Angels vs Guardians

Manoah's right middle fingernail fell off after a spring start in mid-March, and he began throwing bullpens in early April. He's since progressed to facing hitters and could kick off a rehab stint within the next week. Manoah struggled mightily during the Cactus League slate, so he may need to pitch well during his rehab assignment to get a chance to start with the big-league club in the near future.

Rodriguez reportedly threw the equivalent of three innings in the live session Friday. The right-handed hurler felt "good" while throwing, according to manager Kurt Suzuki, but the team still wants to see how he recovers before determining his next step. Rodriguez could be headed for a minor-league rehab stint soon, and there's a chance he'll be able to join the Angels sometime in May.

Yates' rehab appearances have been spread out, as he's had at least two days off between each outing. The veteran reliever has given up at least one run in each of his one-inning appearances and has served up two homers across his three frames. It's not clear how long the Angels plan to keep Yates on his rehab assignment, and his struggles may not be helping his cause for rejoining the big-league roster in short order. After Jordan Romano was designated for assignment Sunday, the Angels' closer situation is extremely murky, and Yates is a clear candidate to take on the role given his 98 career regular-season saves. However, the club may want to see Yates put together some better outings before feeling comfortable handing him the ball in the ninth inning of close contests.

O'Hoppe sustained the injury Saturday against the Royals after taking a foul ball off his exposed left wrist. X-Rays revealed a small fracture, but the 26-year-old catcher sounded optimistic that his stint on the IL will be a short one. O'Hoppe would be back in the lineup by mid-May if that timeline holds, but in the meantime, Travis d'Arnaud will serve as the Angels' primary catcher while Sebastian Rivero operates in the backup role.

Johnson landed on the 15-day injured list April 6 due to a viral infection. He then made a start in extended spring training April 13 but was removed due to a hamstring injury after throwing just two pitches. Johnson seems to be doing better, and resuming throwing bullpens will be a significant step toward a return to game action. He could be ready to be activated off the IL in late April or early May.

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After noticing a minor velocity dip in the second inning, Kikuchi came back out for the third but didn't throw a pitch. He appeared to experience some discomfort while warming up, then checked out of the game after a brief visit with a trainer. Mitch Farris entered the game in place of Kikuchi and will likely be tasked with covering multiple frames out of the bullpen. The Angels will likely send Kikuchi in for further testing to glean more information on the extent of the injury.

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After allowing a home run in his initial appearance this season, Armstrong hasn't allowed a run in four consecutive outings (3.2 innings). The right-hander has allowed five base runners during the scoreless streak but has managed to work around the traffic and recorded three holds thus far in 2026.