September 13, 2017 Page 1 of 18

Clips

(September 13, 2017)

September 13, 2017 Page 2 of 18

Today’s Clips Contents

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIME (Page 3)

Angels lose pitching duel to Astros ace Justin Verlander

Angels to open 2018 season in Oakland, again

FROM THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER (Page 5)

Astros ace Justin Verlander dominates Angels, spoiling Garrett Richards’ return

Miller: Brandon Phillips returns home with Angels for the first time

Already embedded in Houston, former Angel Cameron Maybin returns to Anaheim

Angels 2018’ schedule includes matchups with NL West

FROM ANGELS.COM (Page 11)

Angels 'thrilled' with Richards' home return

Angels can't solve Verlander, fall to Astros

Heaney (shoulder) to miss at least one start

Angels announce 2018 season schedule

Skaggs seeks first win since return from DL

Royals claim RHP Morin, designate Garcia

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (Page 16)

Verlander stars in Astros' skid-snapping 1-0 win over Angels

September 13, 2017 Page 3 of 18

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

Angels lose pitching duel to Astros ace Justin Verlander

By Pedro Moura

For years, Brandon Phillips has made frequent use of a subtle maneuver while manning second base.

When a baserunner slides in for a close play, the 36-year-old Phillips applies a hard tag to the

opponent’s leg and maintains it, slowly amplifying the pressure. Often, he said, the runner will briefly

lose contact with the base, and he will record a gift out.

In the ninth inning Tuesday at Angel Stadium, Houston shortstop Carlos Correa, 14 years Phillips’ junior,

did it to him. Phillips laced a one-out liner down the right-field line and scampered to second for what

appeared to be his second double of the night — until Correa nudged him off the base and tagged him

out.

“That’s the first time I fell for my own trick,” Phillips said. “I salute him for what he did.”

Phillips said he felt some “extra loving” as he attempted to remain on the base, and replays reflected it.

Correa said he didn’t think he pushed “too hard or anything.” Indeed, it was gentle enough for second-

base umpire Pat Hoberg not to notice Correa was pushing, but forceful enough to have the desired

effect: Phillips would have stood at second as the tying run. Instead he was the second out in the final

inning of the Angels’ 1-0 loss to the Astros.

“I can’t get mad,” Phillips said. “Right there, in that moment, that play changed the game. He did a great

job.”

Houston started Justin Verlander. The Angels started Garrett Richards, their staff ace still working his

way back from an injury that claimed most of his season. In a tidy affair, Verlander and closer Ken Giles

two-hit the Angels, with Phillips responsible for both hits in a defeat that dropped the Angels (73-71)

two games behind Minnesota in the race for the second American Leaguewild-card playoff berth.

Richards’ return is nearly unprecedented in Major League Baseball. Teams do not often start pitchers

who are incapable of lasting at least six innings. When they do, it’s to begin a so-called bullpen game,

usually because of an injury to a starting pitcher.

But the Angels are starting Richards in an attempt to build him up to be a standard starting pitcher come

playoff time, if they make it there. And they can afford short starts because it’s September and more

than a dozen relievers sit in their bullpen each night. So far, their strategy is working. Limited to around

65 pitches, Richards struck out four, didn't walk anyone, and allowed nothing but singles in five innings

of four-hit, one-run ball.

“For the most part, I just went out and attacked guys,” Richards said. “I’m happy with it in the end.”

September 13, 2017 Page 4 of 18

To begin, Verlander left a fastball over the middle to Phillips, who sent it to left for a double. Mike

Trout and Upton also received enticing fastballs, and both men lined them to left field, where they were

caught by Marwin Gonzalez. Albert Pujols grounded out to shortstop to end the inning.

Correa began the Astros’ second inning with a first-pitch single off a high fastball. Alex Bregman and Yuli

Gurriel also knocked singles into center, the latter scoring Correa with what turned out to be the game’s

only run.

Richards steadily made his way into the fifth inning, which he completed in only eight pitches, bringing

his total to 63, just as planned.

“We were thrilled he could get us through five innings,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

The Angels traversed the final four with four relievers: Wood, Cam Bedrosian, Keynan Middleton, and

Yusmeiro Petit.

Between Phillips’ double and near-double, the Angels’ only baserunner was Trout, who walked begin the

fourth and took a 97-mph fastball off his armguard to begin the seventh. Both times, the Angels failed to

advance him past first base.

Verlander stayed strong through the eighth, and Giles got through the ninth, with Correa’s considerable

help.

