Suzuki will officially retire following the end of the 2022 season, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.
After putting up a career-worst .562 OPS so far in 2022, the 38-year-old backstop has decided to call it a career after 16 years in the majors once the Angels finish their season. Suzuki wraps things up as a one-time All Star and World Series champion.
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Angels' Kurt Suzuki: Activated by Halos
Rotowire
Suzuki was reinstated from the bereavement list Saturday.
Suzuki spent a week away from the team but will be available for Saturday's matchup against the Astros. He isn't starting Saturday, but he should serve as the Angels' No. 2 catcher after Chad Wallach was sent down.
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Angels' Kurt Suzuki: Placed on bereavement list
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Suzuki was placed on the bereavement list Saturday.
Players are allowed to miss between three and seven games while on the bereavement list, so Suzuki will be unavailable until at least Tuesday. Chad Wallach was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake to provide additional catching depth behind Max Stassi while Suzuki is sidelined.
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Angels' Kurt Suzuki: Homers in win
Rotowire
Suzuki went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Sunday's victory over Toronto.
Suzuki tagged Ross Stripling for a solo home run in the fourth inning to pad the Angels' lead. The veteran has been the No. 2 catcher behind Max Stassi and has not been very effective. Sunday's home run was just his eighth extra-base hit in 48 games this season, and his .179 average would be the worst of his career by over 50 points.
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Angels' Kurt Suzuki: Fills in for resting Stassi
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Suzuki will start at catcher and bat sixth in Wednesday's game against the Mariners, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports.
With Max Stassi getting a breather for the day game after a night game, Suzuki will pick up his fifth start of August. Since the All-Star break, the Angels' No. 2 catcher is hitting .222 with a home run, three RBI and an additional run over 10 contests.
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Angels' Kurt Suzuki: Homers in Saturday's loss
Rotowire
Suzuki went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's 5-3 loss to the Mariners.
Suzuki has seen limited playing time behind primary catcher Max Stassi. In June, Suzuki has gone 6-for-25 (.240) with a homer, a double and five RBI. The 38-year-old backstop is slashing .205/.301/.329 with two homers, nine RBI, seven runs scored and three doubles in 83 plate appearances overall. He's likely to remain in a backup role, which will see him continue to play only a couple of times per week.
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Angels' Kurt Suzuki: Available in bench role
Rotowire
Suzuki (neck) said he'll be available off the bench for Sunday's game against the Blue Jays, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.
Even though he was briefly hospitalized after he was removed prior to the third inning of Saturday's loss to the Blue Jays when he took an errant throw to the neck, Suzuki escaped with little more than a contusion. He may still be nursing some neck soreness and could have to don some extra padding as a result, but he won't be forced to the injured list because of the neck issue. The Angels' decision not to call up another catcher from the minor-league ranks supports the notion that Suzuki has been cleared to fill his normal backup role behind top backstop Max Stassi.
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Angels' Kurt Suzuki: Sustains neck contusion
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Angels manager Joe Maddon said after Saturday's 6-5 loss to the Blue Jays that Suzuki was diagnosed with a neck contusion following his exit from the contest and is doing well since being discharged from the hospital, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports.
Suzuki left the game prior to the third inning, when a warmup pitch from Michael Lorenzen bounced off the ground and hit the catcher in the neck. After getting evaluated on the field by a trainer, Suzuki required assistance to the dugout and was then transferred to the hospital for further evaluation. Fortunately, Suzuki looks to have avoided a significant injury, and Maddon acknowledged that the backstop could be available for backup duties in Sunday's series finale. The Angels could call up a catcher from the minors to offer depth behind No. 1 option Max Stassi in the short term if there's any concern about Suzuki's health.
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Angels' Kurt Suzuki: Exits game early
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Suzuki (head) was forced to leave Saturday's contest versus the Blue Jays early, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.
Suzuki was struck in the head with a warm up pitch, shaking him up and causing him to have to be helped down the dugout steps on his way out. Max Stassi replaced him behind the plate and more information on the 38-year-old will likely be available after the game.
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Angels' Kurt Suzuki: Returns from injured list
Rotowire
Suzuki was activated off the COVID-19 injured list Saturday, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports.
