MADISON- The Rocket City Trash Pandas continued its move towards opening day 2020 as the team announced its corporate partnership for its medical needs.

SportsMED Orthopaedic and Spine Center and Crestwood Medical Center have been selected by the Trash Pandas for a multi-year corporate partnership to administer medical assistance for the team when it begins play next year.

Among the partnership will be orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Troy Layton of SportsMED who was personally chosen by the Trash Pandas’ parent club, the Los Angeles Angels, to be the squad’s team physician. Layton is a 30-year veteran in the area of sports medicine and has served as team physician for high school and college programs and professional teams including the longtime minor league team the Huntsville Stars, which was part of the Milwaukee Brewers’ organization.

“SportsMED has long been associated with athletics in this area and we welcome the experienced staffs at Crestwood and SportsMED and are thrilled to have Dr. Layton as the Trash Pandas’ team physician,” said Trash Pandas CEO Ralph Nelson. “With the outstanding facilities at Crestwood Medical Center, combined with Dr. Layton’s amazing experience, the Trash Pandas’ players will be in excellent hands. We are excited and gratified to be partners with SportsMED and Crestwood.”

Logos for both Crestwood and SportsMED will also be prominently featured throughout the new stadium of the Trash Pandas including the club on the suite level, which will be named SportsMED Stadium Club.

“We are excited and honored to be a part of this organization,” said Blake Bentley, longtime CEO of SportsMED. “We visited the stadium and we believe it is unbelievable- everything is first class. We’ve had a long relationship with baseball in the region and we’re glad it’s back in the Rocket City.”

Dr. Pam Hudson, Crestwood Medical Center CEO, said, “Crestwood is proud to continue our support of the North Alabama community by partnering with the Rocket City Trash Pandas as its hospital provider. Baseball is back in our area for families to enjoy and we are honored to be a part of this exciting community asset.”

“It was a long process to get to this point with our medical providers and the Angels were heavily involved in the selection process,” added Nelson.

The Trash Pandas will open its inaugural season next spring with the home opener set for April 15.