No date yet as to when Andrelton Simmons can return

Having been out since July 27 with an ankle injury, there’s no timetable yet as to when we can see shortstop Andrelton Simmons return to the field. However, manager Joe Maddon said that he’s getting close.

“He’s taking batting practice on the field, it’s on the horizon,” Maddon said. “I don’t have specifics. It’s all good information. I don’t think it’s going to be far into the future to get him back.”

Prior to the injury, Simmons was struggling at the plate to begin the season. Through the first four games of the season he was hitting only .188. Whenever he’s activated it’ll be a big boost for the Angels not only in the lineup, but in the field as well.

The Angels made some notable roster moves on Monday prior to their game versus the Seattle Mariners. The first being that they’ve reinstated left-hander Jose Suarez from the Injured List and have optioned him to the training site.

He’s been on the IL since the beginning of the season. Here’s what Angels pitching coach Mickey Callaway had to say about him on a conference call on Saturday.

“He’s stretched out to a couple innings. I think that he’s available whenever we need him at this point. Obviously he wouldn’t be stretched out to five or six innings yet, but if we needed a spot starter, we’ve seen that around the league.”

Another move made by the club was designating right-handed pitcher Jose Rodriguez for assignment, clearing space on the 40-man roster for Suarez. After appearing in nine games for the Angels last year, Rodriguez only appeared in one outing this season, throwing 1 ²⁄₃ innings of scoreless ball.

It’s been a rough beginning for Jo Adell’s career, to say the least. The Angels’ top prospect has struggled at the plate, going 2-for-15 through his first four games. In addition, his defense has been a little sloppy, too. Maddon isn’t worried about his slow start, knowing very well that’s he’s their top prospect for a reason.

“You want him to slow the hamster wheel down so he can think properly,” he said. “I’ve been giving him different information regarding defense. Just supporting him. He’s a sharp kid. He listens really well. He knows that he doesn’t know everything. He’s got all the right stuff to be great. He’ll figure it out and we’ll keep working through it.”