Pacers spoil Russell Westbrook’s return as Clippers’ home struggles continue
- March 26, 2024
LOS ANGELES — There has been a lot of talk lately about the Clippers’ identity. Are they winners, the team that reeled off a 26-5 run earlier this season and briefly sat atop the Western Conference standings?
Or are they no better than a .500 team, having gone 7-7 during the month of March?
Coach Tyronn Lue had a harsher description of what his team has become – soft.
“That could be our identity, if you want to call it that,” Lue said after watching the Clippers put up a fight in the first three quarters then succumb to the Indiana Pacers, 133-116, on Monday night, their fifth consecutive loss on their home court.
“We have to be tougher mentally and physically,” Lue continued. “We did have an identity when we were 26-5. We had a great identity, but you can’t pick and choose when you want to lead, you can’t pick and choose when you want to have an identity. You have to do things the right way.”
The Clippers – who got 26 points each from All-Stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in the loss – don’t seem to know what they want to be. They were close to securing home-court advantage during the playoffs, but now at 44-27, they have slipped to fifth behind the New Orleans Pelicans, who own the head-to-head tiebreaker.
“I think we’re all trying to figure out what the (heck) is going on,” point guard James Harden said.
Like Lue, Harden was at a loss to explain why the Clippers seem so lost this late in the season after a celebrated run through December and January that featured winning streaks of nine and five games.
“If we could pinpoint it, put our finger on it, we would go out and do it,” Harden said. “It’s a combination of things.”
Harden said regaining their identity as a team that can grind out victories and pile up wins is important, especially heading into the postseason.
“When you have an identity as a team, you have something to rely on, something to fall back on,” he said.
The Clippers showed a defensive effort against the Pacers that had been missing in recent weeks. But not even the return of Russell Westbrook could produce a victory once Indiana got rolling.
The Pacers topped their season average of 12.31 points behind the scoring of Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner and Tyrese Haliburton as they shot 58.1% from the field and 60.7% from 3-point range. Siakam led Indiana with 31 points and four rebounds, while Turner added 24 points and seven rebounds and Haliburton had 21 points and nine assists.
Lue had hoped Westbrook’s return would provide a needed spark for his team, which has won once in its past 10 games against teams with winning records.
Westbrook checked into his first game in more than three weeks at the 5:24 mark of the first quarter, giving the Clippers the energy off the bench they had missed in his absence. He had six points in the first half.
Westbrook had been sidelined since he broke his left hand on March 1 and had surgery three days later. He had been averaging 11.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 58 games.
He finished with 14 points and seven assists in 18 minutes against the Pacers.
“I think having that pace and having that energy on the floor is definitely infectious and we need that pop,” Lue said. “… having that pop, we could definitely use that.”
The Westbrook effect only went so far. The Pacers, behind Haliburton’s long-range shooting, quickly quieted the Clippers in the first half, erasing a one-time eight-point lead to hold a 65-62 advantage at halftime.
George got the Clippers moving early, leading them to a brief lead in the first quarter. He had 13 points in the opening half.
The Pacers stretched their lead to 10 points, 78-68, in the third quarter on a 3-pointer by Jarace Walker at the 8:24 mark and it looked as though the Pacers were poised to break open the game, but the Clippers hung in and pulled to within 86-83 with 2:58 left.
After a tight third quarter, the Pacers slowly pushed their lead to 16 before settling for a 17-point victory, avenging a 151-127 Clippers victory in December on the strength of Harden’s 35 points, 27 of them coming off nine 3-pointers. This time, Harden was a non-factor, finishing with 11 points and seven assists.
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Clippers guard Norman Powell had 22 points off the bench. Center Ivica Zubac pulled down 11 rebounds to go along with nine points.
The Pacers – playing on the second night of a back-to-back set – shot 8 for 15 from 3-point range in the second half, while holding the Clippers to 1 for 9 from behind the arc in the final two quarters.
“I think collectively we just got to come together during tough times,” Westbrook said. “Adversity, to me, is a real measure of who you are as a man and to who you are as a team. And I think now is a perfect time for us to be able to pull together, use what we know how to win games and use ourselves to help each other out to close games and win games.”
Lue pointed to consistent effort as a solution.
