The Los Angeles Angels are facing significant challenges in the 2024 season due to injuries affecting key players. The team is currently 36-47, 9.5 games behind the Seattle Mariners in the American League West and the Kansas City Royals in the Wild Card race. Current Angels baseball lines list them as playoff longshots, with roster holes and injuries working against them.
Here’s an expanded and updated overview of the team’s injury situation.
José Soriano
José Soriano’s season was interrupted by an abdomen infection, forcing him to miss his start on June 17. Initially, the team hoped he wouldn’t need to go on the injured list, but by June 20, they decided it was necessary.
This decision was made retroactive to June 17, so Soriano could be eligible to return by July 2. Manager Ron Washington is hopeful that Soriano will only need the minimum time to recover and rejoin the lineup at the start of July.
Patrick Sandoval
Patrick Sandoval has had a tough year with injuries. On June 21, during a game against the Dodgers, Sandoval left the game because of left forearm tightness. The next day, he was put on the injured list for a left elbow strain. While pitching to his old teammate Shohei Ohtani, he signaled to the dugout after feeling pain throwing an 89 mph fastball.
An MRI on June 22 found that he had a tear in his muscle rope and a ripped side armband. Sandoval is set to undergo surgery where he’ll be gone for at least a year, meaning he won’t be seen again until sometime in 2025 or later.
Mike Trout
Mike Trout injured his left knee in a game against the Phillies on April 29. It was frustrating for Trout because he didn’t know exactly when the injury happened. An MRI the next day showed a torn meniscus, and he had surgery on May 3. He’s expected to return this season, but there isn’t a specific date yet.
The typical recovery time for this type of surgery is about four to six weeks. But Trout has already passed that point and isn’t ready to return. On June 18, Trout updated everyone on his progress. He mentioned that while he is getting better, it’s not as fast as he would like. He works out using a stationary bike and an elliptical machine and hopes to start running soon.
Anthony Rendon
Anthony Rendon hurt his left hamstring on April 20 while running to first base. The injury was severe enough that he was put on the injured list the next day. On April 26, Rendon told reporters that he had a high-grade partial tear in his hamstring, and there wasn’t a clear timetable for his return. The team later moved him to the 60-day injured list on May 9, reflecting the severity of his injury.
However, there is some good news. As of June 18, Rendon has started participating in full infield practice with his teammates and feels optimistic about his recovery. He’s also been working on getting more swings in the batting cage. On June 21, he practiced taking ground balls, hitting, and running at Dodger Stadium.
By June 24, Rendon had progressed to running the bases, a significant step forward. If everything goes well, he might return by midseason.
José Quijada
José Quijada hurt his elbow and got Tommy John surgery on May 17, 2023, which put an end to his season. He’s been working hard to get better in Arizona. After his surgery, he slowly began doing more. On May 17 and May 21, he threw in practice sessions as a start to get back. He stopped throwing from May 27 to June 2 but started again on June 3.
By June 7, Quijada had done a 25-throw bullpen drill well and had moved on to throw to batters in an actual bullpen drill on June 11. He also did live batting practice on June 14 and had another real bullpen drill with no problems on June 21. The team hopes that if his rehab keeps going well, he could be back by the middle of the season.