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Clips

(July 6, 2016)

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Today’s Clips Contents

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES (Page 3)

Mike Trout to sit out home run derby again

C.J. Cron powers Angels past Rays, 13-5

C.J. Wilson to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery

Mike Trout, Corey Seager, Kenley Jensen, Clayton Kershaw selected to All-Star game

FROM THE OC REGISTER (Page 7)

C.J. Cron hits 2 homers as Angels overcome rough outing by Tim Lincecum in victory over Rays

Angels’ C.J. Wilson to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery

Mike Trout elected to start All-Star Game again, but passes on HR Derby

Angels tweak the role of struggling Joe Smith

Angels Notes: Craig Gentry progressing toward return

Fryer: The Sporting News’ Angels projections were off target

On deck: Angels at Rays, Wednesday, 4 p.m.

FROM ANGELS.COM (Page 13)

Trout voted to start 4th straight All-Star Game

Simmons, Cron lead Angels past Rays

Angels’ Wilson to undergo shoulder surgery

Robinson, Nava exit Angels’ win banged up

Weaver, Smyly looking to turn things around

Trout eyes Home Run Derby someday, just not ‘16

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (Page 22)

Cron homers twice, leads Angels over Rays 13-5

Angels’ Wilson leaning toward shoulder surgery

FROM FOX SPORTS (Page 24)

Angels-Rays Preview

Mike Trout named a starter on 2016 AL All-Star team

July 6, 2016 Page 3 of 25

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

Mike Trout to sit out home run derby again

Pedro Moura

Mike Trout made the All-Star game for the fifth consecutive year, but the Angels center fielder again opted not to take part in the home run derby.

Monday’s derby, at San Diego’s Petco Park, would have been Trout’s first. In recent days, he left open the possibility he would participate. Tuesday, he made up his mind.

“I just don’t want to do it,” he said. “It’s a long two days. Eventually, I’m gonna try to do it, just not this year.”

Angels Manager Mike Scioscia said he did not discuss the matter with Trout. Two years ago, Trout was invited to take part and declined, citing Scioscia’s desires.

Trout missed his first start of the season Tuesday night against the Tampa Bay Rays before pinch-running in the ninth inning. He had been the major league leader with 145 consecutive games started, but Scioscia opted to rest him on Tropicana Field’s suboptimal surface.

“It’s been coming for a while,” Scioscia said. “He just keeps plowing ahead. It’s a good day, with the turf, to get him off his feet a little bit.”

The Angels play five more games in the season’s first half before they fly home from Baltimore on Sunday evening. After the Tuesday festivities, Trout will spend the rest of the All-Star break in California. Last year, he flew home to New Jersey from the game in Cincinnati.

Trout is besting his career batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage this season. Sixteen American Leaguers have hit more homers than his 17 this season.

Short hops

Outfielder Craig Gentry has returned to the Angels’ spring-training complex in Arizona. On May 23, he ended a minor league rehab assignment because of a personal medical condition the team has not disclosed. He last played in the majors April 25 before he was placed on disabled list with a lumbar spine strain. …

Infielder Cliff Pennington continues to rehab his hamstring strain at the Arizona facility and will not rejoin the Angels until after the All-Star break.

July 6, 2016 Page 4 of 25

C.J. Cron powers Angels past Rays, 13-5

Pedro Moura

Tim Lincecum’s debut as an Angel yielded positive results. His subsequent starts have not. For the third consecutive outing, Lincecum could not finish five innings Tuesday night at Tropicana Field.

The Angels amassed a bevy of baserunners and secured a 13-5 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays, but Lincecum was discouraged by his progress.

“I’m not really where I want to be,” he said. “I didn’t see this happening, or see myself here. I thought I would have ironed out some things by now, but this is part of the game. I gotta find a way out of it.”

The Angels’ defenders did not aid the 32-year-old right-hander’s chances. Shortstop Andrelton Simmons made an errant throw in the first inning to allow a run in, and, in the third inning, Kole Calhoun and Shane Robinson let an outfield fly land in between them for a triple. Another run soon scored because of their mishap.

Lincecum felt his elaborate mechanics were right about 65% of the time. He was particularly annoyed with his inability to place his fastball within the strike zone and especially encouraged by the handful of great pitches he threw to elicit strikeouts.

Lincecum struck out six and walked one. He yielded a solo home run to Logan Morrison and allowed the Rays to rally with two outs in the fifth inning. He hit Brandon Guyer with a pitch, permitted a double to Corey Dickerson, and then allowed a two-run single to Nick Franklin that ended his night.

He threw 105 pitches, more than a dozen a direct result of the Angels’ poor defensive play. In relief, right-hander Deolis Guerra continued his unexpected run of elite pitching, recording four outs without permitting a baserunner. He has faced 91 major league hitters this season and walked none of them, striking out 18 and recording a 2.22 earned-run average.

Joe Smith handled the seventh and Cam Bedrosian the eighth, signaling a switch in their roles. At least temporarily, Bedrosian seems to have usurped Smith’s setup spot. Recently activated from the disabled list, Smith has not yet felt right on the mound, unable to recapture his exact release point.

The Angels piled on the offense. They scored four runs in the second inning, three in the sixth and sixth in the ninth for extra measure. Six men reached base at least twice. C.J. Cron, continuing a hot streak he believes started during early batting practice Friday in Boston, belted two home runs. Simmons, similarly scorching, finished a homer short of a cycle.

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Robinson exited in the ninth after he was hit by a pitch, spraining his ankle as he led off from first base. Mike Trout replaced him and promptly scored. The Angels are likely to recall an additional outfielder for Wednesday’s game, because they lost left fielder Daniel Nava to injury, too. He was replaced by Jefry Marte after working a walk in the sixth inning, the patellar tendinitis that cost him three weeks earlier this season flaring up on Tropicana Field’s artificial grass.

