Angels Jared Walsh will make his season debut against the Twins

First baseman Jared Walsh could make his season debut Saturday night when the Los Angeles Angels hosted by Minnesota Twins in Anaheim, California

Walsh, 29, revealed during spring training that he had been experiencing neurological symptoms, including headaches and insomnia, for several years. He saw a specialist in Utah and entered a two-week program.

The program lasted three weeks and ended in early April. However, Walsh remained out until he began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Salt Lake on May 12. He played in seven games with the Bees, hitting .440 (11-25) with one homer and six RBIs. is expected to join the big league club on Saturday.

Walsh was an All-Star in 2021, hitting .277 with 29 homers, 98 RBIs and an .849 OPS. But he struggled last season, in part because he missed time while dealing with thoracic outlet syndrome, a condition in which blood vessels or nerves are compressed, causing pain in the shoulders and neck and numbness in the fingers.

without Walsh, Angels Manager Phil Nevin mixed and matched four players at first base: Gio Urshela (16), Brandon Drury (14), Jake Lamb (14) and Matt Thaiss (two)

“Hopefully (Walsh will be back) sooner rather than later, but it will be in Jared’s time.” Angels CEO Perry Minasian said. “The biggest thing is that we’re happy for the other side, right? He’s sleeping better, he’s healthier and he’s obviously in a good place mentally and physically. We all know what a good player he is.

Pitcher Patrick Sandoval (3-2, 3.22 ERA) will make his ninth start of the season. Angels. 1-1 with 1.98 ERA in two starts against Minnesota

Right-hander Louie Varland (1-0, 4:30) will be on the mound. Gemini, his fifth start of the season. He is 0-1 with a 4.76 ERA in one start against Angels

Winger Joey Gallo is expected to return to the lineup on Saturday Gemini after starting Friday’s 5-4 loss at the Angels on the bench. On Wednesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers, he fouled a ball off his right shin and suffered a contusion. He entered Friday’s game in the seventh inning

He will likely return to the leadoff position, something of an unusual decision for a hitter known for strikeouts and home runs. But since Max Kepler is out with a pulled hamstring, Gemini Manager Rocco Baldelli introduced Gallo for the first time in his career last Saturday against the Chicago Cubs.

Gallo hit a home run in his first two games and is 6-for-22 in his last six games with three homers and seven RBIs. And while he admitted he would do whatever was asked of him, Gallo said he wasn’t thrilled about the move.

“It’s not that I don’t want to, but I don’t want to,” Gallo joked, adding that it’s been an adjustment because he can’t study a pitcher before running a game.

“I think that’s the hardest thing for me,” he said. “That’s something I’m not used to, going up there and being the first guy to attack and see what a pitcher is doing and stuff. I think it’s different for me.”

— Field Level Media