June 12, 2017 Page 1 of 18

Clips

(June 12, 2017)

June 12, 2017 Page 2 of 18

Today’s Clips Contents

FROM LOS ANGELES TIMES (Page 3)

 Angels mailbag: Starting pitching, and contemplating a wild-card run

 Angels become first AL West team to beat Astros in a series this season

 With Mike Trout sidelined, Angels turn into men of steal to generate offense

FROM ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER (Page 8)

 Angels use big inning to come back to take series from Astros

 Angels Notes: Alex Meyer’s confidence grows with comfort in the Majors

FROM ANGELS.COM (Page 11)

 Meyer aims to build on 9-K outing facing Yanks

 Angels look to replenish farm system in Draft

 Angels soar past Astros with 6-run fifth

 Angel in the outfield: EYJ comes up big

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (Page 16)

 Young helps Angels rally for 12-6 win over Astros

June 12, 2017 Page 3 of 18

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

Angels mailbag: Starting pitching, and contemplating a wild-card run

By Pedro Moura

Hello, Angels fans. Your favorite team is 33-33 as of today, which translates to an 81-win pace for a full season. They played well last week in beating Detroit and Houston, both talented clubs. The Astros, in particular, are the class of the , although their chief contender, the , visits Angel Stadium for three games, beginning tonight.

Here are some questions and answers about the Angels.

@pedromoura what changes did Meyer make? Can he be a frontline starter?

The thing to remember about Alex Meyer is that, though he is 27, he is still remarkably green as a professional pitcher. He does not have the depth of high-level experience that is typical of big-league pitchers at his age. As he tells it, he was 17 when he first thought about pitching professionally, and it was sort of thrust upon him, because he is 6-foot-9 and he threw 95 mph in a game that influential evaluators saw. In the next year’s draft, the picked him late and offered him millions of dollars to sign. He said no and went to the University of Kentucky, which is by no means a pro-training powerhouse.

After an up-and-down college career, Washington drafted him high, again offered him millions, and he accepted. The Nationals traded him to Minnesota not long afterward, which altered his development. Still, he has enticed evaluators for a decade because he is huge, throws exceptionally hard and can spin a breaking ball. But with that height comes corresponding issues repeating his delivery, which translates into free passes for opponents. Though he has logged a 4.08 earned-run average in seven starts this season, he continues to walk too many batters. He’s issuing 6.1 walks per nine innings so far. Sustained success with that level of wildness is nearly unprecedented in modern baseball.

The last person to log a sub-4.10 ERA while walking that many men in 150 innings or more was Randy Johnson, a quarter of a century ago.

That’s not to say Meyer does not have the potential to gain control. Staffers describe him as an eminently coachable player, more of a blank slate than almost all big leaguers, eager to learn, willing to try whatever is suggested. But there is a lot of work ahead yet.

Via email:

Please give your assessment of the Angels' chances for winning a wild-card slot. Which teams do you see as their primary competitors?

John Wold June 12, 2017 Page 4 of 18

I don’t think it’s likely the Angels will qualify for one of two American League wild-card slots. Excluding the Yankees, Indians and Astros, because they are probably going to win their divisions, I think the Orioles, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Tigers, Mariners, Rays and Rangers are probably more talented than the Angels, or at least similarly talented. I have no idea which among those teams will prove to be the wild- card clubs, but I would bet two of them will.

That written, the longer the Angels can stay within a couple games of the wild-card slot, the more supplementary intrigue develops. This is an organization that has not won a playoff game since 2009. How eager will owner Arte Moreno be to reset that marker? If a Garrett Richards return looks plausible, perhaps it makes sense to push part of the limited stack in and add a player or two.

If (Doug) Fister & (Tyler) Skaggs return and pitch well, is (Ricky) Nolasco a bullpen option? Meyer has impressed and (Jesse) Chavez keeps us in games better than Nolasco

I think Chavez is more likely to move to the bullpen. He has far more experience there than Nolasco, and he has pitched worse deep into games. It does not hurt Nolasco’s case that Chavez’s contract contains incentives worth more than $2 million the Angels will have to pay if he continues to start.

To win that wild card, the Angels will need better starting pitching than they’ve received.

@pedromoura How's Fister progressing?

He’s pretty close to ready to start a major league game, in terms of stamina. On Sunday in Salt Lake City, he threw 89 pitches and nearly finished six successful innings. As far as how good he’ll be, it’s unclear. Obviously, they are not the same or even particularly similar pitchers, but Tim Lincecum threw exactly the same number of innings in triple-A and the majors a year ago, and his major league ERA and WHIP were each more than double his triple-A marks. Major league hitters are highly skilled individuals.

