Trey Mancini completes his comeback in start for Angels, his first major league game since 2023

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ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Angels first baseman Trey Mancini, a cancer survivor and former Baltimore slugger, is playing in his first major league game since 2023 against the Houston Astros on Monday night.

The Angels selected the contract of Mancini and put him in the lineup at first base against the Astros after placing infielders Vaughn Grissom (left oblique strain) and Adam Frazier (right elbow inflammation) on the 10-day injured list.

Mancini, 34, agreed to a minor league contract with the Angels in February, a deal that included an invitation to major league spring training. Mancini hit .273 with six homers, 29 RBIs and three steals for Salt Lake this year.

Mancini has batted .263 with 129 homers and 400 RBIs over parts of seven seasons in the majors. He played parts of six seasons with the Orioles and hit a career-high 29 homers in 2019.

Mancini then missed the 2020 season after surgery to remove a malignant tumor from his colon. He made a successful return to the Orioles in 2021, and he won a World Series ring in 2022 after Baltimore traded him to Houston.

He spent part of the 2023 season with the Chicago Cubs. He has since played in the minor league systems of the Reds, Marlins and Diamondbacks.

Mancini opted out of a minor league deal with Arizona last July after batting .308 with 16 homers for Triple-A Reno.

Grissom’s move to the IL was retroactive to Friday. Frazier’s move was retroactive to Saturday.

The Angeles also recalled infielder Denzer Guzman from Triple-A Salt Lake and transferred infielder Yoán Moncada to the 60-day injured list.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB