When the Angels agreed to sign Luis Valbuena to a two-year contract in January, they accordingly agreed to make a choice to keep only one of their two young infielders with power-hitting potential: C.J. Cron and Jefry Marte.
Injuries delayed that decision 39 games and will delay it even longer. For a moment Sunday, it came. Before their series finale against Detroit, the Angels activated Cron from the 10-day disabled list and optioned Marte to triple-A Salt Lake.
But the calculus changed and the decision was reversed when a later MRI examination on third baseman Yunel Escobar’s left hamstring revealed a low-grade strain.