“This turf is just like truth serum,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “It’s going to tell you whatever aches and pains you have.

C.J. Wilson to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery

Pedro Moura

Left-hander C.J. Wilson will soon undergo season-ending surgery to repair fraying within his labrum and rotator cuff.

The 35-year-old visited Dr. Neal ElAttrache for a second opinion on his problematic left shoulder last week and has since been gathering information from various surgeons, he said in a text message.

“I plan on pitching again, and with surgery can move forward toward that,” Wilson wrote.

Wilson (51-35 with a 3.87 earned-run average with the Angels) will turn 36 in November and become a free agent. He signed a five-year, $77.5-million contract with the Angels in December 2011, coming off a career year, and pitched reliably for the deal’s first two seasons.

He then pitched through pain in 2014 and struggled. Last year, he did well early before his effectiveness waned and he opted to undergo surgery to remove bone spurs from his elbow. He said he developed nerve damage during the season.

Scioscia said before Tuesday’s game that Wilson was “leaning toward” having the surgery. Asked to offer a retrospective on the player’s career as an Angel, he declined, stating the decision was not final.

“C.J. got close to pitching there, and you always get your hopes up,” Scioscia said. “But as of right now, he hasn’t been able to get healthy.”

In spring training, Wilson said he was reinventing his delivery out of necessity, pain forcing him to find a new throwing motion. It worked to a degree; he made one start on rehab assignment in May.

But the pain continued, and he determined surgery was his best long-term option.

July 6, 2016 Page 6 of 25

Mike Trout, Corey Seager, Kenley Jensen, Clayton Kershaw selected to All-Star

game

Bill Shaikin

Angels star Mike Trout and a trio of Dodgers were selected Tuesday to the All-Star game.

Closer Kenley Jansen, shortstop Corey Seager and injured pitcher Clayton Kershaw were chosen to represent the Dodgers.

Trout, the Angels’ center fielder, was voted by fans as a starter for the fourth consecutive year. He joins Ken Griffey Jr., Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Al Kaline and Ivan Rodriguez as four-time American League All-Star starters before age 25. Trout also made the All-Star team as a reserve in 2012, his first full season.

Jansen, Seager and Kershaw were selected to the National League team in a vote of players.

Kershaw, who probably would have been the NL starting pitcher for the first time, was selected to the All-Star game for the sixth consecutive season.

Seager became the Dodgers’ first rookie shortstop to be selected since Bill Grabarkewitz in 1970. Jansen, in his final season with the Dodgers before he can file for free agency, became the first Dodgers closer to be selected since Jonathan Broxton in 2010.

The Chicago Cubs accounted for five of the eight NL starters, including the entire infield: first baseman Anthony Rizzo, second baseman Ben Zobrist, shortstop Addison Russell and third baseman Kris Bryant. The other NL starters: Cubs outfielder Dexter Fowler, Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper, New York Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes and San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey.

The Cubs’ five starters were the most selected in a fan election since 1976, when the Cincinnati Reds also had five players voted into the starting lineup. According to Major League Baseball, Zobrist beat Washington Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy by 88 votes (3,013,407 to 3,013,319).

The Boston Red Sox had four players voted into the AL lineup: designated hitter David Ortiz, shortstop Xander Bogaerts and outfielders Mookie Betts and Jackie Bradley Jr. The other AL starters: Trout, first baseman Eric Hosmer and catcher Salvador Perez of the Kansas City Royals, second baseman Jose Altuve of the Houston Astros and third baseman Manny Machado of the Baltimore Orioles.

July 6, 2016 Page 7 of 25

FROM THE OC REGISTER

C.J. Cron hits 2 homers as Angels overcome rough outing by Tim Lincecum in victory over Rays

By JEFF FELTCHER / STAFF WRITER

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – After a game in which the Angels saw two outfielders get hurt, played some sloppy defense and saw one of their starting pitchers have another bad game, a reporter asked Mike Scioscia if winning made all that easier to accept.

He paused, searching for the right words.

“Obviously it feels good to win,” Scioscia said after Tuesday’s 13-5 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. “We swung the bats well. We did some things well, and some things were not as tight as we need them to be. ... We got a lot of run support, and we needed it.”

C.J. Cron hit two homers and Andrelton Simmons and Yunel Escobar each had three hits, leading a good offensive performance on a night Mike Trout was out of the starting lineup for the first time this season.

The Angels needed all that to cover up their flaws.

Start with the starter, Tim Lincecum. He was charged with five runs on 10 hits in 42/3 innings. Lincecum now has a 7.50 ERA with the Angels, certainly not what the Angels had hoped when they signed him in May.

Lincecum said the outing was “pretty rough,” and not up to the standard he expects from himself.

“Not really where I want to be,” he said. “I didn’t see myself being here. I thought I would have ironed some things out by now.”

Lincecum, whose velocity was around 88-89 mph, made a few good pitches, contributing to an encouraging six strikeouts and one walk. Mostly, though, he was erratic.

“Timmy threw some terrific pitches,” Scioscia said. “He might have gotten a little bit tired. ... He pitched better with some breaking pitches. His fastball command improved as the game went on. He had good life on it. Just couldn’t make a pitch when he needed to.”

He also didn’t get much help from his defense. In the first inning, Simmons made a bad throw that contributed to a run. In the third, right fielder Kole Calhoun and center fielder Shane Robinson miscommunicated and let a ball drop between them. In the fourth, catcher Carlos Perez made a bad throw back to Lincecum that gave the Rays an extra base.

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And, of course, they wouldn’t be the 2016 Angels unless there was more bad injury news.

Daniel Nava and Robinson both left the game because of injuries, and both could be headed to the disabled list.

Nava had a flare up of the patellar tendinitis that landed him on the DL back in April. Scioscia said the Tropicana Field turf exacerbated the problem.

“This turf is like truth serum,” Scioscia said. “It will tell you whatever aches and pains you have.”

