Angels’ David Fletcher heating up but staying in the No. 9 spot
ANAHEIM — With Justin Upton getting the day off on Sunday, Joe Maddon had the opportunity to put David Fletcher back in the leadoff spot where he’d performed so well in previous seasons.
Maddon, however, didn’t want to move him.
“I did think about it, but I don’t want to mess with his mojo right now,” Maddon said. “It’s been fabulous. There’s been a lot of action at the bottom and he’s really taken care of it well.”
Fletcher was moved to the No. 9 spot when he was in a slump last month, but he has hit .362 with an .847 OPS over the 20 games leading into Sunday.
“I feel like probably the last week or so my swing has been right,” said Fletcher, who was 12 for 21 over the six games prior to Sunday.
“I didn’t want to mess with Fletch,” Maddon said. “He’s been going so well. It’s No. 9, but so many things are happening. He’s setting up the top guys on getting on in front of him. There’s still a lot of work to be done down there.”
PITCHING PLANS
The Angels flip-flopped Shohei Ohtani and Griffin Canning in the rotation, with Ohtani scheduled to start on Wednesday afternoon at home against the San Francisco Giants.
Maddon said they just wanted to get Ohtani back on the mound sooner, rather than having him wait until at least Friday – after Thursday’s off day.
It also means that Ohtani would be in line to make his first career start at Yankee Stadium. Ohtani was scheduled to start in Yankee Stadium in 2018, but the Angels scratched him just before the series to give him some extra time off.
Ohtani was injured a couple of weeks later, resulting in Tommy John surgery.
Luis Rengifo got his second straight start in right field on Sunday, after making two difficult catches on Saturday night.
He also made some nice plays in the infield earlier in the week.
All of it has made a good impression on Maddon, who has consistently had high expectations for the type of player that Rengifo could eventually become.
“The skill level has always been really good,” Maddon said. “I just think his focus overall has been first-rate. There’s just little things we’ve always talked about. Little mental mistakes that we wanted to see eradicated. Now he hasn’t been here that long, but so far so good.”
CHECKING ON DETMERS
Reid Detmers, one of the Angels’ top pitching prospects worked an immaculate inning (three strikeouts in a nine-pitch inning) at Double-A on Sunday. It’s a rare accomplishment. No Angels pitcher has done it in the majors since Garrett Richards in 2014.
Detmers struck out 14 and gave up three hits in six innings. He has a 3.34 ERA this season, with 60 strikeouts in 35 innings.
UP NEXT
Angels (LHP Andrew Heaney, 4-4, 4.45 ERA) vs. Giants (RHP Anthony DeSclafani, 7-2, 3.01), Tuesday, 6:38 p.m., Bally Sports West, 830 AM