Short hops

Left-hander Andrew Heaney will miss his next scheduled start because of shoulder soreness that forced

his exit Saturday in Seattle. The Angels had termed him questionable Monday, but he was always likely

to miss this start. The team will use a host of relievers to handle the game, with the starter not yet set.

... MLB released its 2018 schedule Tuesday. The Angels will open next season in Oakland, just like this

season, and end it at home against the Athletics. The season starts Thursday, March 29, earlier than in

past years because additional off days have been mixed into the 162-game schedule.

Angels to open 2018 season in Oakland, again

By Pedro Moura

The Angels will open next season in Oakland, just like this season, and end it at home against

the Athletics. Major League Baseball released its 2018 schedule Tuesday.

The season starts Thursday, March 29, earlier than in past years because additional off days have been

mixed in to the 162-game schedule. The Angels will host their home opener on Monday, April 2, against

Cleveland.

The Angels have a rare 25-day stretch in July where they will not have to leave the area: They will have a

six-game homestand, then three games at Dodger Stadium, then four days off for the All-Star break,

then a 10-game homestand followed by another off day.

September 13, 2017 Page 5 of 18

Their longest road trip of the season will be a month later, with 10 games in 11 days between Houston,

Texas and Chicago.

The Angels’ interleague opponents will be the National League West, so they will host the Dodgers,

Arizona, San Francisco and Colorado, and visit Colorado, San Diego, Arizona and the Dodgers.

FROM THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Astros ace Justin Verlander dominates Angels, spoiling Garrett Richards’ return

By J.P. Hoornstra

ANAHEIM — A pair of headphones engulfed Justin Verlander’s ears Tuesday afternoon. A giant computer

monitor, maybe a foot in front his face, commanded his attention. Glance up a couple inches and

Verlander could watch the Detroit Tigers play the Cleveland Indians on a television inside the Astros’

clubhouse, but with his first pitch a few hours away, his gaze stayed true.

His uniform may have changed, but Verlander’s game face has not.

Making his second start in a Houston Astros uniform, Verlander (12-8) limited the Angels to one hit over

eight shutout innings Tuesday. A Yuli Gurriel single in the second inning knocked in the only run in the

Angels’ 1-0 loss before an announced crowd of 36,088 at Angel Stadium.

The gap between the first-place Astros and the second-place Angels in the American League West is 14

games. More significantly, the gap between the Angels and the Minnesota Twins in the race for the AL’s

second wild-card berth is two. The Twins beat the San Diego Padres 16-0 on Tuesday.

At least the gap between the Astros’ and the Angels’ best pitcher didn’t seem so large.

Making his first home start since April 25, 2016, Angels starter Garrett Richards (0-1) allowed only one run

in five innings. The right-hander allowed four hits, all singles, and didn’t walk a batter.

“I tried to go out and throw competitive pitches, get ahead in the count and try and use my 65 to 70

pitches as efficiently as I possibly could,” he said.

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With a fastball marauding in the 95-97 mph range, Richards struck out four batters and generally looked

like his former self. For four years Richards has been a staff ace, or close to it, when he’s healthy. His health

has been elusive.

Richards spent most of this season on the disabled list with an irritated nerve in his biceps. This was only

his fourth competitive game at any level since spring training, and his second since rejoining the Angels’

rotation. Going back to May 2016, when an elbow injury curtailed that season, Richards has appeared in

only nine major league games.

September 13, 2017 Page 6 of 18

However, in those nine games, Richards has a 2.08 earned-run average, with nearly as many strikeouts

(45) as innings pitched (47⅔). The silver lining Tuesday: it felt OK to have faith in Richards’ small sample

size again.

Comparing himself to 2015, his last full season, Richards said “I don’t see any difference. My delivery right

now feels more repeatable than it ever has been. I guess I’ve had a long time to think about how I want to

throw a baseball. I’ve kind of tried to implement that in my bullpen sessions leading up to this (start). I’m

just trying to fine-tune stuff.”

If it hasn’t happened already though, silver linings and moral victories will soon carry less weight than a

feather in the Angels’ clubhouse.

The Angels (73-71) have lost four of their last five games, giving the Twins (75-69) room to separate

themselves in the standings. With 18 games left in the regular season, seven teams are separated by 4 ½

games for the second wild card spot.

The Astros are trying to separate themselves, too. They landed Verlander in an 11th-hour trade on Aug. 31,

the final day teams could add a player who is eligible for the postseason. The 34-year-old right-hander

allowed one run in his Astros debut last week and, like Richards, has validated his reputation as an ace in a

small sample.

