C.J. Wilson passes strength test, could return to Angels in a month

C.J. Wilson’s ailing shoulder passed the strength test on Saturday that cleared him to begin a throwing program in Arizona when the Angels go on the road Monday. Wilson won’t be ready to pitch in a major league game for at least a month.

“Unless he can get some strong long toss in and he’s repeating it to build some stamina in his arm, make sure the range of motion is there and everything he needs,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “Then we’ll consider putting him on a mound. But we’re a ways away. We’re not even close to talking about him getting off a mound.” Continue reading “C.J. Wilson passes strength test, could return to Angels in a month” »

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C.J. Wilson could be cleared to begin throwing on Saturday

C.J. Wilson’s shoulder will be reevaluated on Saturday in the hopes that he can begin a throwing program. The Angels starting pitcher is hoping to receive “A-plus” results on a strength test he was given a “B-plus” for earlier this week.

A key component in the Angels starting rotation since 2011, Wilson hasn’t pitched since surgery on his left elbow in August. He believes his elbow problems led to the shoulder issue that halted his throwing regimen during spring training. Once Wilson begins throwing, he isn’t expected to pitch in a major league game for at least a month.

After his first start of the season, pitcher Andrew Heaney joined Wilson on the disabled list Wednesday with a strained flexor muscle in his pitching arm.

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Angels’ rotation reaches new level of discord, but is there hope?

It was already tenuous when the Angels began the season so uncertain about what $40 million worth of starting pitching would produce.

Jered Weaver’s velocity dipped to a new low in the spring and C.J. Wilson admitted his mounting injuries created some doubt he’ll ever return to the Angels starting rotation. Weaver and Wilson are both owed $20 million in 2016, the final year of their contracts.

When Andrew Heaney’s flexor muscle strain landed him on the disabled list Wednesday, one start into his season, the Angels’ starting rotation entered a new level of discord. Continue reading “Angels’ rotation reaches new level of discord, but is there hope?” »

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Angels’ C.J. Wilson (shoulder) open to a return to the bullpen

The Angels paper-thin starting rotation will be without C.J. Wilson for at least another month. Wilson, who underwent surgery in August to clean up bone spurs in his left elbow, suffered from a sore shoulder in spring training he believed was a result of the elbow problem.

As of this week, his shoulder strength didn’t meet the medical staff’s standard to begin a throwing program, but he will be tested again in two days.

Wilson, 35, is owed $20 million in the final year of his five-year, $77.5 million contract. He candidly discussed his uncertain future on Monday before the Angels season opener against the Cubs. Wilson hopes to return to the middle of the rotation, but said he was open to pitching out of the bullpen for the first time in six years.

“Yeah, totally. I think about that all the time,” Wilson said. “If I come back and I have some sort of electric stuff… but I can only throw 30 pitches, I think it’s going to be pretty clear that I can help the team out as a reliever. Next year is obviously a whole different ball game for that.” Continue reading “Angels’ C.J. Wilson (shoulder) open to a return to the bullpen” »

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