Angels’ Nolan Schanuel relieved to avoid serious injury

MINNEAPOLIS — Nolan Schanuel had made a frustrating habit of fouling balls off various parts of his body last season.

Schanuel said he mentioned recently that it hadn’t happened yet this season.

“I think I jinxed it,” Schanuel said on Sunday, a day after he suffered a bruised right knee on a foul ball.

Schanuel was able to joke about it because the result wasn’t as bad as he feared when it happened. He was not placed on the injured list. He could return to the lineup as soon as Tuesday, after an off day on Monday.

“Feeling a lot better, definitely,” Schanuel said. “When it first happened, I was kind of shocked and took some time. Then today, woke up, felt a lot better. Walking on it is a lot better as well.”

Schanuel said he initially asked manager Ron Washington and athletic trainer Eric Munson to give him a minute to “walk it off,” but he soon realized he wasn’t going to be able to do that. They had to help him off the field.

“I tried to walk on it and it just gave out on me,” Schanuel said. “Right after it happened, I was hoping for the best and kind of thinking the worst was going to happen. After time passed and I started walking on it, I wasn’t thinking it shouldn’t be that bad.”

J.D. Davis got the start at first on Sunday.

HENDRICKS UPDATE

Kyle Hendricks said immediately after Friday’s game that he suspected he was tipping his pitches, but at that point he hadn’t had a chance to study the video.

Upon further review, Hendricks said on Sunday that he was “definitely” tipping his pitches, which has been an issue for him at times throughout his career.

“I gotta make a change and an adjustment, to get that out of the equation,” Hendricks said. “That’s step one, and then from there it’s better fundamentals of pitching, getting ahead, staying on the attack, putting hitters away.”

Hendricks was charged with seven runs on a career-high five walks in three-plus innings on Friday. He explained that even the walks could be the result of tipping.

“I’m not getting swings on pitches that I would normally be getting swings on, because they know the action that’s coming,” Hendricks said. “They know what to expect, so they’re zoning me up, and they’re really setting their sights up for the fastball and changeup. When I’m spotting at the bottom of the zone, I’d be getting swings on those normally when I have them off balance because they don’t know what’s coming.”

NOTES

One of the best moments for the Angels during Saturday’s loss was rookie right-hander Ryan Johnson escaping a bases-loaded, no-out jam without a run scoring. Johnson struck out two and got a ground ball, and then he added another scoreless inning. A day later, Washington was marveling at the job that Johnson did. “That was amazing,” Washington said. “That game could have gotten away right there. And he gave us an opportunity to stay in the ballgame. We just couldn’t put any runs on the board.” …

Washington once again shook up the lineup in an effort to get the Angels out of their slump. He moved Mike Trout into the leadoff spot. Logan O’Hoppe, who was the designated hitter, was in the cleanup spot, with Taylor Ward moved up to No. 3. Jorge Soler had the day off. “I like to have a steady lineup, but where we going, it’s gonna be hard to be steady,” Washington said. “Got to try to find something that works.”

UP NEXT

Angels (RHP Jack Kochanowicz, 1-3, 5.47) at Mariners (RHP Bryce Miller, 1-3, 4.21), Tuesday, 6:40 p.m., FanDuel Sports Network West, 830 AM