TEMPE, Ariz. — The Angels have another infielder looking for a comeback season.
Like third baseman Anthony Rendon and first baseman Jared Walsh, David Fletcher also endured a season lost to injury in 2022. While Fletcher doesn’t have the huge contract that Rendon does, he nonetheless would like to again be the player he was a couple years ago.
“That’s my expectation,” said Fletcher, who is in the mix for everyday playing time at shortstop in 2022. “My expectation of myself is to hit around .300 and play good defense.”
Fletcher hit .319 in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, his third consecutive season of improved offensive numbers, earning a five-year, $26-million deal heading into 2021.
And 2021 started off well, including a 26-game hitting streak and a .315 average in late July. But Fletcher finished 2021 with a six-week stretch hitting .150 and then saw his 2022 season ruined by injuries.
He felt a core muscle tear in spring training and played through it for more than a month before succumbing to surgery, which cost him nearly three months. In September, he was hit on the hand by a pitch and tried to play through that even though he clearly couldn’t swing at all.
“It was the first year I was really hurt a lot, had a major injury,” Fletcher said. “It sucked not being able to play, but it’s nice to come in this year healthy. Hopefully that’s the only year that I’m injured.”
Manager Phil Nevin said that he’s noticed Fletcher, 28, looking a little stronger this year, the result of extra time in the gym. Fletcher joked that it’s “just a tight shirt.” He said he’s not trying to change anything.
There is a part of his game that has clearly changed over the past two years.
From 2018-20, when Fletcher produced a .292 average and .732 OPS, he swung at 37.4% of the pitches he saw, including 26.4% of pitches that were out of the strike zone.
In 2021-22, he swung at 46.8% of pitches, including 33.4% of pitches out of the zone. He has hit .260 with a .622 OPS in those two seasons.
“I think swinging at good pitches is obviously everyone’s goal,” Fletcher said. “I feel like if it’s a pitch in the zone, I can hit it. I want to hit it. Obviously if it’s out of the zone, I’d rather take it, but some of those I can hit too.”
Fletcher’s blessing and curse is exceptional bat-to-ball skills that allow him to get to pitches that many other hitters miss. The problem comes when he puts some of those pitches into play for weak outs, especially before there are two strikes.
Nevin shrugged at the notion of trying to change too much about Fletcher’s approach at the plate.
“I don’t want him to change,” Nevin said. “He goes up there and hacks and wails. He’s not going to walk a lot, but if he’s getting hits, it’s the same thing.”
Nevin pointed out that Fletcher could boost his batting average by bunting more. In September, when Fletcher played with a sore hand, he couldn’t swing at all and he dropped down two bunt hits.
“He got two bunt hits when everyone in the ballpark knew he was going to bunt,” Nevin said. “Think about that when he’s healthy. That can move guys around the infield and create more holes and create more spots for hits when he’s swinging away too. That’s another thing we’ve talked about with him too.”
Mostly though, Nevin said his hope for Fletcher being more productive is health and strength. The stronger he is, the more likely he is to be able to punch balls through the infield or into the gaps.
“I think with health, he’s going to be a lot better,” Nevin said. “I think he’s back to where he was before. He’s stronger. There’s no doubt about that. He spent a lot of time this winter working on his body which, quite frankly, he may not have done as much so in the past and he hasn’t had to, but you get to certain points in your career where you got to make some changes in the offseason. I think he recognized that.”
If Fletcher can produce like he did from 2018-20, he would be a boost for an Angels lineup that is otherwise without an established everyday shortstop. As of now, the Angels have Fletcher and Luis Rengifo looking to get most of the time at shortstop, with either player also able to play second base. The Angels also have Gio Urshela, who will get some time at shortstop.
NOTES
Right-hander Griffin Canning threw his first live batting practice session of the spring. Canning, who missed all of last season with a back injury, is in the running for the Angels’ sixth starter spot. “I’m feeling great,” Canning said. “That’s probably the best I’ve felt in a while. I’m pretty excited. That was my first live BP in a long time.” …
The Angels moved some of their workouts into Tempe Diablo Stadium, instead of their minor-league complex, in preparation for the start of exhibition games this weekend. …
For the Angels’ spring training opener Saturday, they will start Urshela at third, Fletcher at shortstop, Rengifo at second and Kevin Padlo at first. Jo Adell, Brett Phillips and Mickey Moniak will be in the outfield. Matt Thaiss will be the catcher. Left-hander Tucker Davidson will pitch. Other regulars like Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani are expected to play their first game when the Angels are at home Sunday. …
Japanese right-hander Shintaro Fujinami will start for the Oakland A’s on Tuesday against the Angels. Ohtani will be starting that day for the Angels, the only game he will pitch for the Angels before leaving for the World Baseball Classic.
