Wilson feels good after return to throwing off mound

ANAHEIM — The focus has suddenly turned to C.J. Wilson.

With Garrett Richards likely out until the middle of next season after tearing the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, Andrew Heaney on the shelf at least until the start of July and Tyler Skaggs still unable to resume his throwing program, Wilson’s return has become vital to the Angels’ hopes of staying afloat leading up to the All-Star break.

On Tuesday, Wilson threw a 37-pitch bullpen session — his second time pitching off a mound in three days. He’ll throw another one on Thursday, then pitch in a simulated game on Monday and progress from there. The 33-year-old left-hander is eligible to return from the 60-day disabled list as early as June 2 and could rejoin the Angels’ rotation shortly thereafter.

If you count Monday’s scheduled workout, Wilson can have as many as four outings before the end of May.

Wilson hadn’t thrown off the mound since the middle of Spring Training because of reoccurring shoulder pain any time he threw from a downhill angle. He had talked about drastically altering his delivery in order to compensate, but said Tuesday that his current arm slot is actually “not that much different.”

“It’s more that I’m across my body just a little more,” said Wilson, who mixed in sliders, changeups and two-seam fastballs in his latest bullpen session. “It’s a different look. It’s not …

continue reading in source mlb.mlb.com