“The only way we’re gonna get out of it is playing hard for 48 minutes, doing things right every single night, every single possession,” Lue said. “Not two out of five, not two out of six. Every time, just do the right thing, and you’ll be able to get out of this rut.”
Orange County Register
Read MoreAnze Kopitar leads Kings past Canucks for 4th straight win
- March 26, 2024
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The Kings have found some late-season momentum.
Anze Kopitar had a goal and an assist to help the Kings beat the Vancouver Canucks, 3-2, on Monday night for their fourth straight win.
Blake Lizotte and Kevin Fiala also scored for the Kings, and Cam Talbot finished with 21 saves.
“It got a little hairy there at the end, there’s no question,” Kings interim coach Jim Hiller said. “A couple of saves by (Talbot) and guys blocked some shots, got it done. It’s a good team. We’re proud to beat them.”
Brock Boeser and Sam Lafferty had goals for Vancouver, which had its three-game win streak snapped. Casey DeSmith had 16 saves.
“They’re a great team. We know what to expect and pretty much every game from here on out is going to be like that,” Lafferty said. “So I think we’re gearing up, we’re trending in the right direction. It just wasn’t our night.”
The Canucks had a chance to become the first team to clinch a playoff berth. However, they remained one point ahead of Colorado and Dallas for the top spot in the Western Conference standings.
Trailing 3-1, the Canucks pulled DeSmith in favor of an extra skater with just over 4½ minutes remaining. The move paid off when Boeser’s shot from the top of the right faceoff circle hit Kopitar’s skate and deflected in past Talbot, pulling Vancouver within one with 2:54 left.
Boeser leads Vancouver with 37 goals on the season.
Canucks coach Rick Tocchet called a 30-second timeout with less than a minute to go. With DeSmith once again out of the net, Vancouver pressed for the tying goal. The Canucks got a prime opportunity when Kings defenseman Drew Doughty was sent to the box for tripping with 21 seconds to go, but they couldn’t bury a final shot during the stretch of 6-on-4 play.
“There’s going to be a lot of hard games here coming down and I think this is good prep for us,” Canucks forward J.T. Miller said. “And we’ve got to find a way to win games like that, not give up the late one in the second or whatever happened. I mean, they’re all tight against L.A. That’s just going to be how it is this time of year.”
The Kings took a 3-1 advantage late in the second, scoring twice in less than two minutes.
Lizotte put the Kings ahead 2-1 with 3:31 to go on a delayed penalty after Vancouver’s Carson Soucy was clocked for tripping. With six skaters on the ice, Lizotte fired a one timer that hit Canucks defenseman Ian Cole at the side of the net before pinging off Soucy’s skates on the way in past DeSmith.
Kopitar got his 40th assist of the season on the play and has multiple points in four straight games, with four goals and five assists across the stretch.
Kopitar scored his 24th of the season with 1:40 to go in the period as DeSmith got a piece of the veteran forward’s long blast but couldn’t hang on to the puck, which fell to the crease. Kopitar came around the back of the net and tapped it in to give the Kings a two-goal cushion.
The Kings went 0 for 2 on the power play while the Canucks were 0 for 1.
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A bad Canucks line change created an odd-man advantage for the Kings midway through the opening period. With the home side down a player, Pierre-Luc Dubois sent a pass in the slot to Fiala, who fired a shot in past a diving DeSmith to give the Kings a 1-0 lead 7:01 into the game. It was Fiala’s 24th goal of the season.
Vancouver’s third line ground out a tying goal with 7:10 left in the first. Lafferty fought off Alex Laferriere along the boards, then muscled his way to the front of the net and popped a silky wrist shot in to tie it.
Canucks center Elias Lindholm sat out with an undisclosed injury. Tocchet said the Swedish forward is “day to day.” Defenseman Ian Cole returned to Vancouver’s lineup after missing two games for what Tocchet previously called “maintenance.”
UP NEXT
The Kings play at Edmonton on Thursday at 6 p.m. PT in the second stop of a four-game trip.
Orange County Register
Read MoreOrange Coast College women’s basketball leans on ‘unmatched’ chemistry to defend state title
- March 26, 2024
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Orange County crowned four CIF-SS champions in basketball in the winter but the success on the court didn’t stop there.
