Gio Urshela Out For Remainder Of 2023 Season

One of the bigger losses in recent weeks has been losing Los Angeles Angels infielder Gio Urshela after he suffered a fractured pelvis in their matchup with the Texas Rangers on June 15.

Urshela tried to beat out an infield hit, but after stepping on the first base bag, a hard stop with his left leg caused the injury. The 31-year-old went down in immediate pain, signaling a significant injury.

Initial fears for his injury were that he’d miss a great deal of time, and following further evaluation, his first year as a member of the Angels is likely over, per Sam Blum of The Athletic:

Angels infielder Gio Urshela will likely miss the remainder of the season as he recovers from fracturing his pelvis last week, manager Phil Nevin said Wednesday.

On the positive side, Urshela will not need to undergo any operations to address the injury:

The 31-year-old will not need surgery, Nevin said.

Recovery from surgery to repair a fractured pelvis varies from three to four months, especially with how much conditioning and strength training is required to return to game action.

The Angels need to scramble to replace the utility production that Urshela brought to the team, given his versatility. He logged 22 games at first base, 37 games at third, nine at shortstop, and one at second base.

His .703 on-base plus slugging isn’t the highlight of his team contributions, however, his best asset is in his .299 batting average. His ability to get on base with base hits pushes the lineup down and provides Nevin with a veteran hitter who understands the value of making contact.

How can the Angels replace Gio Urshela and his versatility?

A solution to Nevin’s problem with replacing Urshela is currently on the roster in Luis Rengifo. The fifth-year player has spent time at each infield spot, except first base, and all three outfield positions.

His defensive metrics aren’t anything to write home about, but his athleticism is what makes up for a lot of his deficiencies. This accounts for much of his positive UZR/150 (defensive value made up of multiple metrics on a 150 game sample) ratings this season.

Brandon Drury can also take over a number of infield spots, much of like he’s done over the course of his career, and also calling up David Fletcher, another guy who has a plus glove and can hit for average, could be beneficial.