Robinson came out of the game after rolling his right ankle while trying to get back to first base in the ninth inning.

The Angels will likely have at least one outfielder up from Triple-A on Wednesday, with Rafael Ortega and Todd Cunningham as the most likely candidates.

Fortunately for the Angels, they could deal with all those issues in a winning clubhouse, thanks to a lineup that produced 16 hits, including seven of 14 with runners in scoring position.

Cron had his second multi-homer game in four days, including Saturday night’s performance in the Angels’ 21-run outburst. Cron is 11 for 24 with 13 RBI and five homers in the first five games of this trip.

He said he felt something different in batting practice before the game Friday in Boston.

“I don’t know what it is,” he said, “but something just clicked. Hopefully we can keep it going.”

Simmons has also been sizzling. Simmons, whose two-run double in the sixth inning put the Angels up, 6-5, now has 20 hits in his last 47 at-bats, a .426 average. He’s lifted his average from .204 to .261 in that span.

“Good to see guys break out,” Scioscia said. “Good to see the guys drive the ball the way they can.”

Angels’ C.J. Wilson to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery

By JEFF FLETCHER / STAFF WRITER

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – C.J. Wilson’s time with the Angels is almost certainly over.

Wilson, who has been plagued by shoulder trouble since the start of spring training, will have surgery to "address fraying on the labrum and rotator cuff," the Angels announced on Tuesday.

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With Wilson's five-year Angels' contract expiring at the end of this season, there is little chance he will ever pitch for the club again. Rotator cuff surgeries are serious enough that there is a chance Wilson will not be able to pitch again.

Wilson, 35, underwent elbow surgery last August, his third cleanup procedure on that joint, in addition to Tommy John surgery while he was in the minors. Wilson expected little trouble rehabbing from the latest elbow surgery because of how smoothly he returned from the previous two.

When he arrived at spring training, Wilson had no issues with his elbow, but his shoulder became a constant source of discomfort.

At one point, Wilson said he had to change his delivery to alleviate the strain on his shoulder.

Wilson got far enough along in his rehab that he pitched one game for Class-A Inland Empire in May. That start didn’t go as well as he’d hoped, and he was shut down again.

He sought a further opinion from orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache, and presumably that is when the idea of surgery began to look like the best option. ElAttrache will perform the procedure sometime next week.

“C.J. got close to pitching and you always get your hopes up, but as of right now he hasn’t been able to get over that hump so you can’t consider him an option,” Scioscia said.

Wilson is 51-35 with a 3.87 ERA since joining the Angels prior to the 2012 season. His best season was 2013, when he went 17-7 with a 3.39 ERA. He slumped in 2014, posting a 4.51 ERA. He also got knocked out of his only postseason start with the Angels in the first inning, against the Kansas City Royals in 2014.

Mike Trout elected to start All-Star Game again, but passes on HR Derby

By JEFF FLETCHER / STAFF WRITER

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – New year. Same story.

Mike Trout was elected by fans to start for the American League in the All-Star Game, just as he had been each of the previous three years.

And, also like previous years, Trout is going to pass on the Home Run Derby.

“Eventually I’m going to try to do it, just not this year,” Trout said Tuesday.

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“It’s a long two days,” Trout said, referring to all the events packed into 48 hours around the All-Star Game, which will be July 12 at San Diego’s Petco Park.

Although Trout won’t be putting on a show in the Derby on Monday, he has showcased plenty of his skills during the game in past years.

Trout is 5 for 10, with one homer among his four extra base hits, in the past four All-Star Games. He was named the MVP of each of the past two games.

“It’s the same approach I take during the season,” Trout said. “I don’t change anything. It’s against better pitching, but I don’t change anything.”

Trout will be starting this year in an outfield with two Boston players, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Mookie Betts. Trout and Bradley are both center fielders, so one will have to move to left.

Although Bradley may be a slightly better center fielder, it is likely that Trout would get the nod because of his overall standing as the best player in the game.

The 24-year-old superstar led the voting for outfielders from the first time results were released, a reward for him again having an MVP-caliber first half.

Trout is hitting .324 with a .426 on-base percentage, 17 homers and 54 RBI. He has also cut his strikeout rate to the lowest mark of his career.

“I’m just being more consistent,” Trout said. “The strikeouts are down. That’s something I’ve been working on.”

Trout finished with 3,828,794 votes, third most among all AL players, behind Sal Perez (4,965,838) and David Ortiz (4,364,746).

Ironically, on the day of the announcement, Trout was not in the lineup. It snapped a streak of 145 straight games being in the starting lineup.

Manager Mike Scioscia said Trout did not ask for the day off, but he could tell that Trout “needs a day.”

“It’s been coming probably for a while,” Scioscia said. “He just keeps plowing ahead.”

Scioscia added that Tropicana Field’s artificial turf made this a good place to give Trout a day off.

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Angels tweak the role of struggling Joe Smith

By JEFF FLETCHER / STAFF WRITER

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – While Joe Smith tries to get back to being himself, he’s going to be pitching in a slightly different role.

Manager Mike Scioscia used Smith in the seventh inning, instead of his usual eighth, because he was trying to get him to face right-handed hitters, against which he’s usually fared better. Cam Bedrosian pitched the eighth.

“He’s the one who decides where I pitch,” said Smith, whose ERA is 4.45. “Wherever he wants me to pitch, I’ll pitch.”

Smith, who just came off the disabled list with a hamstring injury, allowed three runs in one inning in his previous outing, in which he faced left-handed hitters. He gave up two hits in the seventh, but pitched a scoreless inning.

Smith conceded that he’s still not where he wants to be: “A tick off, but every day gets a little better, a little more normal. I know I’m close. I’m really close.”

Angels Notes: Craig Gentry progressing toward return

By JEFF FLETCHER / STAFF WRITER

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Craig Gentry has begun working his way back to the Angels.

