"Given the timing of this apparent injury and Stephenson's checkered health history, it now seems very possible that he'll begin the season on the Angels' 15-day injured list. Even if this current issue is just a speedbump and Stephenson is back throwing in a few days' time, his throwing progression could be scaled back a bit, plus the reliever has yet to pitch in any Cactus League games."
"In his own words, Stephenson already went into Spring Training "a little bit behind everybody" after receiving an injection during the offseason to deal with some symptoms related to thoracic outlet syndrome. Still, it was just a week ago that Stephenson was feeling confident about his chances of making the Opening Day roster, as he had progressed to facing hitters during live batting practice sessions."
"It's an unwelcome start to Stephenson's third season with the Halos, as the right-hander has barely pitched over the first two seasons of what was initially a three-year, $33MM contract. As per a clause in the contract, the Angels gained a $2.5MM club option for 2027 because Stephenson suffered a major elbow ligament-related injury - namely the Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for the entirety of the 2024 season."
Robert Stephenson, a right-handed reliever for the Angels, has suffered an unspecified setback during throwing sessions in spring training. Manager Kurt Suzuki described it as "a little setback," with tests pending to determine severity. Given Stephenson's injury history and the timing, he will likely begin the season on the 15-day injured list. Stephenson entered spring training already behind schedule after receiving an offseason injection for thoracic outlet syndrome symptoms. He had recently progressed to facing hitters in live batting practice and felt confident about making the Opening Day roster. This setback marks another obstacle in a difficult tenure with the Angels, where Stephenson has pitched minimally over three seasons due to multiple injuries including Tommy John surgery.
Read at MLB Trade Rumors
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