Albert Pujols is out of the Angels’ lineup today after taking a pitch off his elbow last night, but the good news is that X-rays came back negative.
Pujols is officially listed as day-to-day, although with the Angels having tomorrow off they may want to avoid using him as a pinch-hitter to maximize his rest.
Pujols had a .197 batting average on May 14, but has hit .326 with 17 homers, 17 doubles, and a 1.022 OPS in 62 games since then.
Kyle Seager had the worst year of his big league career in 2018. He hit .221/.273/.400 (86 OPS+) and saw his home run total decline for the second straight year. In response, Seager has reported back to camp in Peoria . . . in the best shape of his life.
This story about it in the Seattle Times has it all: the poor production and nagging injuries that led to a change of habits in the offseason. A new diet, new exercise routines, a focus on flexibility, the epiphany that an injury was the result of conditioning and, as the payoff, the scene on the first day of workouts when his uniform was too baggy and he had to get a new one.
The proof, of course, will not come from the eating, but in the production.
