Disclaimer: This article was written before the Angels began their series against the Boston Red Sox.
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Coming off a disappointing series loss against the Red Sox, a team which seems to be in the midst of a rebuild, the Angels looked towards a huge series against the visiting Rays.
Game one was headlined by a masterful Tyler Anderson performance. Anderson, coming off a disappointing first season in Anaheim in 2023, threw seven innings of shutout baseball, walking one and striking out three. He flourished in limiting hard contact, something that was a big factor in his 2022 breakout season with the Dodgers.
Even though he didn’t need much, Anderson had plenty of run support as three different Halos would record three hits each. Anthony Rendon was the most notable of the trio, as he started the season on a rough patch. Through the first two series against the Orioles and Marlins, both opponents held Rendon hitless. He recorded a couple of singles in the previous series against the Red Sox, but finally broke out in this game with three hits and three runs against the Rays.
Rendon has been hitting out of the leadoff spot to begin 2024—unfamiliar territory for the veteran third baseman. The leadoff spot had normally been reserved for fast on-base threats, but in recent years, managers have been experimenting with putting anybody with the ability to get on base in the leadoff role, the most prominent experiment being the Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber, who leads off despite even though he’s one of the slowest players in baseball.
The core of the Angels offense, three-time American League MVP Mike Trout, also recorded three hits, including a home run. Trout has had a scorching start to the year, slugging six home runs and recording an OPS of 1.195. Trout staying healthy will be key for the Halos offense, as they miss him sorely when he’s not in the lineup.
Overall, the Angels looked dominant to begin the series with their 7-1 win, but they ran out of gas throughout the last two games.
Patrick Sandoval was on the hill for game two, but he once again struggled with his command. In five innings, he walked three while giving up six hits, ultimately surrendering four earned runs. “Sandy” has struggled to go deep into games, racking up high pitch counts early into games that force manager Ron Washington to go to the bullpen early.
However, the bullpen didn’t fare much better, surrendering two more runs that would ultimately be the difference, including a run given up by Jose Cisnero. The veteran right hander has an abominable 14.57 ERA out of the pen, as his errant control in high pressure situations has yielded poor results. This bullpen is expected to carry a large workload this season, especially in the early part of the year as Robert Stephenson is still on the injured list.
Offensively, Trout hit another home run in game two, but the rest of the offense provided mediocre results. [Position] Luis Rengifo would record an RBI, but the Angels offense couldn’t string together a rally as they fell short 6-4.
In the final game of the series, the Angels turned to Jose Soriano, a former reliever turned starter, and he posted a middling performance. In four innings, he gave up six hits and four earned runs, one of those being a home run from Jose Caballero. He did strike out six, but his limited arsenal makes him a wild card as a starting pitcher.
The Angels loaded the bases in the bottom of the first, but they failed to score a run as Brandon Drury struck out to strand three. That would be the theme of the game, as Angels left 14 men on base. Trout, Jo Adell and Matt Thaiss all recorded multi-hit games but the lack of hitting with runners in scoring position became their Achilles heel.
Brandon Drury and Mickey Moniak have struggled early on and Moniak is in danger of losing his already limited playing time. He struck out three times in four at-bats while exclusively facing right handed pitching. Both have a sub .500 OPS and were expected to be big contributors this year, but the season is still young and they have plenty of time to improve.
When Soriano departed, the Angels bullpen took over and delivered five innings of scoreless baseball. Matt Moore, who had a fantastic 2023, went two innings and struck out three without surrendering a baserunner. But the Angels couldn’t quite climb out of the hole, as they lost the series finale 4-2.
The Angels now sit at 6-6, second in the American League West, but they’re going to need a rapid step up in offensive production. The Rays series showed that they have firepower, but until the Angels start hitting with runners in scoring position, they could fall behind in the ultra-competitive AL West.
Now, Los Angeles looks to take on the Red Sox for the second time in two weeks, having lost two of three in the first series. The Red Sox dominated the Angels in their two wins, as Tyler O’Neil’s great offensive performances alongside strong efforts from the starting rotation propelled them. In the Angels lone win, Reid Detmers looked dominant in six innings as he struck out 12 Red Sox, showcasing his ability to be a future ace in the rotation.
If Rendon can continue to build on his strong series against the Rays, alongside the typical offensive showings from Mike Trout, the Angels just need the rest of their offense to chip in and drive in runs, especially with two outs on the board.
The Red Sox rotation has gotten out to a hot start, but the Angels have already seen them once, so that might prove pivotal towards making a positive adjustment.
The Angels are now 7-8 following their series against the Red Sox.