Mike Trout.

Incidentally, Trout — who, again, still has half of his age-25 season to go — already ranks 14th on the all-

time list of WAR leaders through their age-27 seasons. Eleven of the 13 guys ahead of him on the list are

Hall of Famers, and the other two — Pujols and Alex Rodriguez — are not yet eligible for Cooperstown.