In the Angels’ 2-1 loss to the Texas Rangers on Sunday, closer Huston Street took the mound in the ninth inning with the score tied. He threw 12 pitches and said that all but one were executed properly.
That one bad pitch, though, was costly. Rookie outfielder Ryan Rua hit the inside fastball over the left-field fence, which proved to be the difference.
“That’s probably the best I’ve felt on the mound in about a month, truthfully,” Street said. “Execution of all my stuff … but that was a good swing by Rua right there. He took a good swing, give him credit.”
The home run ruined another good outing from Cory Rasmus, the Angels’ usual long-relief man. In his fifth career start, the right-hander gave up two hits in four-plus innings and set a career high with 59 pitches. In 16 innings as a starter, Rasmus has given up eight hits and three runs.
He gave up a double and a walk to start the fifth inning and was removed by Manager Mike Scioscia.
“I think Cory has really settled into some consistency,” Scioscia said. “You can’t ask for more than what Cory has done as just a guy kicking off a game for us and going as far as he can. It seems like every start he gets a little better, a little stronger.”
If the Angels didn’t have a massive injury problem in their rotation, Rasmus wouldn’t be starting.
But behind Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson, the options in the rotation are thin heading into the playoffs. Garret Richards and Tyler Skaggs are out for the season. Hector Santiago has retired nine batters in his last two starts and has a 9.69 earned-run average in September. Wade LeBlanc pitched well in his last outing, but has a 5.29 ERA this season.
Matt Shoemaker would certainly fit into the playoff rotation, but has been dealing with a strained oblique. Scioscia said that Shoemaker is feeling much better, but that the team won’t have an indication on his availability for the playoffs for the next three or four days.
Weaver could pitch on short rest in an American League division series, but the Angels are still going to need a fourth starter if they advance. Though Rasmus won’t be able to go more than four or five innings, which would tax the bullpen in a longer series, the Angels might not have a better option.
Rasmus could theoretically go longer, but the Angels don’t want to put him at risk for long-term damage. He hasn’t started more than seven games in a season since 2010, while in the minor leagues.
“I don’t think he needs to go past 50 pitches,” Scioscia said. “I think in spring training, if we had gotten him stretched out and thought we had a fighting chance to get him to where he has length and be able to evaluate him, but right now, I don’t think we’re going to risk setting him back. He really doesn’t need it. If he’s going out there and giving us the 50-pitch look and getting us into the fourth inning, I think that’s about all you can hope for with Cory, and he’s doing a terrific job with it.”
On Sunday, the Angels trotted out six relievers after Rasmus. None threw more than 29 pitches.
Maybe not ideal for the regular season, but in a shortened playoff series, it could work.
“If Cory was going to be an option for us in the playoffs, I think it would probably be under the same umbrella that we’re looking at now,” Scioscia said. “You would have to have a lot of [bullpen] coverage early in the game, not that we can’t be successful that way, we could do it, but I don’t think we’re going to get Cory into a spot where you see him pitching into the sixth or seventh inning.”
The Angels should have their playoff rotation set by the end of the week.
Rasmus said that he didn’t feel sore or tired.
“They’re watching from the outside and they see,” Rasmus said. “Me, obviously, I want to be in there and pitch as long as I can. But if they see I’m getting a little fatigued, I’m showing a little wear and tear, they’ll take me out. I’d like to go as long as I can and as hard as I can. That’s my goal.”
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