@pedromoura In the offseason, the acquisitions made were to bolster the defense primarily. Has that happened? Where do angels rank defensively?

I wouldn’t put much stock in team-wide defensive metrics at this stage in the season, but it’s pretty clear that the Angels executed significant upgrades at second base and catcher. Danny Espinosa is a wonderful defender, truly. The contrast is so stark between him and Johnny Giavotella, last year’s starter. Of course, his inability to put the ball in play is hurting the Angels, usurping his playing time and lessening his impact. At catcher, Martin Maldonado possesses enormous arm strength and the admiration of the club’s pitching staff. In left field, and Ben Revere have been at least adequate.

@pedromoura How good really is Keynan Middleton?

Oh, it’s hard to say with a significant degree of accuracy. He’s pretty clearly a big leaguer, but it’s still unclear whether he’s capable of handling high-leverage innings or more likely to be a middle man. He’s a pure fastball-slider guy now, having scrapped the changeup he used as a starter. In an organization devoid of talented players at his age, he is exciting. June 12, 2017 Page 5 of 18

@pedromoura Has EYJr broken through? If not what more does he need to do?

I am not a scout. I did not play baseball at a high level. But if I can impart one piece of baseball knowledge upon you that I am certain is true, it is this: Give your evaluations time. Most every player at every triple-A affiliate can succeed in the major leagues for a short stretch. Triple-A ballplayers are, generally speaking, amazing at baseball.

This is not a knock on Eric Young Jr., who is a hardworking man with legitimate skills grieving over a terrible thing. He has had success in the big leagues before. But, almost always, I’ll take a years-long track record over a two-week sample.

@pedromoura Who will represent the Angels in the All Star game if it's not Mike Trout?

My understanding is that Trout’s impending election by fan vote will satisfy the league requirements to have an Angels representative in Miami next month. So, the Angels may not have a functional All-Star. If they do, I think it’s likely to one of their relievers, Bud Norris or Blake Parker, two 32-year-olds who are new to their respective tasks and succeeding wildly. Shortstop Andrelton Simmons has been their second-best player, but shortstop in the American League is overcrowded: Francisco Lindor, , Xander Bogaerts, Jean Segura and Elvis Andrus all have cases.

Asked this question last week, Angels Manager Mike Scioscia deflected it, saying, “We’ve got a lot of stuff on our plates right now. To be honest with you, that’s way down the list of what we’re dealing with.”

He did go on to name a few players he said should be candidates: Simmons, Norris, Maldonado and designated hitter Albert Pujols.

Angels become first AL West team to beat Astros in a series this season

By Pedro Moura

The man in center field for the Angels on Sunday at Minute Maid Park chased down fly balls without a shred of restraint, proved difficult to retire in the batter’s box and ran to his heart’s content upon reaching first base.

Cameron Maybin is not Mike Trout, nowhere near him. But for an afternoon, he resembled a reasonable facsimile.

With Maybin as their guide, the Angels became the first American League West club to beat Houston in a series this season. Their thorough offensive effort in a 12-6 victory secured that feat, and another, more important one: They recorded a winning road trip for the first time this season.

The 33-33 Angels are doing OK without Trout so far, to the league’s surprise.

“He’s the best player in the world, but there’s no time to wait for him to come back,” Maybin said. “We’ve gotta do our best to stay in the mix and keep winning games until he gets back.” June 12, 2017 Page 6 of 18

The Angels pounded Houston’s starter, rookie right-hander David Paulino, and three Astros relievers. Every Angel to bat reached base at least once. The club generated eight hits in 14 opportunities with runners in scoring position.

“We had good at-bats the whole game,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

Albert Pujols bashed a first-inning solo shot, his 601st. In the third, Danny Espinosa bunted for a and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Maybin shot a single to left and stole second, putting two men into scoring position for , who roped a two-run single to center.

Angels starter Jesse Chavez took a three-run lead to the mound in the third and yielded most of it. He issued a one-out walk to before blasted a two-out, two-run homer. Josh Reddick soon slapped a single to right, which prompted a visit from pitching coach Charles Nagy. Chavez then walked Jose Altuve, but escaped when Carlos Beltran lined out to left.

Chavez ceded the lead the next inning. With two outs, launched a tying . After Bregman again walked, Norichika Aoki lashed a double into center field to score him. When Springer walked, Scioscia came for Chavez.

The 33-year-old right-hander has been unable to pitch successfully with runners on base all season. He entered Sunday holding hitters to a .719 on-base-plus-slugging percentage when the bases are clear, but a .971 mark with anyone on.