Tuesday, he allowed a double to Brandon Phillips in the first inning. Verlander walked Mike Trout in the

fourth inning and began the seventh inning by hitting Trout with a 97-mph fastball just above the left

elbow.

Those were the Angels’ only baserunners until Ken Giles took over in the ninth inning.

True to Verlander’s workhorse reputation, no pitcher began throwing in the Astros’ bullpen until the

eighth inning. He had already reached the 100-pitch mark at that point; he then retired the side in order

on 12 pitches. In eight innings, Verlander struck out nine.

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“He just kept the ball down,” Phillips said of Verlander. “He was mixing pitches up. We weren’t able to hit

his mistakes. That’s just how baseball goes.”

In the ninth inning, Phillips again provided the only threat against Giles. But the veteran second baseman

was caught trying to stretch a single into a double.

Phillips actually beat George Springer’s throw from right field, but was called out when he briefly lost

contact with second base and Astros shortstop Carlos Correa maintained his tag.

Correa didn’t deny that he nudged Phillips off the bag with his glove. Phillips didn’t complain.

September 13, 2017 Page 7 of 18

“He did the same thing I would’ve done,” the 36-year-old Phillips said of the 22-year-old Correa. “That’s

the first time I fell for my own trick. I salute him for what he did. It’s the name of the game. I’m not mad

about it because I would’ve done the exact same thing.”

Miller: Brandon Phillips returns home with Angels for the first time

By Jeff Miller

ANAHEIM — His team had just come off a 10-day trip, his body off a two-week baseball bender.

Brandon Phillips was home Tuesday afternoon, finally, mercifully, cozily home, just long enough to realize

it was time to head out again.

“The house is breathtaking,” the Angels’ new second baseman said. “It’s beautiful. You’re just sitting there

hearing the ocean. You can walk out the backdoor onto the beach. It’s like I don’t want to leave, but I have

to leave.”

It’s home, all right, the place in Laguna Beach, even though Phillips spent only two nights there before

reporting to work at Angel Stadium for the opener of a series against Houston.

It’s home because every place Phillips has been lately hasn’t been home, which he left behind Aug. 27

when he and the Atlanta Braves traveled to Philadelphia for three games.

From there, it was on to Chicago, where Phillips was removed from the lineup before facing the Cubs

because he was told the Angels wanted him in a trade.

The teams already had worked out the specifics. But Phillips’ contract afforded him the right to veto the

deal.

So, while the rest of the Braves were busy losing the game, 6-2, Phillips sat in the visiting clubhouse at

Wrigley Field, calling his family back in Atlanta to discuss his options.

The entire time, Phillips was in full uniform.

It wasn’t as easy as you might think, choosing to leave a team 14 games below .500 and 12½ games out of

playoff position for a team not only in the middle of a wild-card race but a team reloading.

The Angels already had acquired Justin Upton earlier in the day, just beating the Aug. 31 deadline for

playoff eligibility.

Now, Phillips, at age 36, was facing the same tick, tick, ticking clock knowing that he was being presented

with the juicy possibility of appearing in the postseason, something he hasn’t done since 2013.

Still, Atlanta was his home – his real home – Phillips growing up there after being born in North Carolina.

With the Braves, he routinely wore Atlanta-themed T-shirts beneath his jersey and once described

representing his hometown team as “playing at the house.”

September 13, 2017 Page 8 of 18

During the baseball competition at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Phillips served as a batboy.

No, this decision most definitely was not as easy as you might think.

“My family made the choice for me,” Phillips said. “They all told me, ‘Brandon, we don’t want to be selfish.

We want you to go out there and get a ring. That’s what you play this game for.’ So, I agreed to it.”

To appreciate how much family means to this guy, realize that Phillips hit a home run in late June while

wearing cleats decorated with cartoon characters, floating balloons and a dog bone.

He had the shoes specially made, to salute his son, Micah, whose favorite cartoons are “Paw Patrol” and

“PJ Masks.” Phillips homered in the colorful cleats on the day Micah turned 4, a development he called “a

beautiful thing.”

So, that’s more of what Phillips left behind when he agreed to join the Angels, who, at the time of his

trade, were in Texas, the first stop of a nine-game, three-city trip.

The decision, however, wasn’t the only draining part of the process that made Phillips an Angel.

There also was the trip within the trip, the one that required a change of planes – a rarity for pro athletes –

and other considerations working around flight schedules altered by the aftereffects of Hurricane Harvey.

“It was the longest flight ever to get from Chicago to … ah, I don’t know where we were at,” Phillips said,

before turning to Upton, who was seated nearby, for clarification. “Oh, yeah, Dallas.”

