To open the 2024 MLB season, the Halos went into Camden Yards knowing they were the clear underdogs to a team that won 101 games just a year ago.
Not to mention, the Orioles only improved over the offseason, with their biggest acquisition being three-time All-Star Corbin Burnes in a trade with the Brewers.
And Burnes would make the start for the Orioles on Opening Day, only for Mike Trout to hit a solo home run to put the Angels up 1-0 in the top of the first.
But that was the only run the Angels would score off of Burnes in his six innings of work.
Burnes would proceed to collect 11 strikeouts while only allowing two baserunners, a walk and Trout’s solo shot.
On the bump for the Angels was Patrick Sandoval, who struggled with his command early in the game. He walked two, in addition to allowing a hit to load the bases for Anthony Santander. The O’s cleanup hitter would drive in a run on a fielder’s choice before back-to-back hits by Adley Rutschman and Jordan Westberg put the Orioles up by two.
Sandoval’s troubles would continue into the second, so skipper Ron Washington went to the bullpen early. His final line was 1.2 innings, three earned runs, six hits, two walks and two strikeouts. After Sandoval’s early exit, the wheels fell off, as the Angels bullpen would allow six runs over the remainder of the game. The offense would remain quiet too, scoring two more runs en route to a 11-3 opening day blowout.
After an embarrassing start to the season and a day of rest, they looked to bounce back in game two.
In typical Angels fashion, it was much of the same.
The Halos would next turn to Griffin Canning for the start and in the bottom of the first, Gunnar Henderson hit a leadoff home run. Ryan Mountcastle would then drive in another with an RBI double, before striking again in the third inning with another RBI double. Washington pulled Canning after he allowed back-to-back baserunners in the sixth, giving way to Luis Garcia, who was making his Angels debut.
Garcia’s outing was nothing short of disastrous, as he allowed both inherited runners to score, while also permitting three more runs before he recorded a single out. He was pulled — but the damage had been done. The Angels would go on to lose Saturday’s contest by a final score of 11-4. The pitching staff in the first two games allowed a total of 23 runs, setting a new franchise record.
The lineup showed some signs of life offensively, as Taylor Ward hit a two-run homer in game two of the series,, but they were unable to keep up with the Orioles’ powerhouse lineup. The Angels struck out 13 times against Grayson Rodriguez and the Orioles bullpen, nearly matching their 14 K’s the game prior.
New manager Washington has been around the game of baseball for decades, and the one thing he wanted to make clear was that the season wasn’t decided in the first two games. In a meeting he had with the players, he “[j]ust wanted to let them know they’ve played only two games and we can’t get off track,” said Washington, per ESPN.
In the final game of the series, the Angels showed a dramatic shift in energy, especially on the pitching side, proving Washington’s speech may have worked wonders.
In the first, Ward put the Angels on the board early with a two-run homerun off of Orioles starter Tyler Wells, his second in as many games. That was about all of the offense they needed as Reid Detmers stepped onto the mound.
Detmers was tasked with helping prevent a sweep at the Orioles’ hands, and in Monday’s outing, he looked dominant.
In five innings, Detmers would strike out seven while only allowing two hits and a single earned run. He displayed his diverse arsenal that features a mid-90s fastball and two different curveballs. One sat in the mid 80s and acted more as a sweeper, while the other registered in the mid-70s and had more vertical break.
The lefty did have his fair share of command issues, as he walked three, including one that brought in a run in the third. This is something that Detmers has struggled with in his young career, but if he can hone in on his command and keep his pitch count low, he’ll be a potential breakout candidate for the 2024 season.
After his departure, the Angels bullpen—led by Jose Soriano and Carlos Estevez—would pull a complete 180. Soriano went three innings in relief and didn’t surrender a run to a lineup that had just scored double-digit runs in back-to-back games. Carlos Estevez then pitched a clean ninth inning, as the Angels took the final game of the series 4-1.
The Angels then headed to Miami, where they’ll face a Marlins team that the Pittsburgh Pirates just swept in a four-game series.
Chase Silseth got the start in game one and looked serviceable in his short outing. In three innings, he allowed three runs and struck out five. The bullpen took over from there, and only allowed one run (unearned) in six innings of work.
The offense kicked it into another gear on Monday, as the Angels star center fielder Mike Trout went yard twice alongside a solo shot from rookie Nolan Schanuel. Ward had his third consecutive game with an RBI, however Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon is still without a hit as Washington continues to put him in the leadoff spot.
The Angels will turn to Tyler Anderson in game two on Tuesday as the rotation turns back to Patrick Sandoval in the final game of the series. The Halos will look to improve on their quick turnaround and hopefully win their first series of the year.