The Los Angeles Angels’ starting lineup has taken a hit. Since Opening Day — just six weeks ago — five of the nine hitters in the lineup that day either are out with an injury or aren’t with the team anymore.
That includes two outfielders — Mike Trout (knee surgery) and Aaron Hicks (released) — which opened an opportunity for Kevin Pillar, who is expected to be in the starting lineup Saturday night when the Angels host the Kansas City Royals in Anaheim, Calif.
Pillar was not in the lineup Friday in the Angels’ 2-1 loss to the Royals in the second game of a four-game series. Kansas City won the opener on Thursday, 10-4, and the Angels have lost five of their past seven games.
Pillar signed with the Angels on April 30 after being released by the Chicago White Sox, for whom he hit just .160 with one homer, four RBIs and a .650 OPS in 17 games to start the season.
A fresh start with a new team is par for the course for Pillar, 35, who played six full seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays. Since being traded from the Blue Jays to the San Francisco Giants early in the 2019 season, Pillar has played for seven more teams — the Boston Red Sox, Colorado Rockies, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, White Sox and Angels.
He made an impact quickly with his new club, going 3-for-5 with two homers, a double and six RBIs in his fourth game in an Angels uniform, Tuesday at Pittsburgh.
“Any time you come into a new clubhouse … you’re always looking for that moment or moments to say, ‘I’m an Angel. I belong here,'” Pillar said. “I felt like I had that in that first home run.”
Pillar said he felt an immediate comfort zone in the Angels’ clubhouse, thanks to existing relationships with manager Ron Washington and third-base coach Eric Young.
“I think it’s important sometimes that if you don’t have the answers, you go ask for them,” Pillar said. “I couldn’t ask for two better guys, and I’m very fortunate that I have history with both of those guys. It makes the conversations a little bit easier, to be a little more vulnerable when you don’t feel at your best, to ask them questions and lean on them.”
Pillar likely will start against left-handers, and the Royals will start lefty Cole Ragans (2-2, 3.38 ERA) on Saturday. Ragans has been consistently dependable this season, allowing two runs or less in six of his eight starts and more than three runs only once.
Ragans’ fastball averages 96 to 98 mph even though he underwent Tommy John surgery in 2018 and ’19, and he credits his strength and conditioning program as well as constant communication with the training staff.
“It’s like I know if I do this, it’s going to keep me in the right shape to where when it does get to that sixth, seventh, eighth inning, if I’m out there, I still feel good,” Ragans said. “I still feel like my body is ready to go.”
Ragans is 0-1 with a 3.95 ERA in four career games (two starts) against the Angels.
Ragans will oppose Angels left-hander Tyler Anderson (2-4, 2.74 ERA), who will make his eighth start of the season for the Angels. Anderson is 1-2 with a 4.30 ERA in five career starts vs. Kansas City.
–Field Level Media