DETROIT — Major league transactions being the zero-sum game that they are, Nolan Schanuel’s disappointment was matched by Nick Madrigal’s excitement.
Schanuel, the Angels’ first baseman, finally succumbed to the sore left ankle that has nagged him for two months, including a related calf injury that has also become a problem. The Angels placed Schanuel on the injured list on Wednesday. They’re hoping it will be a short stay, but there’s no timetable.
That opened the door for Madrigal, a former top prospect whose big league career stalled because of injuries. When the Angels called him up on Wednesday, it was his first time on an active major league roster since June 1, 2024.
“A lot of hours, a lot of long nights rehabbing,” Madrigal said. “I’m very thankful to be here. Relied on my faith in those times. I want to thank God for putting me in this position again and just trying to enjoy it this time around. I think years have gone by where it’s happened so fast. I think this time I’ll kind of look around a bit more and try to enjoy it with the guys and the team.”
Madrigal, 29, was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2018 draft. He got to the major leagues with the Chicago White Sox for parts of two seasons, hitting .317 with a .764 OPS. He was traded to the Chicago Cubs, and the numbers weren’t quite as good on the other side of town.
The injuries began in 2024. He missed all of 2025 recovering from a left shoulder fracture suffered in spring training with the New York Mets.
The Angels signed him to a minor league deal this year, and he hit .275 with a .719 OPS at Triple-A Salt Lake.
Madrigal is primarily a second baseman, but he can also play third, shortstop and a little bit of outfield. He’s a right-handed hitter who is known for his contact ability. He struck out just eight times in 168 plate appearances at Salt Lake.
“Contact is one of my strong suits,” Madrigal said. “I think in today’s game, there’s so many power arms and different pitchers out there. I think I can help the team in a lot of ways. It’s something that I’ve always worked on and been part of my game.”
The Angels have been among the worst teams in the majors at making contact for the past two seasons. Last weekend they called up Wade Meckler and Donovan Walton, two players also known for their ability to put the ball in play. The Angels are 4-0 since making those moves.
“Watching (Madrigal) in spring training, the way he controls the box, handles the bat, contact, moving the ball around,” Manager Kurt Suzuki said. “Doing something that we feel is definitely a benefit for us.”
Vaughn Grissom – another player who is tough to strike out – figures to get the bulk of the playing time at first while Schanuel is out. Madrigal helps fill in for Grissom at second and third.
Suzuki said they considered bringing up either prospect Christian Moore or Denzer Guzman, who are both torching Triple-A, but they are hoping is a short stay on the IL for Schanuel, so they opted for Madrigal’s versatility.
Schanuel hurt his ankle running the bases on April 4, and it’s been a problem off and on ever since. Even though the calf irritated him over the weekend, the ankle is still the primary problem.
“I went out and tried to feel it out yesterday and it didn’t go well,” Schanuel said on Wednesday. “It kind of backfired on me. So we went in and got (an MRI) this morning. Just waiting for the final results to see how it goes.”
If Schanuel can finally get back to 100%, he could be more productive. His OPS was down to .700 from .742 last year, because his walk rate went down and his strikeout rate went up.
“I think it’ll be a lot better because I’ve been playing on it banged up for a little while now, and just kind of been dealing with the pain,” Schanuel said. “It just got too much for me. I think once it heals up, I hope it’ll go better than it’s been.”
NOTES
Left-hander Drew Pomeranz came through Tuesday’s bullpen session well, Suzuki said. Pomeranz is eligible to come off the injured list on Thursday. …
Suzuki said that Zach Neto scoring from first on a single on Tuesday was the result of extra work he’s been doing with his baserunning. “You see his leads, his jumps,” Suzuki said. “It wasn’t just that play, but recently just seeing him go first to third, taking an extra base, how aggressive he’s coming around, coming into those turns. All good stuff.” …
The Angels designated outfielder Matthew Lugo for assignment to open a 40-man roster spot for Madrigal. Lugo was playing at Double-A Rocket City.
UP NEXT
Angels (RHP Grayson Rodriguez, 1-1, 10.61 ERA) at Tigers (RHP Jack Flaherty, 0-6, 5.94 ERA), Thursday, 10:10 a.m. PT, ABTV, 830 AM