​Right-hander Grayson Rodriguez fought through his return from the injured list on Friday night, edging back into action after dealing with lower back tightness. Making his first appearance back from the IL, Rodriguez went 5 1/3 innings, allowing three earned runs on six hits and a walk, while not recording a single strikeout in the Angels’ 4-3 victory over the Twins in Minnesota. The comeback performance wasn’t free of rough moments, though, as the velocity on his fastball sat about a notch below his usual, averaging roughly 95.5 mph. Given it was his first start back from injury, the dip in velocity isn’t necessarily alarming, but it did impact his ability to miss bats. Rodriguez didn’t induce a strikeout, and he totaled only eight whiffs on 43 swings faced.
The Twins jumped on him early, with Trevor Larnach collecting a leadoff double in the first inning and coming around to score on Kody Clemens’ sacrifice fly, giving Minnesota an early edge. Rodriguez settled in after that initial foray, cruising through the next four frames before trouble resurfaced in the sixth. After retiring the leadoff man, he allowed a double and a single to put runners at the corners with just one out. The Angels then went to the bullpen, bringing in left-hander Samy Natera Jr. to attempt to minimize the damage. Natera allowed an RBI double to Brooks Lee, followed by a groundout that plated another run, pushing the Twins’ advantage to two.
On the offensive side, the Angels found their biggest impact in the middle innings. Vaughn Grissom opened the fourth with a solo homer, his fifth of the season, and he has been hot of late, going 7-for-12 over his previous three games. Jorge Soler followed with a double and moved to third on a groundout to first base, scoring on Zebby Matthews’ balk to push the Angels’ run total. In the fifth inning, Wade Meckler led off with a single, and Tyler Heineman followed with a bunt single to reach first and second with no outs. Zach Neto then singled to load the bases, and Nolan Schanuel delivered an RBI single to left, bringing in the second run of the inning. Grissom later added a sacrifice fly that brought home the Angels’ fourth and deciding run, delivering the game-winner.
This victory improves the Angels to 38-57 on the season. Grayson Rodriguez’s return remains a sign of potential for the club, as he works to regain form and velocity and reassert himself as a dependable starter in a rotation that is still adjusting after injuries. While Friday’s line included three runs allowed on six hits with a walk and no strikeouts, it also showcased Rodriguez’s durability and willingness to push through a challenging return, setting the stage for continued improvements in his next outing. The Angels will look to build on the offense’s timely contributions, especially in the middle innings, as they aim to maximize the performances of their pitching staff going forward.