Gentry has been out about five weeks with what the team called a personal medical condition, but now he is in Arizona doing baseball workouts. There is still no timeline for when he’ll be back.

Gentry was placed on the disabled list on May 1 with a back injury. He was in the process of a rehab assignment when the other condition came up on May 23. The Angels have not revealed what Gentry’s issue was, citing privacy laws.

Signed to be the right-handed hitting half of a left-field platoon, Gentry was hitting .147 in 14 games before he got hurt. Shane Robinson, who took his roster spot, is hitting .210.

ALSO

Jefry Marte, who came out of Monday’s game after being hit in the left knee by a pitch, was available to play on Tuesday, although he was not in the lineup…

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Steve Klauke, the voice of the Angels' Triple-A Salt Lake City affiliate, will handle play-by-play on the Angels radio network this weekend in Baltimore. Terry Smith is moving from radio to do TV play-by-play this weekend because Victor Rojas has the weekend off. Klauke also filled in for a weekend series in Seattle in May.

Fryer: The Sporting News’ Angels projections were off target

By STEVE FRYER / STAFF WRITER

What in the wide, wide world of sports is going on here …

• While clearing off the coffee table after the long Fourth of July weekend, found under the VCR instructions and the Saturday Evening Post was The Sporting News 2016 Baseball Yearbook. How good were TSN’s 2016 projections on the Angels and Dodgers? Let’s take a look …

• Its summation of the Angels: “With the best player in the game (TSN meant Mike Trout, duh) and other talented pieces, the Angels should contend …” Wrong!

• As TSN’s 2016 preview had an early deadline, just after the Winter Meetings, it was expected that Angels general manager Billy Eppler was not finished with the roster: “… there is little doubt new GM Eppler will address areas of need before the season begins.” Wrong again!

• Each team’s previews included “Scout’s View,” an analysis from an opposing team’s scout. The Angels entry had this from a scout: “The Angels are the weirdest team in the division. I don’t know which way they’ll go.” And: “They left the Winter Meetings without doing much, so I expect them to make some major moves before the season.”

• The thinking here is Eppler has a plan. He is not going to trade Trout, because if there is a player around whom to build a team, it’s Trout, and Trout’s popularity is humongous. If you think Angel Stadium is like a mausoleum now, imagine it without Trout.

• The bright side of the Angels’ season: Tickets are very cheap on the secondary market, lines are short all over the stadium and the hot dog vendor sits in the empty seat next to you for your convenience.

• A couple of factoids from the Angels’ 21-2 win at Boston on Saturday: It was the first time three Angels players had five RBI (C.J. Cron, Carlos Perez and Albert Pujols); and the 21 runs equaled the total number of runs the Angels had scored in their previous six games.

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On deck: Angels at Rays, Wednesday, 4 p.m.

By JEFF FLETCHER / STAFF WRITER

Where: Tropicana Field TV: Fox Sports West, 4 p.m. Did you know? Jered Weaver and Rays third baseman Evan Longoria both played at Long Beach State, but they missed each other by one season. THE PITCHERS ANGELS RHP JERED WEAVER (6-7, 5.51) Vs. Rays: 5-5, 3.64 At Tropicana Field: 4-1, 3.29 Hates to face: Logan Forsythe, 4 for 13 (.308) Loves to face: Brad Miller, 3 for 22 (.136) RAYS LHP DREW SMYLY (2-9, 5.33) Vs. Angels: 0-2, 4.15 At Tropicana Field: 3-5, 3.86 Hates to face: None Loves to face: Mike Trout, 2 for 11 (.182)

FROM ANGELS.COM Trout voted to start 4th straight All-Star Game

By Alden Gonzalez

ST. PETERSBURG -- Mike Trout is starting the All-Star Game again. It has been clear for the last few weeks -- and is basically assumed at the start of each season -- but it became official on Tuesday, when rosters were announced and Trout had compiled more fan votes than every other American League outfielder.

Trout will be making his fifth appearance at the All-Star Game presented by MasterCard, in his fifth full season. It will mark his fourth consecutive start, making Trout only the sixth AL player -- besides Ken Griffey Jr., Mickey Mantle, Ivan Rodriguez, Al Kaline and Joe DiMaggio -- to make four All-Star Game starts before his 25th birthday.

"I look forward to it," Trout said. "If you play your best, and you put up good numbers, you get selected. I look forward to it each year, competing against the best pitchers, best hitters. It just means a lot."

Trout entered Tuesday leading Major League position players with 5.2 FanGraphs Wins Above Replacement, compiling a .324/.426/.569 slash line, 17 home runs, 54 RBIs and 13 stolen bases.

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The Angels' center fielder will be joined in the AL starting lineup by Royals catcher Salvador Perez, Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer, Astros second baseman Jose Altuve, Orioles third baseman Manny Machado and four members of the Red Sox, shortstop Xander Bogaerts, designated hitter David Ortiz, center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. and right fielder Mookie Betts.

The question is whether Trout will get to start in center field.

"I don't know," Trout said. "I want to."

Trout compiled 3,828,794 votes, a total exceeded only by Ortiz and Perez.

Trout is coming off becoming the first player in history to be named Most Valuable Player of the Midsummer Classic in back-to-back seasons. He's hit for the All-Star Game cycle, getting a single in his first at-bat in 2012, a double in his first at-bat in 2013, a triple in his first at-bat in 2014 and a homer in his first at-bat in 2015.

He's 5-for-10 overall at the event, drawing two walks and striking out only once against the National League's best pitchers.

"Same approach I take during the season," Trout said of how he's been so successful at the All-Star Game. "It's the same approach. I don't change anything."

The NL starting lineup will feature five Cubs players, including first baseman Anthony Rizzo, second baseman Ben Zobrist, third baseman Kris Bryant, shortstop Addison Russell and center fielder Dexter Fowler. Joining them are Giants catcher Buster Posey, Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes and Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper, who will join Trout at the All-Star Game for the third time.

