Angels Injury News: Forgotten Halos Reliever Resurfaces After 2 Years

It's been a long time since we heard about him.

After a two-year absence from the game of baseball, an Angels reliever is finally making his return to the game.

Chris Rodgriguez made his MLB debut in 2021 with the Halos. In 15 games he had a 3.64 ERA and struck out 29 batters.

Rodriguez's 2021 season was cut short when he suffered a shoulder injury. The injury was so severe that Rodriguez had to take a long break from the game of baseball. 

Now, nearly two years later, Rodriguez is back pitching in professional baseball. 

Chris Rodriguez is headed for a rehab assignment at Inland Empire, according to the affiliate’s transaction page.

Rodriguez hasn’t pitched in a professional game since Aug. 2021. More than two years.

— Sam Blum (@SamBlum3) September 10, 2023

Rodriguez made his season debut for the Inland Empire 66ers in the team's final game of the season. 

The rust of missing two straight seasons seemed to be there as Rodriguez struggled in his first game with the Angels High-A affiliate. 

In an inning of work, the right-hander gave up two runs on three hits but did strike out two batters. 

His ERA for the 2023 season will be at 18.00 for the time being. 

Although he didn't pitch well, Angels manager Phil Nevin is impressed by Rodrguez's ability to come back after a long time off. 

“It’s really neat to see him back,” Nevin said. “He’s been through a lot, fought through a lot. The shoulder is tough to come back from. It’s a long rehab process.”

(Via Orange County Register)

Now that he has some professional experience back under his belt, Rodriguez will try to get back to the Angels heading into the 2024 season. 

The team should be expecting him to report to spring training and compete for a spot somewhere within the organization.