Angels Outfielder Nowhere Near Returning to Halos Amid Injury Recovery

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Gustavo Campero is eligible to return to the team from the 10-day injured list, but has only just started running on the treadmill.

The Colombian twisted his ankle while at bat against the Toronto Blue Jays May 6, and subsequently left the game. The Angels placed Campero on the IL May 9, retroactive to May 7. The Angels selected the 27-year-old from the Pulaski Yankees in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft in December 2020.

Campero made his debut and stayed with the with the Angels through the end of the 2024 season, playing 13 games and logging 46 at-bats, during which he slashed .239/.271/.348. He hit first MLB home run Sept. 28, 2024 against the Texas Rangers and tallied his first career RBI in his debut.

The Angels recalled Campero from Triple-A Salt Lake on April 29, designating veteran corner infielder J.D. Davis for assignment in a corresponding move. Before his injury, he had two hits in 10 at-bats through five games.

He posted impressive numbers with Triple-A Salt Lake in 2025, slashing .333/.397/.472 through 26 games. He had one home run and 15 RBIs with the Bees this season. He opened his campaign with a 14-game hitting streak. He has a career OPS of .875 in MiLB, and has 36 home runs under his belt.

The Angels are in need of the contact hitting outfielder and will hope to return their prolific contact hitter to the team as soon as possible.

Angels outfielders have the fourth-lowest batting average (.220), the lowest batting average on balls in play (.264), and the highest strikeout percentage (27 percent) in MLB this season.

Campero's career major league strikeout percentage of 16.6% would drastically reduce that number, and if Campero can produce for the Angels how he did in the minor leagues, he would become an asset to a team which has struggled to find consistency in their lineup.

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