“There's something going on out of the stretch that keeps elongating those innings,” Chavez said. “We’ve gotta nip it in the bud before it gets too late. Right now, I feel like it’s getting too late. We’re in June, and it’s been the nemesis of this year.”

After an extended stall, right-hander Blake Parker entered the game. Reddick ripped a ball to right, off of Cron’s glove, for a single. Altuve followed with a single and the Astros led 6-3.

The Angels took back control in the fifth. Maybin singled, Calhoun walked, Valbuena singled, Cron doubled, and Andrelton Simmons notched a , which tied the score. Martin Maldonado then drew a walk, and Eric Young Jr. timed a slider just right, placing it into the right-field bleachers for a three-run homer.

Scioscia pieced together the 12 remaining outs from a bullpen he admitted is “tired.” Keynan Middleton relieved Parker, Jose Alvarez relieved Middleton, and David Hernandez relieved Alvarez, who benefited from two catches from Maybin. Yusmeiro Petit and Bud Norris handled an inning each.

The Angels scored twice more in the seventh, when Valbuena walked, Simmons doubled and Young singled, and once in the eighth, when Maybin walked, stole second and scored on a Calhoun single.

Winners of both series on a trip through Detroit and Houston, the Angels will play play the surging New York Yankees in six of their next 10 games. They must withstand Trout’s absence for those and many more games. June 12, 2017 Page 7 of 18

“Everybody should be confident the next few days knowing that we all can help out,” Maybin said. “We all can play big roles on this team.”

With Mike Trout sidelined, Angels turn into men of steal to generate offense

By Pedro Moura

The Angels stole 10 bases over the weekend in Houston, more than any iteration of the team had swiped in a three-game series since the franchise’s founding in 1961.

Cameron Maybin stole six bases. Eric Young Jr., Andrelton Simmons, Ben Revere and Danny Espinosa each stole one. The record was a product of a club focused on obtaining offense wherever possible, absent traditional power sources.

The Angels are on pace to steal 137 bases this season, more than the 125 they stole in the last two seasons combined.

“Personally, I love it,” Young said. “We’re creating a lot of pressure on the other team. There’s multiple guys running, it’s not just one person running. We’ve got a lot of guys, and it’s going to put pressure on the defense, maybe force their hand.

“They might make same errors. They might hang a pitch in the zone and hitters can take advantage of it, which we were able to do this road trip.”

Simmons is on pace to set a career-high for steals this month. He has eight for the season, two shy of the career-high 10 he stole last season, his first with the Angels.

But it is Maybin’s total, in particular, that is eye-opening. His 19 steals in 46 games represent a 67-steal pace over a full season. The 30-year-old entered 2017 averaging 27 steals per 162 games.

Draft day

The Angels will pick 10th overall in the 2017 MLB draft, which begins Monday. They will also select at No. 47, before the third through 10th rounds occur Tuesday. The remaining 30 rounds will take place Wednesday.

It will be Matt Swanson’s first time supervising a draft. The Angels hired him as amateur scouting director last August after he developed a sterling reputation for spotting talent as a St. Louis Cardinals scout.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia said he had not evaluated any draft prospects this year. He did a bit last season.

Short hops

Right-hander Doug Fister threw 89 pitches over 5 2/3 innings Sunday for triple-A Salt Lake. He walked two and struck out one. His fastball was most often clocked at 89 mph, according to an attendee. Fister, June 12, 2017 Page 8 of 18

33, could soon be deemed ready to make a major league start. … Dozens of Japanese media members attended the series between the Angels and Astros to cover Norichika Aoki, who is approaching 2,000 career hits between and Japan’s Nippon . After sitting at 1,998 for several days, he doubled and singled Sunday to reach the mark. The game was paused to honor his achievement, which earned him automatic induction into the Meikyukai, a type of Hall of Fame in Japan.

FROM ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Angels use big inning to come back to take series from Astros

By Jeff Fletcher

HOUSTON — Mike Scioscia frequently says that he’s only concerned with how his own team is playing, and the opponent doesn’t matter.

In this case, his players don’t quite agree.

After the Angels came from behind to beat the , 12-6, on Sunday, taking a series from the team with the best record in the majors, the message in the clubhouse was that the opponent does matter.

“It means we can play with anybody,” Cameron Maybin said of the significance of beating the Astros. “Even with some guys down, some huge guys, we can play with anybody. We definitely should be proud of how we played on this road trip, and have it carry over going back home.”

The Angels took two of three from the Detroit Tigers before coming to Houston and winning the series from the Astros, giving them their first winning trip of the season.