The Final Vote candidates for the AL are Ian Kinsler of the Tigers, Evan Longoria of the Rays, Dustin Pedroia of the Red Sox, Michael Saunders of the Blue Jays and George Springer of the Astros. Brandon Belt of the Giants, Ryan Braun of the Brewers, Jake Lamb of the D-backs, Starling Marte of the Pirates and Trevor Story of the Rockies are competing in the NL Final Vote.

Fans can vote for the 2016 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Final Vote until 4 p.m. ET on Friday. The winners, as chosen exclusively by online fan voting totals, will be announced during a Final Vote-themed telecast of "MLB Now" featuring commentary from political analyst Jeff Greenfield, live on MLB Network and MLB.com from 4-5 p.m. ET. MLB Network will provide extensive coverage across all of its studio programming during the Final Vote, including interviews with the candidates, frequent updates, heat maps indicating the cities where votes are being cast for each candidate, news on player and club campaigns and a running countdown clock leading up to the announcement.

Baseball fans have cast nearly 600 million online votes for Final Vote candidates since the program's inception in 2002. In addition to MLB.com and the official club websites, fans can use

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their mobile devices to cast votes at MLB.com/vote or via text message. To receive the ballot, text the word "VOTE" to 89269. To vote for a specific player, fans can text their choice to 89269. EXAMPLE: Text "A3" to vote for AL Player 3 or "N3" to vote for NL Player 3. Message and data rates may apply. Text "STOP" to end and "HELP" for information. Mobile voting in Canada also is available and fans should text their choices to 101010.

For the fifth consecutive year, the Final Vote will include social balloting, as Twitter support for the 10 candidates over the last six hours of balloting will count toward their vote totals. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET on Friday, any tweet that includes a designated player hashtag will be tabulated as part of the official vote total used to determine the winners.

On Tuesday, July 12, watch the 2016 All-Star Game presented by MasterCard live on FOX, and during the game visit MLB.com to submit your choice for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet via the 2016 MLB All-Star Game MVP Vote. The 87th All-Star Game, in San Diego, will be televised nationally by FOX, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than 160 countries via MLB International's independent feed. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB.com, MLB Network and SiriusXM will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com.

Trout is one of just six players to collect 15 home runs before the All-Star break four times before his age-25 season, joining Miguel Cabrera, Alex Rodriguez, Orlando Cepeda, Jimmie Foxx and teammate Albert Pujols.

He is the third Angels player to make four straight All-Star Game starts, joining Vladimir Guerrero and Rod Carew. Only Carew and Jim Fregosi have made more All-Star Game appearances in an Angels uniform, with each tallying six.

"I love playing in it," Trout said. "I have fun with it."

Simmons, Cron lead Angels past Rays

By Sam Blum and Alden Gonzalez

ST. PETERSBURG -- The Rays were bidding for their first back-to-back wins since June 14-15, a stretch of nearly three weeks. And despite holding two one-run leads, they weren't able to get the job done in a 13-5 loss to the Angels on Tuesday night at Tropicana Field, with Andrelton Simmons leading the way for the Angels in a three-run sixth that put the visitors ahead to stay.

The Angels have dropped 12 of their last 15 games, but they've scored 42 runs over their last five.

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"We did some things well, and some things not as tight as we need to," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "But it's good to see the guys break out, good to see the guys drive the ball the way we can. We got a lot of run support, and we needed it."

Neither starting pitcher was effective. Jake Odorizzi gave up seven earned runs in 5 1/3 and Angels starter Tim Lincecum couldn't go five innings. He exited after 4 2/3, having given up a two-run single to Nick Franklin to give the Rays a 5-4 advantage.

"I place the blame on me. It's my fault," Odorizzi said. "They did their job, I didn't do my job. Nobody is more frustrated than me with my performance. Not just tonight, but this entire year. It's not me."

The rally was the first time the Rays came back to take the lead in a game since June 15. But the Angels got the first three men on in the sixth -- capped off by a two-run double from Simmons, who later would come around to score.

Tampa Bay was paced by a Logan Morrison home run and a three-hit night for Nick Franklin, who has 11 RBIs on the homestand. But the Angels dominated the slugfest that saw a combined 30 hits.

Joe Smith and Cam Bedrosian preserved the lead in a close game for the Angels with a scoreless seventh and eighth, respectively. And when Rays reliever Enny Romero came into pitch in the ninth inning, C.J. Cron blew the game open with a three-run homer, his second long ball of the game, in what became a six-run Angels ninth.

One drawback for the Angels was Lincecum, who has given up 14 runs in 12 innings over his last three starts.

"Not really where I want to be," Lincecum said. "I know I didn't see this happening or see myself here. I thought I would have ironed out some things by now, but obviously, I have been here for a long time and I need to find a way out of it."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Feelin' it: Cron has homered five times in five games this month and is batting .385 since the middle of June, bumping his slash line up to a very respectable .284/.337/.484 for the season. Simmons is batting .426 (20-for-47) in 12 games, putting his slash line at .261/.285/.348.

Cron said he began to feel good at the plate coming off the Thursday off-day, which was followed by a six-hit performance at Fenway Park on Saturday.

"I don't know what it is, but in early BP I felt really good," Cron said. "I don't know what it is, I wish I did, but something just clicked. Hopefully something can keep going."

July 6, 2016 Page 17 of 25

Oh no, Odo: Odorizzi was ineffective for the Rays, allowing seven earned runs. The Rays came back from 4-1 down to take a 5-4 lead, but Odorizzi allowed three straight hits to start the next inning, and the Angels took the lead to stay.

"The issue of the night was getting runs," Rays manager Kevin Cash said, "eventually getting the lead and not being able to find that shutdown inning."

