Angels News: Halos Being Extra Cautious With Injured Nolan Schanuel
The Angels find themselves outside the playoff picture once again, so the final few games of the season are all about pride. They want to finish the year on a high note and give their young guys as many reps as they possibly can.
The Halos season was a disappointment, but they did find a few solid young players that they can use going forward. One of those players is rookie infielder Nolan Schanuel, who has burst onto the scene in an impressive way.
He has gotten on base in each of the first 27 games that he has played, and he is making a case to be on the roster long-term. Schanuel was drafted by the Halos a few months ago and was surprisingly called up earlier in the year. But the decision seems justified after seeing what he has been able to do.
However, he took a foul ball off his leg earlier this week, and the team is now being cautious with his return. They don't want him to return in a meaningless game, so they want to make sure he is okay first. He's missed both Tuesday and Wednesday's game.
Manager Phil Nevin gave an update on the Angels breakout rookie.
“He’s got a pretty good bruise,” Nevin said. “A little swelling. He wanted to play today. … I don’t want him to hurt anything else by limping. He’s still got a little bit of a limp."
For the year, he is hitting .284 with one home run and five runs batted in. Schanuel has come into the lineup and provided a real spark for this Halos team.
It remains to be seen if he will return this season, but either way, he has impressed the club. His ability to make an impact in games at such an early rate bodes well for his future, and the team couldn’t be more excited for next season.
Like some others on the team, Schanuel looks like the future of the Angels. He will help lead them into the next era, and do so productively it seems. The team has a bunch of questions to answer this offseason, but he gives them another reason to be hopeful.
