Former Twins stars Torii Hunter, Eddie Guardado enjoying their stints as L.A. Angels coaches

ANAHEIM, Calif. – At the corner of State College and Orangewood Avenue, about a three-minute walk from Angel Stadium, sits a Del Taco fast-food restaurant — and a bit of Angels history. In that modest, low-budget restaurant, agent Larry Reynolds and then-Angels General Manager Tony Reagins sat and negotiated the five-year, $89 million contract that made Torii Hunter an ex-Twin.

“I was on the phone with Larry, and they were working out the deal right there,” Hunter said of that November 2007 meeting. “I think about that when I drive by.”

Nearly two decades later, he’s still working for the Angels.

Hunter and fellow Twins Hall of Famer Eddie Guardado were both wearing Angels uniforms during the Twins’ visit to Angel Stadium this week, Hunter as a special assistant who works the clubhouse in Anaheim and at each of the team’s minor league affiliates, and Guardado as the Angels’ bullpen coach.

“Torii and I, we just can’t get enough baseball,” said Guardado, who was summoned by the Angels last month when bullpen coach Steve Karsay needed hip surgery. “It’s good to be back wearing a uniform. It’s always good trying to help young guys out, guys that are where Torii and I were a long time ago.”

Guardado held the same job with the Twins from 2014-18 under manager Paul Molitor, whom he had dinner with this week. “Eddie remains one of my best friends,” Molitor said. “Any time my soul needs a lift, I talk to Eddie.”

This new stint in a big-league bullpen “has been eye-opening in a lot of ways,” said Guardado, whose 116 saves as a Twin are fourth-most in team history. The increase in velocity “is crazy. Every one of them — the arms we’re dealing with today are amazing,” he said. “But if we can’t get the ball across the plate, what does all that velo mean?”

“Just be available for players that want to talk, that’s my biggest thing. I try to help implement the system, or be a sounding board,” Hunter said. “I’m here to share some of my experience over the years, someone who’s been through some pain of his own, and help them find some solutions.”

Another former Twin, Phil Hughes, was in attendance at Tuesday’s game, which was an eerie coincidence. Hughes’ impressive career was cut short by a case of thoracic outlet syndrome — which is exactly what Twins righthander David Festa was diagnosed with earlier that day.

Every case is different, and there are several variations of the syndrome, Twins head athletic trainer Nick Paparesta emphasized. In Festa’s case, the diagnosis is neurological TOS — “in which there is something, whether it’s an overdevelopment of a muscle and/or underdevelopment of muscles that is impeding some of the nerves” in his right shoulder, Paparesta said.

Festa was examined by Dr. Keith Meister in Dallas and will also consult with Dr. Greg Pearl, a thoracic surgeon who has treated several cases of TOS.

A decision on a course of treatment will wait until after Pearl’s examination, but “some cases can be treated with injections, diagnostic injections where they use Botox,” Paparesta said. “Worst-case scenario is surgery,” which Hughes had in 2016 to remove a rib that was impeding blood flow in his shoulder.

∗ Kahlil Watson hit a three-run homer in the third inning, and that was all the offense the Columbus Clippers needed to beat the St. Paul Saints 7-1 on Wednesday night at CHS Field for their 11th straight loss. Walker Jenkins doubled in the third inning to drive in the Saints’ only run.