Run prevention: The Angels played some sloppy defense early on, with Simmons throwing errantly to first, Shane Robinson and Kole Calhoun miscommunicating on a fly ball, and Carlos Perez tossing the ball high past Lincecum. But Simmons kept the Rays from tying it in the fourth, fielding a Hank Conger chopper up the middle and gunning down Franklin at the plate.

Can't do Enny-thing: Romero has now allowed eight runs over his last 2 1/3 innings. It was also his second straight appearance in which he's allowed a three-run homer.

"Enny, he's in a rough patch," Cash said. "It's a little unexplainable. ... It's tough on him. It's tough on us. There aren't many things going his way right now."

INJURY REPORT Robinson and Daniel Nava each exited early and could be headed to the disabled list. Robinson rolled his right ankle trying to retreat to first base in the top of the ninth and Nava had a flare-up of the patellar tendinitis he previously nursed on his left knee, which forced him to miss 18 games earlier this season. Scioscia said he's "not sure" if a DL stint will be required, but the Angels are expected to call up at least one outfielder on Wednesday.

LACK OF HUSTLE Rays outfielder Steven Souza Jr. was removed from the game for not hustling on the triple that resulted from Robinson and Calhoun miscommunicating on his fly ball in the third. Souza later apologized, saying: "I think the bottom line is that I play hard, but right there I didn't play very hard. I got caught slipping and took for granted a routine play."

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS Rays outfielder Brandon Guyer got hit with his 52nd career pitch. It passed Carlos Pena for the most HBPs in Rays history. His 17 this season lead the American League by six.

Angels reliever Deolis Guerra has now worked 24 1/3 innings this season without issuing a walk, carrying a 2.22 ERA and striking out 18 batters in that span.

ROLE CHANGES Bedrosian pitched in a setup role on Tuesday, with usual Angels eighth-inning man Smith handling the seventh. Bedrosian has a 1.20 ERA in 34 appearances this season, striking out 30 batters in 30 innings. Smith has a 4.45 ERA and was making his third appearance since missing four weeks with a left hamstring strain.

July 6, 2016 Page 18 of 25

"We tried to match up Joe with some righties in that seventh, just until he gets his feet on the ground," Scioscia said. "As that inning went on, his stuff picked up."

WHAT'S NEXT Angels: Jered Weaver (6-7, 5.51 ERA) takes the ball for the third of a four-game series on Wednesday at 4:10 p.m. PT. Weaver has given up 10 runs in 10 innings over his last two starts, both of them at home against the Astros and A's. The 33-year-old has a 3.29 ERA in six starts at Tropicana Field.

Rays: Drew Smyly (2-9, 5.33 ERA) will pitch for Tampa Bay, hoping to end a streak of eight winless starts when the Rays host the Angels at 7:10 p.m. ET on Wednesday. Smyly has allowed 16 earned runs and 24 hits over his last three starts. He has lost five straight decisions.

Angels’ Wilson to undergo shoulder surgery

By Alden Gonzalez

ST. PETERSBURG -- C.J. Wilson's season is over, and with it perhaps also his Angels career.

The veteran left-hander has decided to undergo season-ending surgery on a left shoulder that has been bothering him since the start of Spring Training. The team announced Tuesday that the procedure will "address fraying on the labrum and rotator cuff."

Surgery is tentatively scheduled for some time next week and will be performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles.

The 35-year-old will be a free agent at season's end and plans to pitch next season.

"I'm very upset that I have not been able to pitch this year," Wilson said in a text message. "It sucks to watch the team struggle, and watch my friends struggle on the field. I've been getting my body prepared, but the only support I've been able to give is in terms of advice or positive affirmation to my teammates. I've been very upfront with coaches and staff about a willingness to modify my role [by potentially serving as a reliever], as well, and am 100-percent focused on returning to the field next season."

Wilson -- in the final season of a five-year, $77.5 million contract he signed in December 2011 -- missed the final two months of the 2015 season after undergoing surgery to clean out bone chips and spurs from his elbow.

The two-time American League All-Star expected to be ready by the start of Spring Training, but his shoulder began to bark basically every time he progressed towards throwing off a mound, which he believes was a product of compensating for elbow pain earlier in the prior season. At one point, he said he had "[created] a new, different delivery" to compensate for his shoulder pain, though he later softened that by saying he only slightly altered his arm slot.

July 6, 2016 Page 19 of 25

Wilson eventually worked his way toward a rehab assignment with Class A Advanced Inland Empire on May 25, completing four innings, but said he felt "awful" in the between-starts bullpen session that followed and shut it down once again.

He barely threw after that, prompting him to get a second opinion by Dr. ElAttrache on Thursday and ultimately decide on surgery.

"C.J. got close to pitching," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "You always get your hopes up, but as of right now, he hasn't been able to get over that hump, so you can't consider him an option."

Wilson transitioned to the rotation late in his Rangers career and was a very effective starting pitcher for teams that went to back-to-back World Series in 2010-11, winning a combined 31 games and posting a 3.14 ERA.

The Angels signed Wilson the following offseason, agreeing to terms on the same day as Albert Pujols, and Wilson was durable for the first three years.

Wilson averaged 33 starts and 197 innings with the Angels from 2012-14, winning 43 games and posting a 3.87 ERA. He had a good 2013 but struggled in the second half of 2012 and '14, the latter culminating with a season-ending loss in Game 3 of the AL Division Series in Kansas City.

In 2015, Wilson posted a 3.89 ERA in 21 starts before deciding to shut it down.

Wilson has previously undergone Tommy John surgery and three clean-ups of his left elbow, but this will be his first procedure on his shoulder. Asked to sum up Wilson's stint with the Angels, Scioscia said: "Let's not do any retrospectives yet."

Robinson, Nava exit Angels’ win banged up

By Alden Gonzalez

ST. PETERSBURG -- Angels outfielders Daniel Nava and Shane Robinson each exited Tuesday's 13-5 win over the Rays early, and both could be headed to the disabled list.