Orange Coast College’s women’s team captured its second consecutive state title earlier this month to join the list of champions.
With contributions from several county products, the Pirates defeated Glendale 71-60 at Mt. SAC on March 17 to finish the season 30-3.
“It’s pretty unbelievable,” said Orange Coast College coach Sammy Doucette, who played at Woodbridge and Vanguard. “(Winning a second title) was the goal the second we won the first one. I’m very proud of (our team) for making it happen.”
Guard Ashari Cassell (Orange Lutheran), a Cal State LA commit, scored a team-high 19 points and guard Bridgette McIntyre (Huntington Beach/St. Anthony) added 18 to lead Pirates.
McIntyre sank five of the Orange Coast’s 10 3-pointers en route to being selected tournament MVP.
Orange Coast College featured starting forward Myia Collins (Cypress) and reserve guard Emmeline Law (Irvine). Collins had 20 points and eight rebounds in an 88-66 win against Mt. SAC in the SoCal regional finals.
The Pirates also started Alyssa Dreessen (ML King) and Jordan Arreola (ML King) in the state final, and received key play off the bench from Sabrina Lopez (Etiwanda).
“Our culture is unmatched,” Doucette said, “and culture doesn’t graduate.”
Orange County’s CIF-SS champions were JSerra and Canyon in girls, and Marina and La Habra in boys.
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Orange County Register
Read MoreBaltimore bridge collapses after ship strikes it, sending vehicles into water
- March 26, 2024
A major bridge in Baltimore snapped and collapsed after a container ship rammed into it early Tuesday, and several vehicles fell into the river below. Rescuers were searching for at least seven people in the water.
The vessel appears to have hit one of the supports of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing the roadway to break apart in several places and plunge into the water, according to a video posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. The ship caught fire and appeared to sink.
The bridge, which opened in 1977, spans the Patapsco River, a vital artery that along with the Port of Baltimore is a hub for shipping on the East Coast. It is named for the writer of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
“This is a dire emergency,” Kevin Cartwright, director of communications for the Baltimore Fire Department, told The Associated Press. “Our focus right now is trying to rescue and recover these people.”
He added that some cargo appeared to be dangling from the bridge.
Emergency responders were searching for at least seven people believed to be in the water, Cartwright said, though he said it’s too early to know how many people were affected. He called the collapse a “developing mass casualty event.”
He said agencies received 911 calls around 1:30 a.m. reporting that a ship leaving Baltimore had struck a column on the bridge. Several vehicles were on the bridge at the time, including one the size of a tractor-trailer truck.
Mayor Brandon M. Scott and Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. posted that emergency personnel were responding and rescue efforts were underway.
“All lanes closed both directions for incident on I-695 Key Bridge. Traffic is being detoured,” the Maryland Transportation Authority posted on X.
Orange County Register
Read MoreOrange County girls athlete of the week: Taylor Shumaker, Esperanza
- March 26, 2024
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The Orange County girls athlete of the week:
Name: Taylor Shumaker
School: Esperanza
Sport: Softball
Year: Senior
Noteworthy: The Florida-bound center fielder hit a home run in a 1-0 win against Canyon and two home runs in a 5-2 loss against El Modena to continue her stellar play in the Crestview League. Shumaker is hitting .667 with an Orange County-leading 13 home runs and has made multiple outstanding catches in the field.
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Orange County Register
Read MoreOrange County softball offering plenty of storylines for Michelle Carew Classic this week
- March 26, 2024
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The No. 1-ranked softball team in the nation. A pitcher with a perfect game and no-hitter the last two weeks. A defending champion riding an eight-game winning streak into the week.
Those are just a few of the Orange County storylines for the Michelle Carew Classic, the Canyon-hosted tournament that runs Wednesday through Saturday.
There are a plethora of other intriguing plots but county observers could be glued to Pacifica, Orange Lutheran pitcher Brianne Weiss and Los Alamitos.
Pacifica (13-0) enters the week ranked No. 1 in Orange County by The Register, and No. 1 in the nation by MaxPreps.
In early March, the Mariners captured the prestigious Dave Kops Tournament of Champions in Bullhead City, Ariz. for the first time since 2003.