At 33-33, the Angels are still 12 games behind the Astros (44-20). They are treading water despite the loss of Mike Trout, winning seven of 13 games since he got hurt.

They have also scored 5.2 runs per game without Trout, including a recent outburst that has seen them score at least nine in three of the last four games.

“He’s the best player in the world,” Maybin said. “We can’t just wait for him to come back. He’ll be back when he’s ready. We’ve got to do our best to stay in the mix and keep winning games till he comes back.”

One of the key players in his absence has been Eric Young Jr., who replaced Trout on the roster the day he was placed on the disabled list. Young has hit .318 (14 for 44) in two weeks.

He’s also got two significant homers, both to give the Angels the lead. His three-run homer on Sunday snapped a tie, capping a six-run fifth inning that came immediately after the Angels had allowed four runs to fall behind by three in the fourth. June 12, 2017 Page 9 of 18

“E.Y. is making the most of an opportunity,” Scioscia said. “He’s gotten some big hits. He’s playing good defense, in center or left. He’s running the bases aggressively. He definitely fits with these guys. He’s playing great baseball.”

Two of the other hottest players, Maybin and Calhoun, also had big contributions on Sunday. Maybin scored three runs, had two hits and stole two bases. That came on the heels of Friday’s game, when he stole four bases, had three hits and scored four runs. Calhoun drove in three runs with his two hits, improving to .429 (15 for 35) in June.

Albert Pujols also chipped in his 601st homer, and 10th of the season. Pujols couldn’t get through a series in Houston without hitting a homer. His 56th homer against the Astros, his most against any opponent.

It was all part of a 12-hit attack, including eight hits with 14 at-bats with runners in scoring position.

The Angels needed the outburst to pick up Jesse Chavez, who was the only player who didn’t have a good day. Chavez was charged with six runs in 3 2/3 innings, a step back after two good outings in a row. Chavez said he’s still having trouble pitching out of the stretch.

He retired the first seven, but after the Astros got a runner aboard with walk in the third, Chavez wasn’t the same. He got two outs in the fourth but couldn’t get the third.

Scioscia then used six of his seven relievers to maneuver the final 16 outs, without being charged with a run.

“I had a lot of time to watch our offense, defense and bullpen pick me up today,” Chavez said. “Today was a day I was just a little bit off. The way the offense and bullpen came out today, I gotta tip my cap to them.”

Angels Notes: Alex Meyer’s confidence grows with comfort in the Majors

By Jeff Fletcher

HOUSTON — Like many major leaguers trying to transform “potential” into “production,” Alex Meyer said the difference for him is mostly in his head.

“It’s just an experience and maturity thing,” Meyer said. “The more you do something, the more comfortable you are. I still have to pinch myself every time I come to the stadium, but I am getting more comfortable.”

Heading into Monday’s start against the New York Yankees, Meyer has a 2.01 ERA with 27 strikeouts in 22 1/3 innings over his last four starts. Three of the four have been quality starts.

Meyer said the difference is not his stuff, but the way he handles himself on the mound, specifically when things don’t go his way. June 12, 2017 Page 10 of 18

Meyer said he used to “beat myself up” after a walk, and that only made it worse. He recalled a game this spring in which he walked four batters in one inning.

“I was literally fighting myself and putting so much pressure on myself to throw a strike and I just handcuffed myself a little bit,” Meyer said. “It’s still frustrating. I don’t want to go out and walk people ever, but it’s staying positive and realizing there is a solution to get out of it.”

DRAFT DAY

The Angels have two picks — No. 10 and No. 47 — during the first day of the draft, which will begin on Monday. The Angels do not have any compensation picks between the first and second rounds.

The three-day draft will continue with the third through 10th rounds on Tuesday, and go through the 40th round on Thursday.

This will be the first draft under new scouting director Matt Swanson, who was hired last summer. Last year, the first draft under general manager Billy Eppler, the Angels clearly went a different direction than they did under Jerry Dipoto. They took high school players with five of their top six picks. In the previous five years, they took a total of five high school players in the top 10 rounds.

The Angels also extended their budget to sign 35 of the 40 players they picked. They went beyond their pool allotment by the maximum allowed, short of forfeiting a future draft pick. It was the first time they did that since the pool system began in 2012.