Robinson rolled his right ankle trying to retreat to first base in the top of the ninth, and Nava had a flare-up of the patellar tendinitis he previously nursed on his left knee, which forced him to miss 18 games earlier this season.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia is "not sure" if they'll require a stint on the DL, but the organization is expected to call up at least one outfielder on Wednesday.

July 6, 2016 Page 20 of 25

"We have some guys banged up," Scioscia said. "We'll have to make a decision here tonight for tomorrow to see some more depth that we need to bring up."

The only other outfielder on the 40-man roster is the left-handed-hitting Rafael Ortega, who has a .238/.273/.303 slash line in 36 Major League games and a .262/.302/.338 slash line in 31 Triple-A games. Todd Cunningham (.293/.389/.401 in Triple-A) was previously up with the club, and the Angels' 40-man roster is currently at 39 players.

Robinson took a pitch to his right foot in the top of the ninth, then hurt his ankle when he stopped his secondary lead and returned to first base. Mike Trout, who was supposed to have the day off, replaced him in his first pinch-running appearance since July 2, 2012. Nava, replaced by pinch-runner Jefry Marte, has been dealing with his knee issues "on and off," Scioscia said, "and it just happens to flare up on some days."

The turf at Tropicana Field contributed.

"This turf is just like truth serum," Scioscia added. "It's going to tell you whatever aches and pains you have."

Weaver, Smyly looking to turn things around

By Sam Blum

Two struggling starting pitchers will try to take a step to turn around their seasons when the Rays take on the Angels on Wednesday.

Drew Smyly is winless in his last eight starts, going 0-5 during that time. Jered Weaver's 5.67 ERA is on pace for the worst of his career. Both will be starting for the last time before the All-Star break.

"I would enjoy to be lucky," Smyly said. "But sometimes you have to make your own luck. Just keep pitching well. Hopefully things can turn around."

After throwing a three-hit shutout in Oakland on June 19, Weaver hasn't gone more than 5 1/3 innings and has allowed 10 runs over his last two starts combined. He's also served up 20 home runs, including at least one in all but two starts. The Rays are fifth in the big leagues in home runs.

Smyly has allowed 16 earned runs and 24 hits over his last three starts. His one strong point this season is a 108:24 strikeout-to-walk ratio, but he has been prone to giving up big hits.

Three things to know about this game

July 6, 2016 Page 21 of 25

• The Angels have used 43 players on the Major League roster this season, which is most in the American League.

• Rays shortstop Brad Miller hit his 12th home run of the season on Monday. That set a new single-season high for Miller. The 12 homers are also the most by a Rays shortstop before the All-Star break.

• Rays outfielder Brandon Guyer has 52 career HBPs. That's the most in Rays history, and his 17 on the season lead the AL by six.

Trout eyes Home Run Derby someday, just not ‘16

By Alden Gonzalez

ST. PETERSBURG -- Mike Trout has declined to participate in the T-Mobile Home Run Derby, but he still vows to do it one year.

"Eventually I want to do it," Trout said. "But it's a long two days. Eventually, I'm going to try to do it; just not this year."

Trout was selected Tuesday for his fifth All-Star Game and fourth consecutive start, but he has never taken part in the Home Run Derby, which will be held this year at Petco Park in San Diego on Monday.

The All-Star Game will take place at Marlins Park in Miami in 2017 and at Nationals Park in Washington in '18.

Albert Pujols competed in the event last year, participating for the fourth time in his career, and he has previously tried to push Trout to take part. And though Angels manager Mike Scioscia previously expressed concern over how taxing the competition can be, he believes the current format, with timed rounds, is "much more manageable."

Worth noting

• Right-handed-hitting outfielder Craig Gentry is taking part in baseball activities in Arizona. Gentry hasn't played since April 25. He was on his way back from a right lumbar spine strain until the team announced on May 23 that he was being taken off his rehab assignment to deal with a "personal medical condition."

• Trout was held out of the starting lineup on Tuesday, snapping a streak of 145 consecutive starts that was the longest active run in the Majors. Scioscia said Trout needed a day after starting every game since July 22 of last season. Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano took over as the active leader with 141 consecutive starts.

July 6, 2016 Page 22 of 25

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Cron homers twice, leads Angels over Rays 13-5

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Mike Trout was rested, and Albert Pujols was limited to a single in six at-bats.

That didn't slow the Los Angeles Angels' offense, which scored in double digits for the second time in four game.

C.J. Cron homered twice and drove in four runs, and the Angels overcame another shaky start by Tim Lincecum to beat the Tampa Bay Rays 13-5 on Tuesday night for just their third win in 15 games.

"It's always fun scoring runs," Cron said. "It would be nice if we could maybe string a few in a row, but you take `em when you can get `em."

Cron had a solo shot off Jake Odorizzi (3-4) during a four-run second and a three-run drive against Enny Romero in a six-run ninth, his second multihomer game in four days. He had six hits, including a pair of homers, in Saturday's 21-2 win at Boston.

Andrelton Simmons had three RBI, including a two-run double in a three-run sixth.

Reliever Deolis Guerra (2-0) pitched 1 1/3 perfect innings.

Odorizzi, winless in 10 starts at home this season, gave up seven runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings for the Rays, who have lost 17 of 20.

"Overall, not a very productive night for any of us," Rays manager Kevin Cash said.

Nick Franklin gave Tampa Bay a 5-4 lead in the fifth on a two-run single off Lincecum, who allowed five runs and a career-high tying 10 hits over 4 2/3 innings. The ERA of the two-time NL Cy Young Award winner rose to 7.50 in four starts.

"I'm not really where I want to be. I thought I would have ironed some things out by now, but obviously I've been here for a long time and I've got to find my way out of it," Lincecum said.

Logan Morrison had a solo shot in a two-run third for the Rays.

The Angels had a couple gaffes early on.

