Angels rookie Niko Kavadas adjusts to major league pitching

Kavadas, who was acquired in a July trade with the Red Sox, has been more aggressive at the plate after starting his career with a 3-for-38 slump, according to Manager Ron Washington. Kavadas says it’s been a matter of adjusting to the “crispness” of major league pitchers.

Sep 14, 2024 - 05:55

Angels rookie Niko Kavadas adjusts to major league pitching

ANAHEIM — Niko Kavadas reached the major leagues with the reputation as a disciplined hitter who counted walks among his offensive strengths.

It took him a couple of weeks to learn the difference between minor league plate discipline and major league discipline, according to Manager Ron Washington.

Kavadas started his career with a 3-for-38 (.079) slump that included 20 strikeouts. Over the past six games, though, he’s 9 for 20 (.450) with two home runs, four strikeouts and four walks.

“He’s being more aggressive,” Washington said. “They’ve been hanging a few breaking balls and some changeups, and he’s been on them. Before he was taking those pitches. He had to get relaxed, and he had to start believing that it doesn’t matter if he swings at a bad pitch. There’s no one that ever walked in that box who didn’t swing at a bad pitch. So right now, he’s in the right frame of mind of being aggressive, and that’s what he has to do.”

Washington said major league pitchers are not going to miss the plate as often as the ones Kavadas is used to seeing.

“You take pitches that you think may be off the plate, and the umpire thinks it’s on the plate,” Washington said. “Every day we put out a sheet on the type of calls that umpire makes, where his strength is on the plate. And if you look at that and pay attention to it, a lot of the pitches that he takes, he’ll be hammering, because they’ll be calling it.”

Kavadas, 25, came to the Angels from the Boston Red Sox in the Luis Garcia trade in July. He is the prototypical left-handed three-true-outcomes hitter, who hits homers, draws walks and strikes out. The Angels needed left-handed power, so they took a flier on Kavadas.

In 94 Triple-A games between the Red Sox and Angels this season, Kavadas hit .264 with a .400 on-base percentage and 19 homers. He had an OPS of .921.

When he got the majors, though, he withstood a difficult adjustment period for a couple of weeks.

“It’s tough, but I’ve done it 100 times before,” he said. “I’ve slumped in high school. I’ve slumped in college. Right before the draft I went 0 for 15 with 10 punches or something like that. I’ve done it in the minor leagues. It’s all part of the game. It’s something you learn how to handle. Just because success isn’t there at the moment doesn’t mean it’s not right around the corner. Sometimes it takes one swing in the game or one swing int he cage and suddenly something in your brain clicks and you go on an absolute heater.”

Kavadas said the difference lately has been simply that he’s better adjusted to what major league pitching looks like.

“There’s a certain level of crispness to every pitch that’s thrown here,” he said. “I don’t want to say guys are gimmicky, but there are levels of deception that makes the productive big league pitchers. It’s not that you don’t see that in the minor leagues, but you don’t see it with every single guy. Just adapting to that crispness and deception is something I’m starting to get a hold on.”

NOTES

Right-hander Ben Joyce said he’s still awaiting results of his MRI exam. Joyce is on the injured list with shoulder inflammation. The Angels are expecting him to pitch again during the final week of the season. …

Catcher Logan O’Hoppe has been dealing with some soreness in his right knee, so Washington opted to give him three straight days off. He was not in the lineup on Wednesday or Friday, and the Angels were off on Thursday. O’Hoppe is expected to be back in the lineup on Saturday. …

Second baseman Brandon Drury was out of the lineup because of hamstring soreness. Washington said they caught it early enough when they pulled him from Wednesday’s game, so he’s hoping he can play again on Saturday. …

Right-hander Carson Fulmer threw a full bullpen session on Friday afternoon. Fulmer, who is out with elbow inflammation, said he’s ready to be activated. …

Outfielder Bryce Teodosio, who fractured the tip of his right middle finger on Tuesday, said he’s improving. He is still day to day. …

Five Ducks players took part in some pregame workouts as part of the Angels’ annual Ducks night. Defenseman Olen Zellweger, center Robbi Fabbri, defenseman Jackson LaCombe, right wing Frank Vatrano and defenseman Radko Gudas took batting practice and worked with Washington on fielding ground balls. “They did a good job,” Washington said of the defensive work. “And if they had to do it for three or four days in a row, I think they’ll catch on. They are athletes.”