Still looking somewhat dazed and bemused by it all, Phillips added: “Hey, we’re baseball players. We know

how to get ready for a game. All I have to do is go out there and give it my best.”

About three hours before playing in his first home game in two weeks – and his first as an Angel – Phillips

unpacked two enormous boxes full of gear that had been shipped from his locker in Atlanta.

He was standing there in stocking feet, amid perhaps 20 pairs of cleats and other shoes, hanging up an

assortment of baseball pants.

“It’s just a lot of stuff,” Phillips said. “I’m trying to get situated so I can feel comfortable and feel like I’m at

home.”

Chances are, he’ll be an Angel for only a few more weeks, Phillips a free agent after this season.

Then again, who knows? This team has had a hole at second base since Howie Kendrick’s departure and

Phillips already – after just two nights – knows he likes living here.

“They wanted to put me in a hotel,” he explained. “I said, ‘Please, no more hotels. Give me a house or an

apartment, something like that.’ ”

Phillips’ realtor found him the place in Laguna Beach, next to the sand, the Pacific Ocean his backyard.

September 13, 2017 Page 9 of 18

After 14 days on the road, the setup feels like paradise to this newest of Angels, the man who hit leadoff

for them Tuesday night not even having to score to reach home.

Already embedded in Houston, former Angel Cameron Maybin returns to Anaheim

By J.P. Hoornstra

ANAHEIM — On Aug. 30, the National Hurricane Center issued a warning for catastrophic and life-

threatening flooding in Southeastern Texas. The next day, Angels outfielder Cameron Maybin was claimed

off waivers by the Houston Astros.

The 30-year-old outfielder changed teams at a delicate time for his new city. Much of Houston was

underwater as a result of Hurricane Harvey, but the weight of the moment did not sink Maybin. Actually, it

fed him.

“Part of my motto is trying to help out,” he said Tuesday before his first game against the Angels since he

changed teams. “We tried to do what we could to help out – anybody who needed help, as well as so

many other athletes, entertainers, everyday people trying to do their part. I just wanted to be another

piece of the puzzle trying to help people having a tough time.”

Maybin’s first appearance in an Astros uniform was a Sept. 2 game against the New York Mets. It was the

first professional sporting event in Houston after the hurricane hit. The city’s emergency responders were

honored in a pregame ceremony at Minute Maid Park. Manager A.J. Hinch took a microphone and

addressed the crowd over the PA system. The Astros then pounced on a pitcher named Matt Harvey,

knocking him out of the game after two innings. Maybin drove in one of his team’s 12 runs in an emotional

victory.

Maybin said Tuesday that he hasn’t thought about what went wrong for him in Anaheim, and it’s not hard

to see why. He’s had enough to think about the past two weeks.

“It’s a humbling game,” Maybin said. “You try to learn and grow from each experience. That’s kind of my

mentality each and every day. We have a lot of meaningful games left. I’ve already helped this team win

some meaningful games and I’m going to continue to try to do that.”

The Angels acquired Maybin from the Detroit Tigers last November after a 2016 season in which he batted

.315 with a .383 on-base percentage and a .418 slugging percentage. With the Angels, Maybin’s numbers

slipped to .235/.333/.351. Aside from his hot streak in May and June that loosely coincided with Mike

Trout’s time on the disabled list, Maybin was not the solution in left field the Angels’ front office

envisioned.

On the same day Maybin was claimed by the Astros, the Angels traded for Detroit Tigers left fielder Justin

Upton. Upton had 10 hits in his first nine games as an Angel entering Tuesday, while Maybin was still

looking for his fifth hit as an Astro.

Maybin has already made an impact off the field in Houston.

September 13, 2017 Page 10 of 18

“We created a Girls Helping Girls foundation, a part of my Maybin Mission, helping female victims of

Houston weather and natural disasters make sure they have everything they need to get through this

tough time,” he said. “It’s just a little piece of what we could do.”

Every year in August, all 30 major league teams are asked to submit one nominee for the Roberto

Clemente Award, which recognizes community service. The Angels chose Maybin. After he switched

teams, Maybin was still the nominee. He’ll be recognized on the field before Thursday’s game.

HEANEY TO SKIP START

Angels left-hander Andrew Heaney, who has an impingement in his throwing shoulder, will have his next

turn in the rotation skipped. The left-hander was scheduled to start Friday against the Texas Rangers.

“We’d rather err on the side of caution,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “We aren’t going to take chances

with any of our pitchers, let alone knowing what Andrew’s been through.”