Suzuki missed two weeks while on the injured list, but he's ready to go without making a rehab assignment. He should temporarily serve as the Angels' No. 1 catcher, as Max Stassi (illness) wound up needing a rehab assignment. Stassi should be back early next week, at which point Suzuki will return to the No. 2 role.
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Angels' Kurt Suzuki: Working out Friday
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Suzuki (illness) worked out Friday after rejoining the Angels, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.
Suzuki spent nearly two weeks away from the team while on the COVID-19 injured list, but it was encouraging to see him working out Friday. It's not yet clear whether he'll require a rehab assignment prior to being activated, but he seems to be trending toward a return.
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Angels' Kurt Suzuki: Hits injured list
Rotowire
Suzuki was placed on the injured list for undisclosed reasons Saturday, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports.
The Nationals specified neither the reason for Suzuki's absence nor which injured list he'd landed on, which fits the pattern teams have been using when players land on the COVID-19 injured list. Chad Wallach was called up to take his place on the roster and will back up Max Stassi behind the plate.
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Angels' Kurt Suzuki: Goes deep Friday
Rotowire
Suzuki went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in a 9-6 win over the Rangers on Friday.
The Angels fell behind 6-2 after four frames before Suzuki kicked off a five-run fifth-inning with his solo shot to left field. The long ball was the backstop's first this season and first extra-base hit through 12 at-bats. Suzuki has played in three of Los Angeles' first eight games, with Max Stassi starting behind the plate in the team's other five contests.
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Angels' Kurt Suzuki: Returning to Angels
Rotowire
Suzuki signed a one-year, $1.75 million contract with the Angels on Saturday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
Suzuki spent the 2021 campaign with the Angels and hit .224 with six homers, 17 runs and 16 RBI across 72 appearances while mainly serving as a backup to Max Stassi. He should play a similar role for the Halos to begin the 2022 season.
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Angels' Kurt Suzuki: Launches sixth homer
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Suzuki went 1-for-4 with a solo home run and a strikeout in a 5-1 loss to Seattle on Sunday.
Suzuki took Seattle starter Marco Gonzales deep in the second inning to give Los Angeles an early lead, though that would be the only run the Angels could muster in the game. The reserve backstop has enjoyed a quality September that features a .281/.324/.500 slash line.
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Angels' Kurt Suzuki: Swats homer Friday
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Suzuki went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in a loss to the Athletics on Friday.
Suzuki got the Angels on the board in the second inning with a solo shot to left field. He later singled, giving him his first multi-hit effort since Aug. 20. Suzuki -- who is slashing .221/.285/.337 with five homers on the campaign -- has gained more playing time of late, as he has been alternating starts behind the plate with Max Stassi.
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Angels' Kurt Suzuki: Homers in win
Rotowire
Suzuki went 2-for-5 with a solo home run and a double during Tuesday's win over Detroit.
Suzuki contributed to a ninth-inning rally with his first long ball in nearly a month. The veteran backup catcher hasn't put up significant numbers this year, batting just .219/.283/.325 with four homers across 55 games.
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Angels' Kurt Suzuki: Clubs two-run homer
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Suzuki went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run and a hit-by-pitch in Friday's 5-4 loss to Minnesota.
The catcher's first-inning blast off Minnesota starter J.A. Happ stretched the Angels' lead to 3-0. Suzuki is now 6-for-23 across his last six games, dating back to July 4. The 37-year-old is clearly in a backup role behind Max Stassi, but Suzuki has a modest .223/.301/.317 slash line with three homers, nine RBI and 11 runs scored across 158 plate appearances this year.
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Angels' Kurt Suzuki: Builds modest hit streak
Rotowire
Suzuki went 1-for-4 with a base hit Monday in the Angels' 4-1 loss to the Athletics.
The veteran backstop has been remarkably consistent through each of his five starts in July, recording exactly one base hit in all of those games. He'll be back on the bench Tuesday, and Suzuki can't be counted to pick up more than two or three starts per week while No. 1 catcher Max Stassi is healthy.
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Angels' Kurt Suzuki: In lineup Sunday
Rotowire
Suzuki (undisclosed) is back in the starting lineup Sunday against the Rays, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.
Suzuki exited Wednesday's game against the Giants with an undisclosed issue and hadn't played since. He appears to be okay as he'll bat eighth and catch Sunday.
