Richards passing test by throwing to hitters

ANAHEIM — With a crowd of teammates looking on, Angels pitcher Garrett Richards took another key step in his recovery as he tries to rehab a UCL tear in time for the 2017 season.

Richards faced hitters on the mound at Angel Stadium for the first time since sustaining his injury in May. He has been cleared to throw for more than a month and will soon head to Arizona to pitch in the instructional leagues. He will also throw another bullpen session this weekend.

“Looked good. These are just baby steps right now of where he will eventually get to,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “As he gets to 100 pitches, doing it every fifth day, but it’s an important first step. He felt great during the workout and we don’t anticipate him doing anything but feeling good in the next couple of days.”

Richards began pitching off a mound on Sept. 17, but only fastballs at approximately …

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