Angels’ Josh Lowe slowed by oblique issue

TEMPE, Ariz. — The Angels have a camp full of players trying to revive their injury-stalled careers, and they are finally dealing with their first setback from one of them.

Outfielder Josh Lowe is out with tightness in his left oblique. Since Lowe’s breakout season with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2023, he has had right oblique problems each of the past two years.

This one, though, doesn’t have Lowe too concerned.

“The other time I got hurt, I couldn’t run to first,” Lowe said Saturday morning. “(This time) I was doing stuff. I was running straightforward, just not doing stuff with the team. Just being precautionary. Obviously, I’ve done my oblique in the past. It’s the other one. If we have to take a couple extra days or however long to make sure it’s OK, that’s what I’m going to do.”

Lowe said he felt something when making a throw from the gap during Wednesday’s game.

“Being February 28, there’s not reason to play superhero right now,” he said. “Everything that’s been portrayed to me is ‘Be ready for the beginning of the season,’ and that’s what I want to do. So if it means taking a couple extra days now, however much time it is, to be ready for the beginning of the year, that’s what I’m going to do.”

Lowe, 28, is penciled in to be one of the Angels’ everyday outfielders. He still might wind up in any of the three positions, depending what they do with Mike Trout.

At his best, Lowe hit .292 with an .835 OPS to go with 20 homers and 32 stolen bases in 2023. Over the past two seasons, he’s had three separate injured list stints because of right oblique problems. Playing around those, he hit .230 with a .670 OPS.

Manager Kurt Suzuki said Lowe’s history is why they are taking no chances now.

“We want to try to get ahead of it and make sure we take care of this early in spring training,” Suzuki said.

WBC BOUND

Third baseman Yoán Moncada will be playing for Cuba in the World Baseball Classic for the second time. Many Cuban players – like Seattle outfielder Randy Arozarena and Boston closer Aroldis Chapman – chose not to represent their country as a political statement.

“It’s unfortunate,” Moncada said through an interpreter. “Every player has their own situation of why they can’t play, but I respect everybody’s decision. That’s the way it is.”

Moncada added that it’s “always been a dream of mine and my father to represent my country.”

In 2023, Moncada hit .435 with a 1.258 OPS in six games for Cuba, which lost to Team USA in the semifinals. He was named to the All-Tournament team.

He then began the season with the Chicago White Sox hitting .308 with an .889 OPS in his first nine games, before going down with back problems.

Moncada said the higher intensity of the WBC helped get him in a good spot for the season.

“You see a lot of pitches and a lot of good pitchers,” Moncada said. “The competition is really good. But then you get into the regular season and you just don’t know how it’s going to turn out.”

Heading into Saturday’s game, Moncada was hitless in eight at-bats, with six strikeouts.

“It’s early in spring training,” Moncada said. “It does get a little bit frustrating, but I keep telling myself it’s early and eventually things will click.”

NEW SCOREBOARD COMING?

The Tempe City Council is expected to vote next week to approve the construction of a new scoreboard at Tempe Diablo Stadium, according to stadium manager Jerry Hall. The new board would be in use next spring.

The Angels’ spring home is the only one in Arizona that does not have a video board, which means that ABS challenges are relayed directly to the umpire instead of shown on the board.

A larger renovation of the entire ballpark is expected to begin after spring training in 2027.

NOTES

Right-hander Robert Stephenson said he threw all of his pitches in his last bullpen session. Although he’s not sure when he will be able to face hitters, which would be the next step, he remains confident that he’ll be ready by Opening Day. “Absolutely,” he said. …

Right-hander Nick Sandlin has one more bullpen session scheduled before he faces hitters, Suzuki said.