A SetBack To Angels Star Suffer A Very Long Time Injury Since….

The path may not be as clear as it was a few days ago.

The MLB regular season kicks off in eight days when the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres open their seasons in Korea and Blake Snell is still a free agent.

The reigning National League Cy Young award winner is yet to sign with a team, and at this point, it may be getting too late for him to be ready by Opening Day wherever he signs.

The clock continues to tick for Snell to find a new home, and the latest update came on Monday night from Jon Heyman of the New York Post, who said Snell’s agent Scott Boras and the Angels are continuing to discuss the All-Star free agent. However, he made it clear the sides “still have work to do.”

The Angels remain one of the most talked about landing spots, but a recent injury in Major League Baseball could re-open the Snell sweepstakes to an American League powerhouse.

New York Yankees’ ace Gerrit Cole is dealing with an issue in his right elbow. The team is conducting MRIs and getting multiple opinions, but as of Tuesday, there’s some doubt he’ll be ready for Opening Day. That’s the extent of the update for now.

Also on Tuesday, it was reported by Bob Nightengale of USA Today that the Yankees made an offer to the Chicago White Sox for ace Dylan Cease — so clearly, they’re focused on adding pitching.

If Cole’s diagnosis is serious enough where the Yankees feel like they need to add another ace-level pitcher — and if they’re unable to come to terms with Chicago for Cease — Snell or free agent Jordan Montgomery make a ton of sense.

The Yankees would seem like a perfect fit for Snell, who would get to play for a major market team focused on winning while also likely getting the money he’s looking for. However, the hold up has seemed to be the Yankees’ willingness to match anything Snell wanted.

So, as the waiting game continues, it appears Snell and Boras were holding out for something to happen to force a team’s hand and an injury to the reigning American League Cy Young winner could be just that.

It remains to be seen what Cole’s injury is, and if the Yankees would even consider Snell — but a significant injury could definitely make the Snell sweepstakes a lot more interesting.

TEMPE, Ariz. — For Angels outfielder Jo Adell, the power has always been there, but now it’s about learning to tap into his other tools as he tries to reach his potential.

Adell was once ranked as high as the No. 6 overall prospect by MLB Pipeline in 2020 but has struggled to put it all together in the Majors and now heads into a pivotal season where he’s out of Minor League options. He’s also part of a crowded outfield that also includes Mike Trout, Taylor Ward, Mickey Moniak and Aaron Hicks, which complicates things even further.

But Adell isn’t focusing on his roster status and is simply working hard every day and is starting to see results at the plate. He went 1-for-3 in the Angels’ 15-5 loss to the Rangers on Monday and is hitting .241 with a homer, three doubles and a triple in 14 games this spring

“My rhythm is getting there,” Adell said. “I’ve missed a few pitches here and there and hit some fly balls but overall I’m feeling really good. But getting my rhythm is really the main focus. Everything else will come into play.”

Angels manager Ron Washington said he’s already noticed a change in Adell since early this spring, as he believes he’s getting better in all areas because of his work with the coaching staff. He said he thinks he can find enough playing time for his outfielders because of the designated hitter spot but it’ll be up to them to earn their time on the field.

“He’s a different guy right now,” Washington said. “And because he’s going through this process, once the season starts, I think we might have the Jo Adell everybody wanted because now he has to be engaged. And now he’s using the whole field. He’s feeling good about himself. He’s working hard every day. So let’s just wait and see where it goes.”

Adell has made a few small mechanical tweaks with his swing but it’s more about a shift in mentality. Washington said Adell has worked to improve his contact rate and it was evident with his hard-hit single to left in the second inning off Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi.

“We know he’s capable of hitting it out of anywhere but when you’re not hitting it out you have to hit some singles,” Washington said. “And he’s done that this spring. He’s hit some balls up the middle between short and second. He’s growing. He’s not one-dimensional like he was in the past.”

Adell said he’s enjoyed working with the new coaching staff this spring, especially with the energy that Washington brings as manager.

“Wash is awesome,” Adell said. “He’s a worker and he expects everyone to work and pull their weight, which is not a problem with our group. Everybody’s working really hard to make things happen and I think the vibe is right where it’s supposed to be.”

The Angels aren’t ready to name their Opening Day starter just yet but Washington said his five starters will be lefties Patrick Sandoval, Reid Detmers and Tyler Anderson and right-handers Griffin Canning and Chase Silseth. It’s not a surprise but Washington clarified his rotation because of the emergence of right-hander José Soriano, who is getting stretched out as a starter after a breakout rookie year in relief last season.