The Angels planned a side session for Heaney on Tuesday instead, ideally so that he would miss only one

start. Scioscia did not name a replacement starter for Friday’s game.

The Angels have 17 pitchers on their active roster besides Heaney. Several could see action in Friday’s

game regardless of who starts.

ALSO

In 1978, Angels player Don Baylor hosted the first-ever 65 Roses golf tournament, a fundraiser for the

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and continued to host it until his death this year. Doug DeCinces and Bobby

Grich will co-host this year’s event, which includes a gala/dinner at the Newport Beach Marriott on Sept.

23 and a golf tournament at Strawberry Farms the next day.

Golfers are still needed for the event, which has raised more than $10 million for the Cystic Fibrosis

Foundation since its first year. For more information visit www.65rosesgolfclassic.org.

Angels 2018’ schedule includes matchups with NL West

By Jeff Fletcher

The Angels will open the 2018 season on March 29 at Oakland and face the National League West in

interleague play.

The full schedule, which was released Tuesday, opens on a Thursday, instead of the traditional Monday,

because the new collective bargaining agreement allows for four extra off-days.

The Angels open in Oakland and finish at home against the A’s on Sept. 30. In interleague play, the Angels

play a pair of three-game series against the Dodgers on consecutive weekends, July 6-8 at Angel Stadium

and July 13-15 at Dodger Stadium. The latter is the final series before the All-Star break.

September 13, 2017 Page 11 of 18

The Angels also have home-and-home series against the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies, and

they host the San Francisco Giants and travel to San Diego to play the Padres.

FROM ANGELS.COM

Angels 'thrilled' with Richards' home return

Righty delivers 5 1-run innings in first Anaheim start since April 2016

By Maria Guardado / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- It had been 17 months since Garrett Richards had taken the mound at Angel Stadium, but

he enjoyed a homecoming of sorts on Tuesday night, tossing five innings of one-run ball in the Angels' 1-

0 series-opening loss to the Astros.

In his second start since returning from the disabled list, Richards gave up four singles, walked none,

struck out four and threw 63 pitches as he continued to build up his arm following a five-month absence

caused by an irritated nerve in his right biceps.

"I just tried to go out and throw competitive pitches, get ahead in the count and try and use my 65-70

pitches as efficiently as I could," Richards said.

Richards had not started for the Angels at home since April 25, 2016, after missing most of last season

with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow and dealing with the biceps issue this year. But he

looked like his old self on Tuesday, firing 95-97 mph fastballs and yielding only an RBI single to Yuli

Gurriel in the second inning.

"Garrett just had really good command of everything," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "He was very

pitch efficient, used all his pitches, pitched on both sides of the plate, had good movement on his

fastball with obviously good velocity. We were thrilled he could get us through five innings."

Richards has been on a strict pitch limit since returning to the Majors, but the idea is to stretch him out

over the final weeks of the season so that he might ready to throw 100 pitches in the playoffs, should

the Angels get that far. After being held to one hit over eight innings by Houston right-hander Justin

Verlander, the Angels fell two games behind the Twins for the second American League Wild Card

spot with 18 games left to play.

While Richards' impact over his first two outings has been limited by his pitch counts, the 29-year-old

right-hander said those restrictions have also forced him to become more pitch efficient, which he

believes will be beneficial for him in the long run.

"I think it's a blessing in disguise," Richards said. "I have to take a step back. I know that I can't just go

out there and throw 100 pitches as hard as I can. Having this pitch limit has made me take a step back

and just kind of think about what I want to do before I do it. Even if I miss with a pitch, I'm already

September 13, 2017 Page 12 of 18

thinking about what I want to throw next. Just trying to put sequences together, keep guys off balance

and obviously let my natural stuff play."

Angels can't solve Verlander, fall to Astros

By Maria Guardado and Brian McTaggart / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- It was the kind of performance the Astros were hoping they'd get from Justin

Verlander when they traded for him two weeks ago.

Verlander played the role of stopper by firing eight one-hit innings, and Ken Gilesclosed out the ninth for

his 30th save to halt the Astros' four-game skid with a 1-0 win over the Angels in Tuesday night's series

opener at Angel Stadium.

"It feels good," said Verlander, who admitted he was a "little rusty" pitching on six days of rest.

"Obviously, we have a bunch of other guys who could do the same thing on any given night, but on a

night when we really needed it after a tough series and an off-day, you reset. Those are the things that

make you feel good about it after the game, is we needed a big win today to get going again and we

were able to get it."