Pacifica last won the Carew Classic in 2013.
Weiss, a Notre Dame signee, pitched a no-hitter with 14 strikeouts in a 7-0 victory against Rosary last week. The week before, she pitched a perfect game with 16 strikeouts in an 8-0 win against Cajon.
On the season, the left-hander carries an 8-1 record with a 0.60 ERA for the No. 2-ranked Lancers (10-2). Weiss has struck out 106 batters in 58 innings.
Los Alamitos (13-3), the defending champion of Carew Classic, takes an eight-game winning streak into the week. The Griffins are ranked third in the county.
“I’m really excited for it,” Los Alamitos third baseman Gabby Terrones said of the tournament. “Last year, we had a good run so we’re just going to keep it going.”
Most the games will be played at Peralta Canyon Park in Anaheim.
Ten of the top-11 ranked schools in the county are part of the 29-team tournament.
One of the best openers Wednesday pits Esperanza, ranked No. 9 in the county, against No. 10 Mission Viejo. The Aztecs defeated the Diablos 7-3 last month.
The event also features Norco, the top-ranked team in the Inland Empire. The Cougars could have Orange Lutheran transfer pitcher Peyton May, who observed the sitout period.
St. Francis of Mountain View (7-0), the runner-up last year to Los Alamitos, is the top team from Northern California.
The quarterfinals start Friday at 3 p.m. with the semifinals to follow Saturday at 1:15 p.m. The championship is scheduled for Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Rain is forecasted for Saturday.
The tournament is named after former Canyon softball player Michelle Carew, daughter of Hall of Fame baseball player Rod Carew. In April of 1996, she died at age 18 of acute non-lymphocytic leukemia after a seven-month fight.
WOODBRIDGE TOURNAMENT UPDATE
The Gold Division championship of the Woodbridge-hosted Dugard Classic is Saturday at 7:15 p.m. at Deanna Manning Stadium in Irvine.
On Monday, Aliso Niguel junior Olivia Kuhnel pitched a three-hitter in 3-0 win against Rosary to help the Wolverines reach the semifinals.
HUNTINGTON BEACH FINDS YOUNG CATCHER
Huntington Beach coach Jeff Forsberg believes he has found an intriguing catching prospect in freshman Emma Johnson.
She was slated to play on the junior varsity but has progressed quickly in filling a sudden need on varsity.
Not only is Johnson catching hard-throwing Zoe Prystajko, she is throwing out several base runners.
Last week against Los Alamitos, she threw out a runner at second, almost got another at third and made a diving tag at home plate.
“That kid has dominated behind the plate for us,” Forsberg said. “She throws kids out. … She hits really well, and she’s getting better.”
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Orange County Register
Read MoreAll-CIF Southern Section boys basketball honors for 2023-24 season
- March 26, 2024
The All-CIF Southern Section boys basketball teams and the top individual award winners for 2023-24, selected by the Southern California Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Association (SCIBCA), were announced Monday.
ALL-CIF BOYS BASKETBALL
OPEN DIVISION
Player of the Year – Trent Perry, Harvard-Westlake (12)
Coach of the Year – David Rebibo, Harvard-Westlake
PLAYER, SCHOOL, YEAR
Brayden Burries Roosevelt 11
Tyrone Riley IV St. Pius X-St. Matthias 12
Darnez Slater Roosevelt 12
Eric Freeny Corona Centennial 12
Brandon McCoy St. John Bosco 10
Elzie Harrington St. John Bosco 11
Aidan Fowler JSerra 12
Nikolas Khamenia Harvard-Westlake 11
Brannon Martinsen Mater Dei 10
Justin Pippen Sierra Canyon 12
Robert Hinton Harvard-Westlake 12
DIVISION 1
Player of the Year – Mercy Miller, Notre Dame/Sherman Oaks (12)
Coach of the Year – Matt Sargeant, Notre Dame/SO