ALSO

Keynan Middleton picked up the first victory of his career, at the discretion of the official scorer. Blake Parker was the pitcher of record when the Angels took the lead in the top of the fifth. However, rule 9.17(c) allows the scorer to give another pitcher the victory if the pitcher of a record is a reliever who was “ineffective.” The guideline for ineffective is pitching less than one inning and being on the mound for two or more runs scoring. Parker recorded one out and allowed two inherited runners to score in the fourth. Middleton followed with a scoreless fifth…

Doug Fister gave up one run in 5 2/3 innings, his second outing at Triple-A Salt Lake City. Fister threw 89 pitches, and his fastball was around 89-90 mph. Fister has allowed two runs in 10 2/3 innings. He has a June 21 opt-out date in the deal he signed with the Angels last month…

Cameron Maybin’s six stolen bases set an Angels’ record for a three-game series. The Angels also set a team record with 10 steals…

Yunel Escobar got a day off on Sunday, which allowed the Angels to start both Luis Valbuena (at third) and C.J. Cron (at first).

June 12, 2017 Page 11 of 18

FROM ANGELS.COM

Meyer aims to build on 9-K outing facing Yanks

By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com

The Yankees are hoping that a change of scenery could be the remedy to Masahiro Tanaka's recent struggles, as they pushed the ace right-hander back to face the Angels in the opener of a three-game series on Monday at Angel Stadium.

Tanaka has lost five consecutive starts as he prepares to take the ball opposite Halos right-hander Alex Meyer. New York viewed an Angels lineup without Mike Trout as preferable to having Tanaka face the Orioles in New York.

The Yankees believe that flaws in Tanaka's mechanics are responsible for his recent skid, in which he has permitted 27 earned runs in his last 22 2/3 innings (10.72 ERA), including 11 homers.

"It can be minor, just a tick late with your arm or your hip opens up a tick early," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "Your shoulders open up a tick early. That's what leads to the inconsistency of the pitches. We've seen good sliders. We've seen good splits. We've seen good location of his fastball, but when you're off a little bit mechanically, there's inconsistency."

Meyer struck out a career-high nine batters in his most recent start against the Tigers. He is 0-1 in his last two starts, despite holding opponents to eight hits and one earned run in 12 innings. Meyer has never faced the Yankees.

New York was 6-1 against the Angels last season, sweeping a four-game series at Yankee Stadium and taking two of three in Anaheim.

Things to know about this game • Tanaka's pitches are clearly lacking the life they've had in prior seasons, and opponents are taking advantage. Tanaka's .511 weighted on-base average (wOBA, a statistic similar to on-base percentage that accounts for strikeouts and gives added weight to extra-base hits) allowed on pitches in the zone since May 1 ranks as the absolute highest among 96 qualified starters.

• The Angels have held their own while Trout recovers from a thumb injury, and Angels center fielders were slashing .325/.413/.425 (13-for-40) in 12 games since the injury entering play on Sunday.

• Tanaka has made three career starts against the Angels, going 1-0 with a 1.71 ERA. This will be his second career start at Angel Stadium, having earned the victory there on Aug. 19 of last season, when he threw 7 2/3 scoreless innings in a 7-0 Yankees victory.

• Aaron Hicks has been swinging a hot bat with on the disabled list. Hicks has reached base in a career-best 18 straight games. Girardi said that Hicks will continue to receive playing time in center field even after Ellsbury returns. June 12, 2017 Page 12 of 18

Angels look to replenish farm system in Draft

By Maria Guardado

One of the few consolation prizes of the Angels' disappointing finish last season was that they netted a Top 10 pick in the MLB Draft for the first time since 2000, setting up a crucial class for an organization seeking to replenish a farm system that ranks among the worst in baseball.

The 2017 Draft will take place from Monday, June 12, through Wednesday, June 14, beginning with the Draft preview show on MLB Network and MLB.com at 6 p.m on the 12th. MLB Network will broadcast the first 36 picks (Round 1 and Competitive Balance Round A), while MLB.com will stream all 75 picks on Day 1. MLB.com will also provide live pick-by-pick coverage of Rounds 3-10 on Day 2, starting at 10 a.m. PT. Then, Rounds 11-40 can be heard live on MLB.com on June 14, beginning at 9 a.m. PT.

Go to MLB.com/draft to see the Top 200 Prospects list, projected top picks from MLBPipeline.com analysts Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo, the complete order of selection and more. And follow @MLBDraft on Twitter to see what Draft hopefuls, clubs and experts are saying.

Here's how the Draft is shaping up for the Angels, whose first selection is the 10th overall pick.

In about 50 words Several factors have contributed to the decline of the Angels' farm system in recent years, namely forfeiting Draft picks to sign high-profile free agents, trading away top prospects and struggling to develop the remaining talent. New amateur scouting director Matt Swanson will be charged with restocking the system, and laying the groundwork for a major turnaround.