Making his second start for Houston since being acquired from the Tigers, Verlander allowed only a

leadoff double to Brandon Phillips in the first inning while walking one and striking out nine in the 112-

pitch gem. Yuli Gurriel produced the lone run of the game with an RBI single to center field in the second

inning.

"We won today with a two-out base hit and an exceptional starting pitcher and a closer that came in and

did his job, so it was a good win for us," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "Verlander was exceptional. I

thought his fastball was really good. I thought he battled himself with his breaking ball until end and it

got a little bit better as the game went on. He threw a couple of changeups, which is a good sign. He was

in complete control of the game, obviously."

The victory lowered the Astros' magic number to clinch the American League West title to 5 with 18

games left to play. The Angels, who have now lost four of their last five games, dropped two games

behind the Twins for the second AL Wild Card spot.

"We obviously want to have the best record and have home-field advantage over everybody," Astros

shortstop Carlos Correa said. "But we're focusing day by day on what we can control and get the wins

we can and finish strong this season going into the playoffs. We're trying to clinch as soon as possible,

and in order for us to do that we got to beat this team right here."

The Angels' offense, which had been bolstered over the last two weeks by the additions of Phillips

and Justin Upton, mustered only three baserunners against Verlander and was unable to move a runner

past second base.

September 13, 2017 Page 13 of 18

"He just kept the ball down," Phillips said. "He was mixing pitches up. We weren't able to hit his

mistakes, and that's just how baseball goes."

Garrett Richards pitched five strong innings for the Angels, allowing one run on four hits while walking

none and striking out four in his second start since returning from the 60-day disabled list. On a

restricted pitch count, Richards was removed after throwing 63 pitches, 45 of which were strikes. It

marked Richards' first start at Angel Stadium since April 25, 2016.

"Garrett just had really good command of everything," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "He was very

pitch efficient, used all his pitches, pitched on both sides of the plate, had good movement on his

fastball with obviously good velocity. That's a great five innings from Garrett."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Tag, you're it: Phillips hit a one-out double to right field in the ninth inning against Giles, but he was

called out after his foot came off the bag while Correa was applying the tag on his leg. Giles got Mike

Trout to ground out for the final out of the game. Phillips said afterward that he thought Correa had

nudged him off the bag, a maneuver he himself has used against opponents over the years.

"That's the first time I fell for my own trick, so I salute him for what he did," Phillips said. "That's the

name of the game. I'm not mad about it because I would have done the exact same thing. I was on the

bag, I just felt him giving me some extra loving."

Said Correa: "He said that I pushed him off, but it was like a stiff arm like how I tag everybody. I didn't

feel like I was pushing him too hard or anything. I was trying to tag him and he was off balance and came

off the bag, and I tagged him again."

Angels can't capitalize: The Angels put the leadoff man on board three times against Verlander, but they

were unable to cash in on any of those opportunities. Phillips opened the bottom of the first by doubling

to left field, but Verlander retired Trout, Upton and Albert Pujols to emerge unscathed. Trout drew a

leadoff walk in the fourth, but Verlander then coaxed a 6-4-3 double play from Upton and induced a

groundout from Pujols to end the inning. Trout also reached on a hit-by-pitch to start the seventh, but

the Angels, again, came up empty.

QUOTABLE

"I told these guys after the game, this defense is really special and makes our job easier to pitch to

contact and know that if it stays in the yard we have a good chance to make a play on it." -- Verlander

WHAT'S NEXT

Astros: Mike Fiers will start for the Astros in Wednesday's 9:07 p.m. CT game against the Angels at Angel

Stadium. Fiers was removed from the rotation Sept. 4 after the trade for Verlander and the activation

of Lance McCullers Jr. from the DL. In his last eight starts, he was 1-5 with a 7.90 ERA.

Angels: Left-hander Tyler Skaggs (1-5, 4.86 ERA) will take the mound for the Angels on Wednesday as

they continue their three-game series against the Astros at 7:07 p.m. PT at Angel Stadium. Skaggs is 2-2

with a 3.38 ERA in five career starts against Houston.

September 13, 2017 Page 14 of 18

Heaney (shoulder) to miss at least one start

Angels starter has 7.06 ERA in return from Tommy John surgery

By Maria Guardado / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- Angels left-hander Andrew Heaney will not make his next scheduled start against the

Rangers on Friday due to a shoulder impingement, manager Mike Scioscia said Tuesday.

"He won't be on that turn, but we're optimistic that he'll be back in a reasonable amount of time,"

Scioscia said. "Something needs to calm down. He's going to play catch today and be evaluated all

through this week, and then we'll see when he can get back out there to get in a game."

