ATLANTA — Now that Jorge Soler is back in the Angels’ lineup, they are hoping they got the version of Soler they have expected all along.
Soler was activated from the injured list on Tuesday, after spending two weeks out because of back stiffness.
Prior to that, Soler had hit .109 with no home runs and a .289 OPS in his previous 15 games. He’s also been stuck on 199 homers during the slump.
That stretch coincided with Mike Trout’s return to the DH spot, which forced Soler to get almost all of his playing time in right field.
Soler acknowledged on Tuesday that his back was bothering him for some portion of that slump.
“I thought it was going to be OK, but it got worse,” he said through an interpreter.
Interim manager Ray Montgomery said in retrospect, he would not be surprised to learn that Soler was fighting through discomfort when he was hitting. Soler also had a groin issue off and on in the time leading up to the back injury.
“Hindsight being 20/20, I would certainly say that (the injury) probably had more influence on it than maybe he let on,” Montgomery said. “You can certainly look back and say if he had that kind of injury, it’s going to affect you. He’s in good spirits. He’s gotten a lot of work leading up to this. Obviously the weather helps. It’s nice and warm. We need him. And he knows that. The guys know it. I’m just happy he’s back.”
Soler, 33, has a track record that indicates he should be more productive than he’s been.
Over the previous three years, he averaged 23 homers with a .791 OPS. Soler finished 2024 with an .849 OPS and nine homers in his final 49 games with the Atlanta Braves.
In his first 29 games with the Angels he hit six homers with a .779 OPS, and then his numbers cratered over the next month, followed by the injured list stint.
“I feel great,” Soler said on Tuesday. “I am ready to play.”
Catcher Travis d’Arnaud, who spent the previous five years with the Braves, received a Rolex from Braves left-hander Chris Sale, who was thanking him for his contribution to Sale’s Cy Young Award in 2024.
D’Arnaud caught just more than half of Sale’s 177⅔ innings.
“It’s very special,” d’Arnaud said. “I didn’t expect it. Didn’t see it coming. I’m just more thankful I got to work with him.”
Utility man Chris Taylor (broken hand) said he was cleared on Tuesday to begin lifting weights. Taylor said he’s expecting another three weeks before he can return to the active roster. …
Shortstop Zach Neto (right shoulder) was back in the lineup after missing four straight starts. Neto was hurt on a head-first slide, so he’s been learning to slide feet first. He tried a feet-first slide in Sunday’s game – which he entered as a pinch-hitter – and he was thrown out because his foot came off the base. “It looked a lot like what we practiced and a lot like what he was worried about,” Montgomery said. “A little trouble holding the bag. We’ll have to make some adjustments so that doesn’t happen. But I understand his frustration.” …
The Angels optioned infielder Scott Kingery to open a spot for Soler on the active roster.
Angels (LHP Yusei Kikuchi, 3-6, 2.79 ERA) at Braves (RHP Didier Fuentes, 0-2, 10.80 ERA), Wednesday, 4:15 p.m. PT, FDSN West, 830 AM
