ANAHEIM -- Top pitching prospect Caden Dana joined the Angels for a second time this season, as he was called up from Triple-A Salt Lake before Saturday’s game against the Marlins. But he’s slated to be optioned again on Sunday, with lefty Jake Eder coming up from Triple-A.
Dana, ranked as the club’s No. 2 prospect and MLB’s No. 65 prospect by MLB Pipeline, was scratched from his start at Triple-A to join the Angels’ bullpen as a long reliever. Dana, though, gave up a three-run homer in the seventh inning of a 6-2 loss to the Marlins that saw the Angels’ win streak end at eight games. It was the club’s longest winning streak since winning 10 in a row in Sept. 2014.
Dana pitched the final three frames for the Angels but scuffled in his first inning of work, throwing 41 pitches (21 strikes). He walked three in the inning and served up a three-run blast to Connor Norby on a 1-2 changeup. He gave up three runs on three hits and four walks with four strikeouts and has a 7.50 ERA in six innings this year.
“After the first inning, he settled in and he saved the bullpen,” manager Ron Washington said. “We got a chance to stay away from some guys that we needed to keep down. He got two outs in that sixth inning when he ended up giving up the three-run home run. If he could have made the pitch, three runs wouldn't have been on the board. But he didn't.”
Dana joined the club with right-hander Shaun Anderson -- who had a 6.30 ERA in 10 innings, including allowing four runs in 1 1/3 innings on Friday -- getting designated for assignment. Eder, who had a 4.78 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 26 1/3 innings at Triple-A, will replace Dana on Sunday and is also stretched out after allowing three runs over six innings on Tuesday.
Dana, 21, had posted a 5.21 ERA with 41 strikeouts and 16 walks in 38 innings at Triple-A Salt Lake. He had a 3.28 ERA through his first six starts but allowed a combined 11 runs over 5 1/3 innings in his last two starts.
“My main focus has been staying healthy and staying the course,” Dana said. “Honestly, just mentally, just being day to day. Did a couple little things here and there, mechanically with the front side a little bit and being more deceptive.”
Dana, the youngest player in the American League, also was called up early in the season, allowing two runs over three innings against the Guardians on April 4. It was his first time in the bullpen, and he believes it was a learning experience.
“That definitely helped, coming up here early and coming out of the bullpen for the first time,” Dana said. “It made me feel more comfortable with it.”
Dana’s stay, however, was a short one, especially after throwing 63 pitches against Miami. That’s why Washington said he doesn’t think it’ll affect Dana’s growth or ability to be a big league starter.
“That's not going to stagnate his development, because once we use him, if need be, we're gonna send him back,” Washington said pregame. “If not, we're gonna keep him here. We're gonna do what we have to do to help us, and right now, we feel like he’s the guy who can help us.”
Dana also made three starts in the Majors last September, going 1-2 with a 9.58 ERA with eight strikeouts and seven walks in 10 1/3 innings. He said the biggest lesson he learned is the importance of getting ahead of hitters and not nitpicking around the zone. It’s something he did better with in the eighth and ninth inning.
“Throw strikes,” Dana said. “I think most of the times when I got into trouble was when I got behind in the counts and walked guys. So get ahead with your stuff and trust it's going to be there.”