Angels plan to break camp without Garrett Richards
REPORTING FROM TEMPE, Ariz — Angels Manager Mike Scioscia was pleased with Garrett Richards’ three-inning outing in an intrasquad game Wednesday. But he still anticipates the right-hander won’t be ready to break camp with the team in two weeks.
Richards, who is recovering from knee surgery, threw 44 pitches Wednesday. He is next expected to pitch Monday when the schedule calls for him to throw four innings or 60 pitches.
“He just needs to get his pitch count up and experience as much as he can on the [fielding] side,†Scioscia said of Richards, who tore the patellar tendon in his left knee while covering first base last August in Boston.
He finished the 2014 season 13-4 with a rotation-best 2.61 ERA in 26 starts.
Scioscia said Richards won’t be able to get all of the work he needs before the Angels return to Southern California on April 2, so he’ll stay back in Tempe before heading out on a minor league rehab assignment.
The Angels hope to have him back on their staff by mid-April.
Follow Kevin Baxter on Twitter @kbaxter11
Go beyond the scoreboard
Get the latest on L.A.'s teams in the daily Sports Report newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
