Kendrys Morales’ return from last year’s fractured ankle has been put on hold.
The Angels first baseman left camp Monday and returned to Los Angeles to have his left foot examined by Dr. Phil Kwong, foot-and-ankle specialist at the Kerlan-Jobe Clinic. Morales has been bothered by soreness in the big toe and ball of his left foot since trying to increase his running program last week.
An MRI was performed and revealed no structural damage. Kwong diagnosed soreness in the foot, most likely related to “some flexibility issues with the ankle and foot,” according to GM Tony Reagins.
Morales’ workouts will be shut down for an indefinite period in order to let the soreness subside.
“We’re taking a half-step back to take a step forward,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “We’ll see how this shakes out in the next couple days.”
Morales had tried to increase his running early last week but was only able to run in a straight-line down the first base line at less than full speed. After doing that on consecutive days, the soreness in his foot became too much of an issue for him to continue the program.
“We’ve got to let it calm down,” Reagins said. “He tried to progress multiple days. After back-to-back days (of trying to run), this developed.”
Reagins maintains that the Angels have not been surprised by Morales’ halting progress this spring and unavailability to start the season despite the team’s proclamations as far back as December that Morales would be ready to play during spring training.
“We understand the significance of the injury and when you put it in that context, you have to be smart,” Reagins said. “We have a long season ahead of us and if we can be conservative and smart on the front end, hopefully it will benefit us in the long run.”
The Angels slumped to a losing record (80-82) last season after losing Morales on May 29 with a fractured ankle. A large part of the Angels’ off-season plan to bounce back was built around Morales returning to their lineup in 2011. Though the timetable for Morales’ eventual return is made even more cloudy by the latest news, Reagins insisted the team would not have altered its off-season agenda if it had known he wouldn’t be available to start the season.
“No. If you’re assuming we’re not going to have Kendrys all season, then your assumption might be correct,” Reagins said. “But I’m real confident in saying he’s going to be back in real short order. I’m not anticipating him being out months. So our off-season – it wouldn’t have had any effect on our off-season, based on where Kendrys is now.”
PINEIRO UPDATE
Right-hander Joel Pineiro had hoped to throw an aggressive bullpen in the next couple days and get back on schedule after the cramp that forced him from his start Sunday had subsided. But the Angels have a more conservative plan in mind.
Scioscia said Tuesday that Pineiro would not make his next start and would probably not throw a bullpen session for four or five days. The target now is for Pineiro to stay behind when the Angels break camp Saturday and pitch in a minor-league camp game next week before starting his season with the Angels a little late. With two off days in the first week of the regular season, the Angels could push Pineiro’s first start as far back as the home-opening series against the Toronto Blue Jays April 8-10.
— Reporting from Tempe, Ariz.