Steven Souza Jr. tripled in the third when his fly ball dropped between outfielders Shane Robinson and Kole Calhoun. Souza scored on Corey Dickerson's infield single.

July 6, 2016 Page 23 of 25

Souza was replaced by Brandon Guyer in center field to start the fourth. Cash said Souza is not hurt but declined to give specifics.

Souza said he was pulled for not running hard the whole play.

"I think the bottom line is I play hard, but right there I didn't play very hard," Souza said. "I got caught slippin' and took for granted a routine play. Yeah, I got to third, but I could have easily scored if I was running hard. It's a bit embarrassing. I'm not proud of it."

Franklin went from second to third in the fourth when catcher Carlos Perez was charged with an error for overthrowing Lincecum after a pitch. Franklin was thrown out at the plate attempting to score on Hank Conger's grounder.

TIME OFF FOR TROUT

Trout had his stretch of starting 145 consecutive games end. "He needs a day," manager Mike Scioscia said. Trout, voted to the AL All-Star team Tuesday night, pinch run in the ninth after Robinson was hit in the foot by a pitch and then rolled his ankle at first base.

SAN DIEGO-BOUND

Rays closer Alex Colome was reinstated from the 15-day disabled list and got even better news just the before game time, when Cash informed the right-hander that he became a first-time All-Star.

ALEX IN ACTION

Rays RHP Alex Cobb (Tommy John surgery) is excited about his first rehab start Wednesday night for Class A Charlotte. "I've put a lot of work in to this point to try and go see if I can figure out how to be competitive again on the mound," Cobb said.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Angels: LF Daniel Nava left in the sixth with a sore knee. . LHP C.J. Wilson has decided to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery. ... LF Jefry Marte (bruised left knee) entered in the fifth as a pinch-runner. . C Geovany Soto (right knee) won't return during the series with the Rays.

Rays: CF Kevin Kiermaier (fractured left hand) will hit in an indoor cage Wednesday and targets a return right after the All-Star break.

UP NEXT

Angels RHP Jered Weaver (6-7) and Rays LHP Drew Smyly (2-9) are Wednesday night's starters.

July 6, 2016 Page 24 of 25

Angels’ Wilson leaning toward shoulder surgery

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Los Angeles Angels left-hander C.J. Wilson will have shoulder surgery to address fraying of the labrum and rotator cuff.

The team announced the news during a game Tuesday night at Tampa Bay. Surgery is tentatively scheduled for next week in Los Angeles with Dr. Neal ElAttrache.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia said before the game that Wilson was "leaning" toward having season-ending surgery after getting a second opinion Thursday.

"As of right now, he hasn't been able to get over the hump," Scioscia said.

Wilson has not pitched in a game since having surgery last August to remove bone spurs from his left elbow. He has a career record of 94-70, including 51-35 with Los Angeles.

The Angels are also without two other starters, Garrett Richards and Andrew Heaney, who are both out with elbow injuries.

FROM FOX SPORTS

Angels-Rays Preview

STATS LLC

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Many things have gone wrong in the Rays losing 17 of their last 20 games, but manager Kevin Cash took a rare step Tuesday, pulling outfielder Steven Souza after he didn't run out of the box on a routine fly to center that ended up dropping between two outfielders.

Souza made it to third and scored later, but the message was sent that Cash isn't tolerating any dropoff in effort, even from players known for their energy.

"I think the bottom line is that I play hard, but right there I didn't play very hard," Souza said. "I got caught slipping and took for granted a routine play. I basically wore a triple for it and I got to third, but I could have easily scored if I was running hard."

Cash declined to address the issue after the game, saying "there are issues that happen in a team that we address in-house. We'll keep it in-house and we'll move on from there."

July 6, 2016 Page 25 of 25

The Rays' struggles haven't been limited to any one part of their team -- their starting pitching has consistently failed to get beyond the fifth and sixth innings, and their bullpen has been terrible in the past three weeks, allowing runs in 18 of the last 20 games.

In the ninth inning of the last six games alone, the Rays have given up 19 runs, this after allowing a total of 23 runs in the ninth inning of the first 77 games.

Wednesday's game offers two struggling starters with ERAs over 5.00 -- Los Angeles' Jered Weaver is 6-7 with a 5.51 ERA, and Rays left-hander Drew Smyly is 2-9 with a 5.53 ERA, so it could be another high-scoring affair after seeing the two teams combine for 30 hits in Tuesday's game.

As rough as the first eight innings were, the Rays were down just 7-5 entering the ninth, seeing closer Alex Colome come back off the disabled list with a scoreless ninth. Enny Romero faced three batters and allowed all three to score on C.J. Cron's three-run home run, and then Dana Eveland replaced him and gave up four hits for three more runs.

In the other dugout, the Angels were thrilled to show the depth of their lineup for once, with Mike Trout getting a rare day out of the starting lineup and Albert Pujols a quiet 1-for-6 on the night. The rest of the batting order came through for 15 hits, something Mike Scioscia was happy to see.

"We need our lineup to get deeper, particularly the guys that are going to hit right after Mike and Albert," Scioscia said, talking about players like Cron and Jefry Marte. "The 5-6 hole for us is really important. Hopefully with C.J. getting comfortable, and Marte has thunder in his bat. Hopefully we'll start getting a little deeper.

Mike Trout named a starter on 2016 AL All-Star team

Vince LaRosa / FOX Sports West

There was never really any doubt but now it's official: Mike Trout will start in his fourth MLB All-Star Game. It is Trout's fifth consecutive All-Star Game selection.

The Angels center fielder and two-time All-Star MVP was the AL's top vote getter in the outfield once again this season posting a .324 batting average with 17 home runs and 54 RBI in the season's first half. The 2016 All-Star Game in San Diego will be Trout's fourth All-Star start before age 25, putting him in a select group that includes Al Kaline, Ivan Rodriguez, Joe DiMaggio, Ken Griffey Jr. and Mickey Mantle.