The Angels head into their matchup with the Red Sox looking for a reset after a sweep at the hands of the Mariners wiped out the momentum they had been building.
Los Angeles had put together a solid stretch before Seattle arrived, splitting a four-game set with the Athletics, then taking series wins over both Oakland and the Baltimore Orioles. That run had helped the Angels climb to within 5.5 games of the division-leading Texas Rangers. Then came the divisional series against Seattle, and it all came undone.
The finale on Thursday was especially painful: a 1-0 loss in which the only run came across on a bases-loaded walk from rookie right-hander Walbert Urena. Urena was otherwise sharp, working 5.2 innings and allowing just one hit while issuing four walks and striking out six.
He was matched up with Bryce Miller, and the Mariners right-hander was even better. Miller carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning and finished with seven innings, two hits, no walks and eight strikeouts. In nine appearances this season, the 27-year-old has been dominant, going 4-2 with a 1.71 ERA and a 0.66 WHIP, along with a 62:5 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Now the Angels get a chance to get back on track against a Red Sox club sitting in last place in the AL East. Los Angeles will send left-hander Reid Detmers to the mound in the opener, while Boston counters with Jake Bennett, who has been effective in limited work for the Red Sox.
In Other News...
Mike Trouts All-Star Week Suddenly Comes With One Big Doubt
Mike Trouts All-Star week is still shaping up to be a showcase, even with a hamstring strain hanging over it. The Angels outfielder is rehabbing the injury and has started doing light jogging and other movement work, while still leading all American League outfielders in All-Star voting. Before getting hurt, Trout had put together a .234/.394/.472 line with 17 home runs in 74 games, enough to keep his name front and center as the midsummer event approaches.
The bigger question now is how much of that week Trout will actually be able to handle. He is aiming to be on the field in Philadelphia for the All-Star Game, a setting that carries extra meaning given the proximity to his hometown of Millville, New Jersey, but the injury has already put at least one part of the celebration in doubt. For the Angels, it is another reminder that even when Trout is in the middle of an honor roll kind of season, his health remains the story that can change everything. [Read more 🡒]
Angels Fans Can Feel A Familiar Tension Under John Mozeliak
John Mozeliaks arrival as the Angels interim general manager has already added a different kind of intrigue to the organization, one that goes beyond roster moves. Mozeliak has made clear he expects more autonomy than Perry Minasian had, and his early conversation with Arte Moreno sounded productive enough to suggest a fresh working arrangement could be taking shape.
For Angels fans, the bigger question is whether that shift changes how the club is run on a day-to-day basis. Moreno has long been a hands-on owner, but there is now at least a sense that he could lean more on Mozeliaks vision and step back from some of the direct involvement that has defined past decisions, while Mozeliak also looks ahead to better use of resources at the Anaheim facilities and the spring training complex in Arizona. [Read more 🡒]
Former Angels Reliever Suddenly Gets Another Shot And Fans Will Cringe
Drew Pomeranz is getting another big-league look, and it comes after a brief, rocky run with the Angels earlier this season. The veteran left-hander was released in mid-June after struggling in Anaheim and missing time with elbow inflammation, but he resurfaced on a minor league deal with the Cubs and is now in line for a return to a major league bullpen.
Chicagos need is obvious, with injuries thinning out the relief corps and forcing the club to look for healthy arms wherever it can find them. For the Angels, the awkward part lingers in the background: they are still tied to Pomeranzs original contract, while the Cubs only take on the prorated league minimum, a reminder that one teams bullpen patch can be another teams expensive headache. [Read more 🡒]