ANAHEIM -- Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons said during Spring Training that he hoped his participation in the 2017 World Baseball Classic would help serve as a launching pad into the regular season. It seems to be working so far, as Simmons entered Tuesday batting .400 (10-for-25) and collected a hit in each of the Angels' first seven games of the year.
"He's squaring the ball up," manager Mike Scioscia said prior to the Halos' series opener against the Rangers at Angel Stadium. "He finished really strong for us last year in the second half, so he just carried that over.