Angels' Roansy Contreras: Blows save, takes loss Friday
Rotowire
Contreras (2-3) took the loss and blew a save against the Blue Jays on Friday, allowing two runs on two hits without retiring a batter.
With the Angels up by a run in the eighth inning, manager Ron Washington turned to Ben Joyce -- who has been closing of late -- to face the heart of Toronto's order. Joyce got the job done, leaving Contreras to try to follow suit in the ninth. The latter couldn't close things out, however, as he gave up back-to-back solo homers to Joey Loperfido and Addison Barger to take the defeat. Contreras had been pitching well coming into Friday, allowing just one earned run and posting a 16:4 K:BB over his prior 14 frames.
Contreras struck out two in a perfect inning to earn the save in Sunday's 3-2 win over the Mets.
Contreras has allowed just two runs over 10.1 innings while posting a 13:2 K:BB since moving back to the bullpen July 14. He hasn't been a candidate for much high-leverage work, but he got the save chance Sunday as the only Angels reliever to pitch less than twice over the previous five days. Through 48 innings between the Angels and the Pirates this year, Contreras has a 4.13 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 46:21 K:BB, though it appears his performance has turned a corner after a poor stint in the Angels' rotation. Still, Ben Joyce and Hunter Strickland figure to be the favorites for the few save chances the Angels will generate the rest of the way.
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Angels' Roansy Contreras: Picks up save Sunday
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Contreras notched his second career save in Sunday's 3-2 win over the Mariners, striking out one batter in a perfect ninth inning.
Contreras had started in each of his last three appearances, but he never got fully stretched out for a rotation spot, as he covered between two and three innings in those outings while delivering an 8.22 ERA and 2.35 WHIP. The Angels ended up turning to Carson Fulmer to replace Contreras in the rotation Sunday, but the latter still ended up being part of the team's pitching plan for the day. With all of Carlos Estevez, Luis Garcia and Ben Joyce having pitched both Friday and Saturday, the Angels turned to the well-rested Contreras to close out the game. Contreras got the job done without much drama, but he'll likely serve in more of a middle or long-relief role for the Halos once the team returns from the All-Star break.
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Angels' Roansy Contreras: Likely to work behind Fulmer
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Contreras is expected to be the Angels' primary pitcher out of the bullpen behind starter Carson Fulmer in Sunday's game against the Mariners, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.
The Angels are planning to treat their final game before the All-Star break as a bullpen day, with Fulmer and Contreras likely on track to cover the bulk of the innings. Fulmer tossed three innings in relief in his last outing Monday and has covered as many as four innings in an appearance this season, so he should be able to give the Angels a decent amount of length as an opener before Contreras is likely summoned from the bullpen. Contreras had started in each of his last three appearances, tossing between two and three innings on each occasion while turning in an 8.22 ERA and 2.35 WHIP.
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Angels' Roansy Contreras: Another short start
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Contreras allowed four runs on five hits and a walk while striking out one over two innings in a no-decision versus the Rangers on Tuesday.
Contreras continues to function more as an opener than a true starter -- he threw just 37 pitches (26 strikes) in this short outing. He's given up six runs (five earned) over 7.2 innings across his last three appearances. For the season, he has a 4.78 ERA, 1.54 WHIP and 33:19 K:BB over 37.2 innings between the Angels and the Pirates. If he stays on turn, he would likely pitch versus the Mariners this weekend, though at this point, he should not be expected to exceed three innings against any opponent.
Angels' Roansy Contreras: Struggles versus Athletics
Rotowire
Contreras (1-1) allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits and three walks while striking out one across 2.2 innings to take the loss versus the Athletics on Thursday.
Contreras lasted three frames in his previous start, also against Oakland, but he ran into trouble in the third frame Thursday. The right-hander has pitched to a 3.72 ERA and 1.29 WHIP over 19.1 innings across 11 appearances with the Angels, though none of those outings have been longer than three innings. He's started his last two games since the Angels lack few in-house options for their rotation. Overall, he's at a 4.04 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 32:18 K:BB through 35.2 innings between the Angels and the Pirates this year. If he receives another start, it's projected to be at home versus the Rangers early next week.
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Angels' Roansy Contreras: Drawing another start
Rotowire
Contreras will start Thursday's game against the Athletics in Oakland, Doug Padilla of The Orange County Register reports.
The Angels will get Jose Soriano (abdomen) back from the injured list Tuesday, but with Patrick Sandoval (elbow) getting ruled out for the season last week and with Zach Plesac getting sent down to Triple-A Salt Lake on Saturday, Contreras and Davis Daniel will both get at least one more turn through the rotation. Since he had been working exclusively out of the bullpen this season before being called upon to start last Wednesday in Anaheim versus the Athletics, Contreras was capped at three innings and 61 pitches in the outing. Though he likely won't be stretched out quite enough to handle a typical starter's workload, Contreras should at least be able to give the Angels five innings if he's more efficient with his pitch count in the rematch with Oakland.
