Tyler Skaggs is officially back in the Angels’ rotation

Tyler Skaggs has been waiting in the AAA wings to join the Angels’ starting rotation, and before today’s game, the team made his return official. It was announced that Skaggs will start for the Halos on Tuesday, facing off against reigning World Series champs, the KC Royals.

Skaggs first hurt his elbow back on July 31, 2014, and that set off a long, arduous chain of events that involved Tommy John surgery, a bunch of rehab, some more pain, some setbacks and some starts in the minors. It’s been a trying two years for Skaggs, one can imagine, but it’s just about over...the finish line is in sight.

In his last couple starts with the Bees, Skaggs went 12 2/3 innings without allowing a run, and fanning 26 dudes in the process. If you pitch like that in AAA, then you might as well keep your bags packed, because a trip to the big time is a matter of “when”, not “if”.

With the season finishing up it’s sunny little detour they took during the seven game winning streak, and heading back on the main road to the AL West cellar, there isn’t really a huge need for Skaggs’ talented arm, but it’s time we get him going against good competition and further conditioning him to be a mainstay in the next few years.

I was almost going to add that it wouldn’t hurt to have him out there on the hill, doing well and thereby increasing his trade value, but with similar, devastating injuries happening to Garrett Richards, Andrew Heaney and Nick Tropeano, they are in a bind when it comes to their ability to deal an arm. Should be an interesting situation to monitor, though.

At the very least, we have Tyler Skaggs headed back to MLB, and that’s a great story unto itself. He fought hard to get this shot back, so all the best to him and the next phase of his career.