ANAHEIM ― Jared Walsh was on deck in the fourth inning Wednesday. In the Cleveland Guardians’ bullpen, left-hander Pat Hentges was getting warm. Sure enough, as soon as Zach Plesac walked Mike Trout to end an eight-pitch plate appearance, Guardians manager Terry Francona emerged from the dugout to remove his right-handed starting pitcher.

Walsh is accustomed to the treatment by now. Angels manager Joe Maddon hasn’t started Walsh, who bats left-handed, against a left-handed pitcher since Opening Day. Opposing managers are likewise treating the matchup preference as gospel.

Tuesday, Francona used left-hander Anthony Gose in the eighth inning with Walsh (and fellow left-handed hitter Shohei Ohtani) due up.

Through Monday, Walsh had just two singles, three strikeouts, and no walks against left-handers in nine at-bats this season. That’s in line with career numbers that have seen Walsh amass a .923 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) against righties and .608 against lefties through Tuesday. But there are signs the tide might be turning.

Walsh’s double against Gose on Monday night was his first extra-base hit against a left-handed pitcher since October of last year. His RBI single against Hentges – a 110-mph laser to right field – drove in the Angels’ seventh run of the game Wednesday.

“I went down to Jeremy (Reed) before the (Walsh vs. Gose) at-bat and said, ‘sometimes you’ve got to get a left-hander to get going period because he’s been struggling a little against right-handers too,’” Maddon said.

Gose has enjoyed an unusual career. From 2012-16, he was an outfielder for the Toronto Blue Jays and Detroit Tigers, only to emerge last year as a relief pitcher. In that short time, he’s displayed a reverse split, enjoying more success against right-handed hitters than lefties.

Hentges is not a reverse-split lefty. Southpaws had a .250/.305/.329 slash line against him prior to Wednesday.

Maddon said that one at-bat cannot move the needle on his evaluation of Walsh, who made the American League All-Star team last year despite being platooned. But any success Walsh has in his limited exposure to lefties can help in one regard.

“I think that his confidence should go up,” Maddon said.

FLETCHER (SORT OF) RETURNS

The once-imminent return of David Fletcher might have hit a snag.

The infielder returned to Angel Stadium for a medical evaluation one day after he played nine innings in a rehab game with Triple-A Salt Lake on Tuesday. He had been medically cleared to return from his left hip strain this week, but Maddon said the reason for Fletcher’s evaluation was not consistent with the Angels’ protocol for a player about to be activated from the injured list.

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“Health-wise he’s been running, but maybe not to his all-out abilities yet,” Maddon said. “We’re still checking on that. Otherwise, he’s been fine.”

Fletcher was hitting .077 (1 for 13) at the time of his injury He was hitting .176 (3 for 17) in four rehab games with the Bees, who are in the midst of a series in Round Rock, Texas. The Angels begin a road trip in Chicago on Friday.

ALSO

Jon Jay, who played five games for the Angels last season before being designated for assignment, announced his retirement from baseball. The 37-year-old outfielder batted .357 (5 for 14) as an Angel and .283 for seven teams over 12 major league seasons. … Third base coach Phil Nevin was absent due to an undisclosed illness. Field coordinator Mike Gallego took his place.

UP NEXT

Cleveland (RHP Cal Quantrill, 1-0, 3.94 ERA) at Angels (LHP Reid Detmers, 0-1, 6.57 ERA), Thursday, 1 p.m., Bally Sports West, 830 AM