Heaney exited his start in Seattle on Saturday after experiencing soreness in his shoulder and underwent

an MRI exam on Monday, which revealed "no acute strain," according to the club. Still, a clinical exam

showed "symptoms consistent with internal impingement," prompting the Angels to deem him day to

day.

Heaney missed most of the 2016 season and a significant chunk of this year while recovering from

Tommy John surgery. He returned to the Angels' rotation in August, but he struggled to find his footing,

logging a 7.06 ERA in 21 2/3 innings across five starts.

Scioscia said Heaney will have to go through a throwing progression and complete an "up-down" bullpen

to simulate breaks between innings before the Angels determine when his next start will be.

"We'd rather obviously err on the side of caution," Scioscia said. "We don't take any chances on our

pitchers, let alone what Andrew's been through. Hopefully he'll bounce back and be ready for a start in a

reasonable amount of time, but it won't be on Friday."

The Angels have not yet decided who will start on Friday in Heaney's place, though Scioscia said it will

likely be a bullpen game for the club. The Angels previously used the tactic against the Blue Jays on July

29, with Yusmeiro Petit handling the first three innings. Jesse Chavez and Troy Scribner are also

potential candidates to start against the Rangers.

"We're looking at a couple things," Scioscia said. "One of the decisions is definitely who's going to start

it. Other decisions are what options do you have as that game branches out and which way you want to

go with it."

Angels announce 2018 season schedule

Los Angeles opens up on the road vs. Athletics on March 29

By Maria Guardado / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- The Angels will open their season in Oakland for the second consecutive year, kicking off

their 2018 campaign on March 29 against the A's.

September 13, 2017 Page 15 of 18

Every Major League team will begin play next season on March 29 to accommodate the extra off-days

that will be incorporated into the schedule as part of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

The Angels will host the Indians on April 2 in their home opener and will close out their season against

the A's on Sept. 30 at Angel Stadium. In July, they will have a 25-day stretch in which they will not have

to leave Southern California -- with six games at home, four games at Dodger Stadium, four days off for

the All-Star break and 10 more games at home before an off-day.

The Angels will play their Interleague slate against the National League West, hosting the Giants, D-

backs, Rockies and Dodgers, and traveling to Colorado, San Diego, Arizona and Dodger Stadium.

Skaggs seeks first win since return from DL

By Brian McTaggart / MLB.com

Right-hander Mike Fiers will return to the rotation and start Wednesday's game against the Angels at

Angel Stadium in place of Lance McCullers Jr., who was scratched late Tuesday with arm fatigue. Fiers,

who worked one inning in the bullpen Friday, will be making his team-high 28th start of the season.

The Astros lead the Angels by 14 games in the American League West and have a magic number of five

to clinch their first division title since 2001.

Left-hander Tyler Skaggs (1-5, 4.86 ERA) will start for the Angels. He's 0-4 with a 5.61 ERA since returning

from the disabled list and is seeking his first win since April 22. He's 2-2 with a 3.38 ERA in five career

starts against the Astros.

Fiers (8-9, 4.78) was removed from the rotation Sept. 4 following the trade for Justin Verlander and

McCullers' activation from the DL. He made his first relief appearance of the season Friday in Oakland,

allowing two runs in one inning.

In his last eight starts, he was 1-5 with a 7.90 ERA. Fiers was terrific in his 10 previous starts prior to that,

going 4-2 with a 2.16 ERA during a stretch where the Astros had starters Dallas Keuchel, McCullers,

Charlie Morton and Collin McHugh on the disabled list at various points.

Things to know about this game

• Angels center fielder Mike Trout has reached base safely in 92 of 97 games this season. He drew his

84th walk of the season Tuesday and is trying to become the seventh player in American League history

with three 100-walk seasons prior to his age-26 season.

• Astros third baseman Alex Bregman is hitting .330 with 46 runs, 20 doubles, four triples, eight homers,

32 RBIs, 22 walks and 10 steals since July 4.

• The Astros have 302 doubles this season, giving them a shot at tying the franchise record for doubles

in a season -- 326 set by the 1998 team. Houston pitchers have already set a club record for strikeouts in

a season with 1,411.

September 13, 2017 Page 16 of 18

Royals claim RHP Morin, designate Garcia

Overland Park native pitched for Angels past four seasons

By Jeffrey Flanagan / MLB.com

KANSAS CITY -- The Royals on Tuesday claimed right-hander Mike Morin from the Angels and designated

left-hander Onelki Garcia for assignment.

