Los Angeles Angels startrt Matt Shoemaker watches a pitch to the New York Yankees during the second inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, June 14, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) ORG XMIT: ANS106
Los Angeles Angels’ Andrelton Simmons stops a ground-ball single by New York Yankees’ Brett Gardner during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, June 14, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) ORG XMIT: ANS118
New York Yankees’ Gary Sanchez, right, celebrates his three-run home run with third base coach Joe Espada during the first inning of the team’s baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Wednesday, June 14, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) ORG XMIT: ANS104
New York Yankees starting pitcher Michael Pineda throws to a Los Angeles Angels batter during the second inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, June 14, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) ORG XMIT: ANS105
New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge runs to first base after hitting a fly ball during the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Wednesday, June 14, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) ORG XMIT: NYOTK
Los Angeles Angels’ Eric Young Jr. watches an RBI single during the third inning of the team’s baseball game against the New York Yankees, Wednesday, June 14, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) ORG XMIT: ANS107
New York Yankees starting pitcher Michael Pineda walks back the mound after throwing a wild pitch allowing Los Angeles Angels’ Albert Pujols to score during the third inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, June 14, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) ORG XMIT: ANS108
Los Angeles Angels’ Danny Espinosa, right, leaps to avoid a collision with New York Yankees’ Gary Sanchez, who was doubled off second on an unassisted double play by Espinosa on a liner by Rob Refsnyder during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, June 14, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) ORG XMIT: ANS109
Los Angeles Angels’ Eric Young Jr. hits a RBI single during the third inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Wednesday, June 14, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) ORG XMIT: NYOTK
New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge walks through the dugout during the third inning of the team’s baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Wednesday, June 14, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) ORG XMIT: ANS110
Los Angeles Angels’ Andrelton Simmons, left, scores past New York Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez during the third inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, June 14, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) ORG XMIT: ANS111
New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge, left, is tagged out by Los Angeles Angels catcher Juan Graterol during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, June 14, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) ORG XMIT: ANS112
New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge slides past home plate after he was tagged out by Los Angeles Angels catcher Juan Graterol trying to score on a single hit by Starlin Castro during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, June 14, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) ORG XMIT: NYOTK
New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge kneels near home plate after he was tagged out by Los Angeles Angels catcher Juan Graterol while trying to score on a single by Starlin Castro during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, June 14, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) ORG XMIT: ANS114
Los Angeles Angels’ Danny Espinosa, left, chases New York Yankees’ Chase Headley before tagging him out during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, June 14, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) ORG XMIT: ANS115
New York Yankees’ Chase Headley watches his RBI single during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Wednesday, June 14, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) ORG XMIT: ANS116
New York Yankees’ Starlin Castro reacts after striking out during the seventh inning of the team’s baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Wednesday, June 14, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) ORG XMIT: ANS118
Los Angeles Angels’ Andrelton Simmons, center, celebrates his two-run home run with Luis Valbuena as New York Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez, right, waits during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, June 14, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) ORG XMIT: ANS119
Los Angeles Angels’ Andrelton Simmons, left, celebrates his two-run home run with Eric Young Jr. during the seventh inning of the team’s baseball game against the New York Yankees, Wednesday, June 14, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) ORG XMIT: ANS120
Los Angeles Angels’ Andrelton Simmons points upward after hitting a two-run home run during the seventh inning of the team’s baseball game against the New York Yankees, Wednesday, June 14, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) ORG XMIT: ANS121
Los Angeles Angels’ Kole Calhoun catches the ball hit by New York Yankees’ Aaron Hicks during the ninth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, June 14, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. It was ruled a double after video review. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) ORG XMIT: ANS122
ANAHEIM — On a night that Eric Young Jr. continued to make Angels’ fans wonder what the team will do with him when Mike Trout comes back, Matt Shoemaker showed why you can never look too far ahead in this game.
Shoemaker left the game in the fourth inning with tightness in his forearm. There was no further word on the severity of his injury.
The good news was that the Angels still won, beating the New York Yankees, 7-5, with Andrelton Simmons providing the go-ahead runs with a two-run homer in the seventh.
The lesson, though, is that it’s pointless to try to predict roster moves too far in the future, because each day brings the potential of another injury that changes the variables.
In Shoemaker’s case, the Angels have Doug Fister throwing at Triple-A, scheduled to start on Friday and with a June 21 out in his contract. If Shoemaker needs to miss a start, Fister would seem to be the obvious one to take his spot.
As for Young, he has been a revelation for the Angels ever since he came to the big leagues to take Trout’s spot. A night after he had the game-tying and game-winning hits, the 32-year-old journeyman provided the go-ahead RBI, threw out a runner at the plate and made a diving catch.
Just after his catch in the top of the seventh preserved a tie, Simmons ripped a homer in the bottom of the inning. His seventh homer of the year put the Angels ahead, 7-5, in a game in which they had trailed 4-0 before even coming to bat.
Shoemaker gave up four runs in the first, three on a Gary Sanchez 441-foot homer. After that, though, he settled down. He escaped without damage in the second and third.
In the fourth, after he had allowed two singles, one an infield hit, to start the inning, the Angels summoned trainer Eric Munson to the mound to check on him. After some discussion, Shoemaker left the game.
Meanwhile, the Angels chipped away at Michael Pineda to get the lead.
They scored one in the first, but they nearly tied it. Luis Valbuena blasted a drive to straightaway center with the bases loaded. Aaron Hicks leapt at the fence and snagged it, perhaps robbing Valbuena of a grand slam. He settled for a sacrifice fly.
In the second, Danny Espinosa blasted a two-run homer, as he continues to dig out of an early season hole. Espinosa came into Wednesday’s game hitting .257 in his previous 11 games, with a homer and two doubles. It’s progress for a player whose average has been well under .200 all season.
Young’s RBI single capped a two-run third to give the Angels the lead, but the Yankees tied it with an unearned run in the sixth.