The scoop Last August, the Halos relieved Ric Wilson of his duties as scouting director, and replaced him with Swanson, a former Minor League pitcher who previously served as the Cardinals' scouting crosschecker. During his time with St. Louis, Swanson signed seven players who reached the Majors, including second baseman Kolten Wong, Stephen Piscotty and right-handers Sam Tuivailala and Kyle Barraclough.

First-round buzz In his most recent mock Draft, MLBPipeline.com's Jonathan Mayo wrote that high school outfielder Jo Adell's name "has come up consistently with the Angels." Adell, an 18-year-old slugger out of Ballard High School (Louisville, Ky.), has attracted attention due to his bat speed and raw power from the right side.

Money matters Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, each team has an allotted bonus pool equal to the sum of the values of that club's selections in the first 10 rounds of the Draft. The more picks a team has, and the earlier it picks, the larger the pool. The signing bonuses for a team's selections in the first 10 rounds, plus any bonus greater than $125,000 for a player taken after the 10th round, will apply toward the bonus-pool total. If a team exceeds its allotment, it will be penalized through the incursion of a tax. June 12, 2017 Page 13 of 18

This year, the Angels have a bonus pool of $8,212,800 for the first 10 rounds, including $4,376,800 for their first-round pick.

Shopping list The Angels could bolster their depth at many positions, but starting pitching has been their greatest need for the last two seasons. The Halos dealt two of their best pitching prospects, Sean Newcomb and Chris Ellis, to the Braves in exchange for shortstop Andrelton Simmons, which depleted their upper Minors of any high-impact arms.

Trend watch The Angels have used their first-round picks on college catchers in each of the last two years, selecting Fresno State's Taylor Ward in 2015 and Virginia's Matt Thaiss in 2016. (Thaiss, the Halo's first pick under general manager Billy Eppler, switched to first base shortly after being drafted.) It remains to be seen if the Angels will continue to go with a more polished college product in the first round, or make a riskier bet on a high school prospect with greater upside.

Recent Draft history

Rising fast Jaime Barria, a 20-year-old right-hander, opened the season with Class A Advanced Inland Empire, and logged a 2.48 ERA with a 0.93 WHIP in 65 1/3 innings in the California League. He recently earned a promotion to Double-A Mobile, where he allowed one earned run in 5 2/3 innings in his first start. Barria, signed as an international free agent out of Panama in 2012, is ranked the Angels' No. 9 prospect by MLBPipeline.com.

Cinderella story Right-hander Matt Shoemaker went undrafted in 2008, before the Angels signed him as a free agent for $10,000. Against all odds, Shoemaker rose through the Angels' Minor League system, and broke into the Majors in 2013. He's since become a key cog in the Halos' rotation, going 5-3 with a 4.12 ERA in 67 2/3 innings this season.

In the show Arguably the Angels' most successful draft pick ever, Mike Trout was selected by the Halos in the first round of the 2009 Draft. Garrett Richards, Tyler Skaggs, C.J. Cron, Kole Calhoun, Cam Bedrosian and Keynan Middleton are also former Draft picks of the Angels.

The Angels' recent top picks 2016: Matt Thaiss, 1B, Class A Advanced Inland Empire 2015: Taylor Ward, C, Class A Advanced Inland Empire 2014: Sean Newcomb, LHP, Braves 2013: Hunter Green, LHP, Retired 2012: R.J. Alvarez, RHP, Triple-A Round Rock (Rangers) June 12, 2017 Page 14 of 18

Angels soar past Astros with 6-run fifth

By Christian Boutwell and Maria Guardado / MLB.com

HOUSTON -- The Angels tagged six runs on Astros starter David Paulino and reliever Michael Feliz in the fifth inning en route to a 12-6 win on Sunday at Minute Maid Park, sealing a series victory against the hottest team in the Majors.

The Astros, who dropped their first series to an American League West opponent, used a four-run fourth inning to open a three-run lead before the fateful fifth. Feliz replaced Paulino and promptly surrendered a three-run homer to Eric Young Jr., capping the big inning and giving the Halos a 9-6 lead.

"They had a bigger inning than we did," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "Their baseball beat our baseball. ... They outplayed us this series; we had a tough series. But we'll move on to the next one."

The Angels tacked on three insurance runs in the seventh and eighth innings to seal the victory -- their fourth against the Astros this season. The win returned the Angels to .500, at 33-33. Houston is 21-8 against the AL West in 2017.

"I think we had good at-bats the whole game," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "I think we took our walks when they were there, we did well with guys in scoring position, we ran the bases aggressively and had some clutch hitting."

In the first inning, Albert Pujols put the Halos up 1-0 with a solo shot -- his 601st career home run -- to left-center field. The 408-foot blast was Pujols' 56th home run against the Astros, the most any player has ever hit against Houston in the regular season.