PLAYER, SCHOOL, YEAR
James Evans West Ranch 12
Nate Garcia Damien 11
Aaron Glass Rancho Cucamonga 11
Gavin Hightower Windward 11
Lino Mark Notre Dame/SO 11
Hudson Mayes Redondo 11
Trent Minter Los Alamitos 11
Mazi Mosley St. Francis 11
Gene Roebuck La Mirada 9
DIVISION 2AA
Player of the Year – Quincy Phillips, St. Anthony (12)
Coach of the Year – Alan Mitchell, St. Anthony
PLAYER, SCHOOL, YEAR
JoJo Wicker St. Anthony 10
Dillan Shaw Heritage Christian 11
Tae Simmons Heritage Christian 11
Joe Sterling Crespi 10
Aaron Powell Campbell Hall 12
Mateo Trujillo Rolling Hills Prep 11
Aaron Desantiago Fountain Valley 11
Elias Chin Thousand Oaks 12
Collin Haugh Dana Hills 12
DIVISION 2A
Player of the Year – Barak Simon, Marina (11)
Coach of the Year – Nick Racklin, Marina
PLAYER, SCHOOL, YEAR
Mister Burnside Paraclete 12
Avant Glimore Temescal Canyon 12
Bryce Goldman Chaminade 12
Dylan Gomez Marina 11
Austin Maziasz Westlake 11
Matthew Rodriguez Bishop Amat 12
Jovani Ruff Poly, Long Beach 11
Maxwell Scott Corona del Mar 9
Michael Wright Cypress 12
DIVISION 3AA
Player of the Year – Grayson Sinek, La Habra (11)
Coach of the Year – Aaron Riekenberg , La Habra
PLAYER, SCHOOL, YEAR
Dylan Benner St. Bonaventure 12
Antony Newman Gomez Hesperia 12
Maximo Adams Serra 10
Antranik Balian Pilibos 11
Sergio Maggette Sage Hill 12
Acen Jimenez La Habra 10
Charles Knight Valley View 10
Russell Williams South Pasadena 12
Jasiah Williams Hesperia 9
DIVISION 3A
Players of the Year – Jared Mims, Alemany (12)
Coach of the Year – Michael Romo, Bosco Tech
PLAYER, SCHOOL, YEAR
Jason Crowe Jr. Lynwood 10
Ryan Osborne Bosco Tech 12
Jaden Erami Bosco Tech 11
Luke Zuffelato Santa Barbara 11
Chace Holly Lynwood 10
Porter Hansen San Clemente 11
Timmy Anderson Blair 10
Zaid Yunis Northwood 12
JC Schindler Woodbridge 12
DIVISION 4AA
Player of the Year – Shay Pema, Cerritos (12)
Coach of the Year – Jonathan Watanabe, Cerritos
PLAYER, SCHOOL, YEAR
Ace Arnold Royal 11
Bryan Cabrera Jurupa Hills 12
Alex Gabbay YULA 11
Aron Hernandez Workman 11
Ethan List Valley Torah 12
Tobenna Ozoagu Cerritos 12
Gabriel R’bibo Valley Torah 12
Jeremiah Wiley Elsinore 12
William Young Jr Littlerock 12
DIVISION 4A
Players of the Year – Jeremiah Profit, Temecula Valley (9)
Coaches of the Year – James Profit, Temecula Valley
PLAYER, SCHOOL, YEAR
Adrian Almaraz Northview 12
Jaedon Hose-Shea Estancia 12
Mason Stueber Hillcrest Christian 12
Cooper Stearns Irvine 11
Jose Valdovinos Santa Paula 11
Marcus Gragg-Buchanan Rancho Mirage 9
Lincoln Dean Cabrillo/LB 11
Kyrell Foster Carter 12
Ryan Hajjar La Salle 12
DIVISION 5AA
Player of the Year – Shane Biscaya, El Segundo (12)
Coach of the Year – Scott Martin, El Segundo
PLAYER, SCHOOL, YEAR
Elijah Coles El Segundo 12
Christian Clark Castaic 12
Finn White Buckley 12
Tashaun Barron Castaic 12
Latif Diouf Dunn 12
Zach Van Patten Hoover 12
Giovani Valentin Castaic 12
Lucas Andaluz Godinez 12
Lucas Spring Trinity Classical 12
DIVISION 5A
Player of the Year – Aaron Banks, Firebaugh (12)
Coach of the Year – Stephon Price, Firebaugh
PLAYER, SCHOOL, YEAR
Philip Steinart Los Amigos 10
Caiden Broughton Notre Dame/Riverside 11
Ashton Brown Foothill Tech 10
Aidan Brewer Big Bear 11
Henry Phan Rancho Alamitos 12
Tristan Green Bellflower 12
Kentrayl Roberson Firebaugh 9
Isaac Garcia Nogales 12
Ryder Dolan Big Bear 11
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Orange County Register
Read MoreLogan O’Hoppe’s homer sparks Angels to exhibition rout of Dodgers
- March 26, 2024
LOS ANGELES — As if the stats did not tell the story of how much Logan O’Hoppe needed his mammoth blast in the second inning Monday, his fist pump while leaving the batter’s box most certainly did.
