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| Walden and Downs should provide the Angels with some much-needed relief. (Getty Images) |
By the end of the weekend, the Los Angeles Angels may have injured relievers Scott Downs and Jordan Walden back in the bullpen. Downs is expected to be activated Saturday and Walden "could" be activated this weekend after a Triple-A rehab appearance went well Thursday, reports the Los Angeles Times.
The Angels are 5-10 in August, and it's not too difficult to figure out why. They've already allowed 101 runs in the month. They allowed less than 100 runs in each April and May for the entire respective month. It's only August 17, so the runs allowed are a major issue.
The starting rotation -- other than Jered Weaver -- does have to shoulder some of the blame, but the bullpen has been awful. In the 15 August games, the Angels' bullpen has five losses, five blown saves, an 8.02 ERA and 1.55 WHIP. Basically, if Mike Scioscia can't turn to Ernesto Frieri or Kevin Jepsen, he's screwed. Until now, the Angels hope.
Downs, 36, has a 2.57 ERA and 1.23 WHIP with nine saves in 12 chances.
Walden, 24, has a 3.86 ERA and 1.57 WHIP with 35 strikeouts in 28 innings pitched this season.
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