George Springer ripped a two-run homer -- his 17th this season -- to bring the Astros within one run in the third. In the next inning, Yuli Gurriel extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a solo homer to Minute Maid's Crawford Boxes.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Tied no more: Young Jr. tagged Feliz with a three-run homer in the fifth inning to break a tie. It was Young's second homer this season, and traveled a Statcast-estimated 392 feet to straightaway right field.

Young is now batting .318 with three doubles, two homers, seven RBIs and four stolen bases in 13 games for the Angels since being called up from Triple-A Salt Lake on May 29.

"It's huge," Young said. "I'm thankful my name is in the lineup. I just want to try to take advantage of every opportunity, wherever it may be."

Astros take control, briefly: Trailing 3-2 heading into the bottom of the fourth, Houston batted around, piling on four runs and taking a momentary lead. Gurriel led off the frame with his seventh homer. Then, two hits and one walk later, Norichika Aoki and Josh Reddick plated two more with an RBI double and single, respectively, before a Jose Altuve RBI single completed the Astros' scoring. June 12, 2017 Page 15 of 18

AOKI REACHES MILESTONE With a single in the sixth inning, Aoki captured his 2,000th career hit between MLB (716) and Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball league (1,284), granting him immediate entrance into the Meikyukai -- or "The Golden Players Club" -- one of two Japanese baseball halls of fame. Aoki added his 2,001st hit with a single in the eighth.

"I'm very happy and pleased I was able to get to 2,000 hits," Aoki said. "I'm very happy that all our Houston fans, players and coaching staff gave me a standing ovation. More > "

QUOTABLE "Tip of the cap to him. Congratulations for a really cool accomplishment -- 2,000 hits takes a long time. It takes a lot of success. It's over two countries, in two Major Leagues. We had a nice time celebrating him. I know it's been grinding on him a little bit, but I think he's handled everything very professional. I think I saw him smile for the first time in a while after getting those hits. Very proud of him and glad he did it as an Astro." -- Hinch, on Aoki's 2000th

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS In the third inning, Cameron Maybin stole his fifth base in the series, setting an Angels record for steals in a three-game series. He later added a sixth steal in the eighth inning, giving him an American League- leading 19 on the season.

WHAT'S NEXT Angels: The Angels will head back to Anaheim to kick off a seven-game homestand against the Yankees and the Royals. Right-hander Alex Meyer (2-3, 4.08 ERA) will start Monday's opener against New York at 7:07 p.m. PT at Angel Stadium. It will mark Meyer's first career appearance against the Yankees.

Astros: Houston begins its third series against the Rangers on Monday. First pitch for all three games is slated for 7:10 p.m. CT at Minute Maid Park. The Astros are expecting right-handed starter (right shoulder discomfort) to return from the disabled list to start the series opener.

Angel in the outfield: EYJ comes up big

By Maria Guardado

HOUSTON -- The Angels knew they would need to receive contributions from their entire lineup to withstand the extended absence of Mike Trout, but one of their most unexpected lifts has come from veteran journeyman Eric Young Jr.

Young crushed a three-run home run off Michael Feliz to cap a six-run fifth inning for the Angels, fueling a 12-6 series-clinching victory over the Astros on Sunday afternoon at Minute Maid Park.

"It's huge," Young said. "I'm thankful my name is in the lineup and just want to try to take advantage of every opportunity." June 12, 2017 Page 16 of 18

The Angels entered the fifth down, 6-3, but they battled back to tie the game on Luis Valbuena's RBI single, C.J. Cron's RBI double and Andrelton Simmons' sacrifice fly. Martin Maldonado then walked to extend the rally, bringing up Young with a pair of runners on and two outs.

Though he's known more for his speed than his power, Young launched a 2-1 slider from Feliz to the right-field bleachers, skipping twice out of the box before initiating his home run trot. The clutch blast broke the 6-6 deadlock and gave the Angels a 9-6 lead, one they would not relinquish.

"Just put a good swing on it," Young said. "I've still got more stolen bases than home runs, so I'm going to go ahead and say I'm still the speed guy. Every now and again if I try to hit the ball in the gap, it might just carry."

Young also drove in a run with a seventh-inning single to finish with four RBIs. Since being called up from Triple-A Salt Lake to fill in for Trout on May 29, Young is batting .318 (14-for-44) with three doubles, two homers, seven RBIs and four stolen bases in 13 games with the Angels.

"EY is making the most of an opportunity," Angels manager Mike Sciosica said. "He's gotten some big hits, playing good defense, whether he's in center or left. Ran the bases aggressively. He definitely fits with these guys, and he's playing good baseball."

