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Angels’ Brandon Drury gets good news from MRI on shoulder

July 9, 2023

LOS ANGELES — In a season in which the Angels have gotten so much bad medical news, they were relieved with what they learned after Brandon Drury underwent an MRI exam on his sore left shoulder.

The tests showed only inflammation, with no structural damage, so the Angels infielder received a cortisone injection.

Drury said on Saturday, a day after the MRI, that he already felt better.

“I have more range of motion,” he said. “I’m feeling a little better each day now.”

Asked when he thinks he could play again, Drury said: “If it keeps progressing like I think it’s going to, hopefully right after the break or shortly after the break. I’ll probably start to hit and start taking some ground balls in the next couple days.”

The Angels are already without Mike Trout for at least another month after he fractured a bone in his wrist. Anthony Rendon is currently out — although not on the injured list — with a shin contusion from a foul ball.

A setback for Drury would have been another difficult blow for the Angels. Drury is hitting .277 with 14 homers and an .822 OPS. Drury was also hitting .303 with runners in scoring position.

He hurt his left shoulder on a diving play on June 28. Initially, he didn’t think it was anything serious, so he didn’t think he needed an MRI.

“I was just hoping I jammed it and needed some days to let it rest,” Drury said. “But it wasn’t getting much better so I decided to get the MRI yesterday.”

MORE INJURY NEWS

Left-hander Matt Moore (strained oblique) threw a simulated game on Saturday morning.

Moore threw 20 pitches and said he “felt great.” Manager Phil Nevin said Moore will face hitters again on Tuesday in Arizona.

One of the hitters who stood in the box against Moore on Saturday was shortstop Zach Neto (strained oblique). Neto did not swing the bat against Moore, but he will be ready to swing against live pitching in the coming days. Neto will also be sent to Arizona during the All-Star break.

“He’ll come back on Thursday and we’ll re-evaluate where he’s at,” Nevin said. “If he’s ready, we’ll get him out there.”

Rendon (left shin contusion) remained on the active roster, even though he was too sore to start.

Outfielder Taylor Ward (groin) felt a tweak during Tuesday’s game, but he and the Angels believed he was well enough to play on Friday night. After the game, Nevin decided that Ward needed some more time, so he did not start him on Saturday.

“He said he felt OK but some of the lateral movements were a little off,” Nevin said. “It was worrisome enough for me to say ‘Let’s keep him out today and give him six days off.’”

NOTES

David Fletcher was not in the lineup for the fourth straight game on Saturday, with Andrew Velazquez starting instead. He had started nine of the first 10 games after he was recalled from Triple-A. “I just like the way Squid is playing defense,” Nevin said. “He’s putting the ball in play, doing everything we’re asking as far as bunting. The defense has been the deciding factor.” …

Nevin said Ohtani is scheduled to start the first game after the All-Star break, against the Houston Astros next Friday at Angel Stadium. Reid Detmers and Tyler Anderson will start the following two games of the series. The Angels are then undecided in which order Griffin Canning and Patrick Sandoval will pitch against the New York Yankees, with Jaime Barría working in the series finale.