The Royals originally drafted Morin in the 40th round in 2009. He went to the University of North

Carolina instead and the Angels drafted him in the 13th round in 2012.

Morin, an Overland Park, Kan., native, has pitched for the Angels in parts of the past four Major League

seasons. He appeared in 10 games this year, posting a 6.91 ERA with no decisions in the big leagues,

while he was 0-1 with a 3.20 ERA in 22 outings (one start) with Salt Lake, the Angels' Triple-A affiliate.

Garcia, signed as a free agent last offseason, appeared in two games for the Royals and was 0-1 with a

13.50 ERA.

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Verlander stars in Astros' skid-snapping 1-0 win over Angels

Associated Press

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Houston Astros gave up three prospects for Justin Verlander because they

wanted a stopper for their World Series chase. After just two starts, the star right-hander is already

giving them exactly what they need while they tune up for October.

Verlander pitched eight innings of one-hit ball, and the Astros snapped their four-game skid with a 1-0

victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night.

Verlander (12-8) struck out nine in another overpowering performance for his new team. He held the

Angels without a hit after Brandon Phillips' leadoff double in the first, allowing only Mike Trout to reach

base on a walk and a hit by pitch.

"It feels good," Verlander said. "On a night when we really needed it after a tough series and an off day

to reset, those are the kind of things that make you feel really good. I got in a rhythm, was able to have a

couple of quick innings and just go from there."

Verlander pitched six innings of one-run ball in Seattle during his Houston debut last week. The Astros

got swept in a four-game series at Oakland last weekend, but the six-time All-Star put them right back

on course.

September 13, 2017 Page 17 of 18

"He loves the moment," Houston manager A.J. Hinch said. "He was in complete control. Coming off the

day off, it doesn't surprise me that he was going to set the tone."

Yuli Gurriel's second-inning single drove in the only run for the Astros (87-57), who lowered their magic

number for clinching the AL West title to five by blanking the second-place Angels (73-71).

Los Angeles has lost four of five to fall two games behind Minnesota (75-69) for the second AL wild card.

LITTLE PUSH

Ken Giles gave up another double to Phillips in the ninth, but the Angels' new infielder slipped off the

base after his slide and was tagged out by shortstop Carlos Correa.

Phillips and manager Mike Scioscia vehemently argued that Correa had nudged Phillips off the bag, to no

avail.

"I'm not mad about it, because I would have done the same thing," said Phillips, the veteran second

baseman. "I fell for my own trick. He just did a smart play, and that changed the whole game."

Giles then got Trout on a grounder to complete his 30th save in 34 chances.

NEW GUYS

Justin Upton went 0 for 3 and Phillips was 2 for 4 in their home debuts for the Angels, who acquired

both veterans in trades right before the start of their just-completed road trip.

"It was great to play at home for the first time with these guys," said Phillips, who already found a house

near the beach to enjoy September with his family.

GOOD START

Garrett Richards (0-1) pitched five innings of four-hit ball in his second start back from a five-month

injury absence for the Angels.

The right-hander yielded one run on three singles in the second, but faced no other trouble while

striking out four. His first appearance at the Big A since April 25, 2016, was another solid step on his

road back from arm injuries that have derailed his past two seasons.

"He spent the pitches that he was allotted," Scioscia said. "We were thrilled he could get us through five

innings."

Richards missed 135 games with a biceps strain after making one start in April. He made only six starts in

2016 before tearing a ligament in his right elbow, but he avoided Tommy John surgery with

rehabilitation -- only to experience more arm woes this season.

TRAINER'S ROOM

September 13, 2017 Page 18 of 18

Astros: Lance McCullers Jr. was scratched from his scheduled start Wednesday after he reported arm

fatigue during pregame throwing. McCullers was supposed to make his second start back from a

monthlong absence due to a back injury.

Angels: LHP Andrew Heaney will miss at least one start with an "impingement" in his shoulder, Scioscia

said. Heaney missed most of the past two seasons recovering from Tommy John surgery, returning to

the rotation five starts ago.

UP NEXT

Astros: Mike Fiers (8-9, 4.87 ERA) will get the spot start to fill in for McCullers. Fiers has made 27 starts

this season, but lost his spot in the rotation last week with Verlander's arrival and the return of

McCullers from the disabled list.

Angels: Tyler Skaggs (1-5, 4.86) returned from the disabled list last month and has gone 0-4 with a 5.61

ERA. He hasn't won since April 22, but the Angels must hope he gets it going to help a depleted rotation.