Young's efforts -- coupled with big days from Cameron Maybin, who went 3-for-4 with two runs and two steals, and Kole Calhoun, who knocked in three runs -- helped the Angels overcome a rocky start from Jesse Chavez and secure their first series victory of the season against the Astros, who have the best record in the Majors. Even with Trout on the disabled list with a thumb injury, the Angels have managed to keep their heads above water, going 4-2 over their six-game road trip in Detroit and Houston to climb back to .500 at 33-33.

"It means that we can play with anybody," Maybin said. "It definitely should let us know that even with some guys down, some huge guys, we can play with anybody, so I think we should definitely be proud of how we played on this road trip and try to carry it over going back home and keep the momentum going."

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Young helps Angels rally for 12-6 win over Astros

Associated Press

HOUSTON -- No one is expecting Eric Young Jr. to do what Mike Trout did for the Los Angeles Angels while the two-time MVP recovers from thumb surgery.

But so far his contributions have been important in helping the Angels while Trout recovers. June 12, 2017 Page 17 of 18

Albert Pujols homered early and Young had a career-high four RBI, including a three-run shot in a six-run fifth inning and the Los Angeles Angels rallied for a 12-6 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday.

"E.Y. is making the most of an opportunity," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "He's gotten some big hits, playing good defense whether he's in center or left, running the bases aggressively. He definitely fits with these guys and he's playing great baseball."

Pujols hit his 601st career home run and his 56th against the Astros in the first inning, and the Angels had a 3-0 lead in the third before Houston got going.

The Astros scored six runs in the third and fourth innings combined, powered by homers from George Springer and Yuli Gurriel, to take a 6-3 lead.

The Angels scored three runs to tie it up in the fifth before Young connected off Michael Feliz (2-1) for his second home run this season to put the Angels up 9-6.

Young is hitting .318 with three doubles, two homers, seven RBI and four steals since his contract was purchased from Triple-A Salt Lake City on May 29 when Trout went on the disabled list.

"It's hard to replace a guy like that," Young said. "He's an MVP, multiple MVPs for a reason. I think I just focus on being myself and what I bring to the table and have fun while I'm out there."

Angels starter Jesse Chavez allowed four hits and six runs in 3 2/3 innings and rookie Keynan Middleton (1-0) pitched a scoreless fifth for his first career win.

Rookie David Paulino, who moved into the rotation this month with three starters on the disabled list, allowed six hits and five runs in four innings.

Kole Calhoun had two hits and three RBI and Andrelton Simmons added two hits and two RBI as the Angels won for the third time in four games.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Astros: RHP Joe Musgrove (shoulder) is expected to come off the disabled list to start for Houston on Monday. Musgrove last pitched on May 26.

AOKI'S MILESTONE

Houston OF Nori Aoki earned automatic entrance into Meikyukai or Golden Players Club, one of two Japanese baseball halls of fame, by collecting two hits on Sunday to give him 2,000 between the majors and Nippon Professional Baseball. After his double in the fourth inning, Aoki's 2,000th hit came on a single to left field to start Houston's sixth inning. Several Astros came out of the dugout to applaud Aoki, including Jose Altuve, who got the ball from the Angels and pretended to throw it into the stands before putting it away for safekeeping. Play was stopped for a minute as the video board showed a graphic congratulating Aoki on reaching the milestone. He tipped his cap and bowed to the crowd several times after receiving a loud ovation. June 12, 2017 Page 18 of 18

"Once I got my 2,000th hit, it brought back memories of my very first professional hit," he said. "It kind of made me look back, and the passion I have for baseball still hasn't changed."

He matched his season high in hits with a single in the eighth inning to give him 1,284 hits in Japan and 717 in the majors.

Aoki was presented with a Golden Players Club jacket after the game and the Astros presented him with an oversized bottle of wine signed by the team.

RECORD HOME RUN STREAK

Sunday was the 19th straight game in which the Astros have homered, which is the longest streak in franchise history. Houston, which is third in the majors with 97 homers, has hit 38 during this streak.

UP NEXT

Angels: Alex Meyer (2-3, 4.08 ERA) is scheduled to start for Los Angeles in the opener of a three game series against the Yankees on Monday. Meyer allowed three hits and one run, which was unearned, in six innings of a loss to Detroit in his previous start.

Astros: Barring any setbacks, Musgrove (4-4, 4.89) will start on Monday when Houston opens a three- game series against Yu Darvish and the Texas Rangers. Musgrove had his best performance in his previous start when he allowed four hits in seven scoreless innings in a 2-0 win over Baltimore.