O’Hoppe’s three-run home run started the Angels toward a 6-0 victory over the host Dodgers in the middle game of the Freeway Series. The Dodgers won the opener, 5-3, on Sunday with the finale of the exhibition set for Tuesday night at Angel Stadium.
Angels left-hander Reid Detmers finished off a solid spring with five scoreless innings, giving up three hits with three walks and four strikeouts. Detmers had a 2.45 ERA in five spring outings and appears to be headed toward the No. 3 spot in the rotation and a potential outing Sunday on the road against the Baltimore Orioles.
“Can’t say I felt the best but the result is what I wanted and I got to do it here at Dodger Stadium against the Dodgers and it’s a pretty good feeling,” Detmers said. “Just fastball command was off. The last couple of weeks fastball command hasn’t been the greatest. I’m trying to figure out some stuff with that but everything else was really good.”
For all of his success throughout the outing, the pitch that seemed to resonate the most was a fastball up and in to walk former teammate Shohei Ohtani in the fifth inning. Ohtani let out a sigh of relief as he staggered out of the batter’s box.
“We got a little laugh about it, Shohei was laughing,” Detmers said. “I said ‘I’m sorry.’”
O’Hoppe’s second homer of the spring came off Dodgers right-hander Gavin Stone, who gave up four runs on four hits and a walk in 4⅓ innings with four strikeouts. Stone is projected to make his first start of the season Sunday against the St. Louis Cardinals.
“I thought Gavin was fine, just made a couple mistakes,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “But there’s not as much scouting in these exhibition games as there will be going forward.”
Dodgers right-hander Daniel Hudson, who had just three appearances last season, gave up two runs while recording both of his outs by strikeout. Hudson made a scoreless appearance in the regular-season opener at South Korea last week against the San Diego Padres and picked up the win.
In addition to his walk, Ohtani grounded out twice against Detmers as he played shortly after addressing the controversy around former interpreter Ippei Mitzuhara, who is accused of draining as much as $4.5 million from Ohtani’s personal account for alleged sports wagering.
The Dodgers’ top three in the order of Mookie Betts, Ohtani and Freddie Freeman combined to go 1 for 8 with a walk. Freeman had the lone hit of the bunch, while Max Muncy had a pair of hits.
ARM WORK
On a busy day, Ohtani also did some light throwing in the outfield before the game, which is believed to be the first time he has town a ball since his elbow surgery in September.
While Ohtani will not pitch for the Dodgers this season following his UCL repair, he did take another step in his rehab by making easy tosses from about 50 feet during a game of catch.
The Dodgers have not ruled out Ohtani playing in the field later this season with Manager Dave Roberts saying he is willing to “have that conversation,” if Ohtani’s rehab is progressing well. The right-hander’s recovery timeline does have him potentially facing hitters in a closed setting by late September of this year.
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GETTING CLOSER
Angels right-hander Robert Stephenson is progressing well from right shoulder inflammation and threw from 120 feet. After signing a three-year, $33 million contract in the offseason, Stephenson did not pitch in a Cactus League game.
The 31-year-old delivered a 3.10 ERA in 60 relief outings last season for the Cincinnati Reds and Tampa Bay Rays and is projected to pitch in the late innings in front of closer Carlos Estevez.
In other Angels injury news, right-hander Sam Bachman (shoulder surgery) and left-hander Jose Quijada (elbow surgery) are continuing with their throwing progressions, while infielder Michael Stefanic (quadriceps strain) has resumed light baseball activity. All three remain in Arizona.
Orange County Register
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