TEMPE, Ariz. -- Angels right-hander Matt Shoemaker reached a key personal milestone Wednesday, facing live hitters for the first time since being struck on the head by a line drive in September.
Shoemaker, who opted to throw without a screen, faced five batters during live batting practice on the back fields near Tempe Diablo Stadium and said afterward that the session was "awesome."
"It was exciting," Shoemaker said. "I can't say much else about it. Exciting and a lot of fun. … It is a big deal, but I'm glad it didn't feel like a big deal in the sense of executing pitches.