Yankees silence Angels offense in shutout victory
The Angels' ninth-inning rally in the previous game had promised a promising showing at the plate, but fell short. On Tuesday, Yoán Moncada homered, Taylor Ward singled, and Luis Rengifo brought a run home with a line drive up the middle. Yet, the Angels lost 1-0 to the Yankees on Wednesday night, securing a sweep and making their eight-game win streak seem insignificant.
The game ended with catcher Logan O'Hoppe striking out on a breaking ball that was deemed out of the strike zone. After the game, both O'Hoppe and manager Ron Washington disagreed with the call, but accepted it as part of the game. The Angels remained scoreless in their final three outs, with their offense appearing to lack vitality at Angel Stadium.
O'Hoppe was uncertain about the reasons behind the struggling offense, but remained unfazed. "We're not gonna panic," he stated. "We've got 100 games left, so we're not gonna panic."
Prior to the game, the Angels (25-30) ranked last in MLB in walks drawn and second-to-last in strikeouts. Wednesday's game saw more of the same, with the team drawing just two walks and striking out eight times.
Manager Ron Washington attempted to salvage the homestand, intentionally walking Aaron Judge in the first and second innings. While this strategy worked in one instance, it led to the only run of the game when Judge reached base with a man on in the first, followed by a sacrifice fly in the next at-bat.
Washington explained his decision to walk Judge, stating, "He's dangerous - a lot of respect, lot of respect. I don't know what could have happened in that game if I wouldn't have walked him those first two times. You don't mess with that. I don't care how he's swinging the bat, you don't mess with that if you don't have to."
In related news, the Angels reshuffled their roster before the game. Veteran infielder Tim Anderson and catcher Chuckie Robinson were designated for assignment, while left-hander Jake Eder was sent to triple-A Salt Lake City. In turn, right-handed relief pitcher Robert Stephenson was activated off the 60-day injured list, and infielder Scott Kingery was recalled from triple-A Salt Lake City.
Stephenson, who signed a three-year, $33-million deal with the Angels before the 2024 season, hopes to return to a high-leverage role. Kingery, who has not appeared in the major leagues since 2022, will play center field, second base, and third base. The 31-year-old has struggled in recent seasons but is optimistic about his chances with the Angels.
As for Mike Trout, who has been out with a left knee injury, he continued his recovery process. Trout faced live pitching and performed baserunning drills on Wednesday. Washington acknowledged that Trout looked good but was not yet at 100%. Trout was hitting .179 with nine home runs and 18 RBIs before sustaining the injury on April 30.
The Angels will look to recover from their offensive slump when they face Cleveland and Boston in their next games. They'll first play the Guardians at Progressive Field on Friday to start their six-game trip.
[1] Los Angeles Angels: Record, Position, and League Rankings (As of May 2025)[2] MLB Power Rankings (May 2025) - [source][3] Angels' Performance and Season Outlook (May 2025) - [source][4] The Athletic Rebuild - A Purposeful Strategy (May 2025) - [source][5] Taking on Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers: The Angels' Aspiration for More (May 2025) - [source]
- Despite the Angels' promising plate appearances in some games, they continue to struggle offensively, ranking last in MLB in walks drawn and second-to-last in strikeouts.
- The Angels will be without veteran infielder Tim Anderson and catcher Chuckie Robinson, who were designated for assignment before their upcoming game against Cleveland.
- The Dodgers, their fellow California-based team in the MLB, are a formidable competitor the Angels aspire to surpass, given Shohei Ohtani's presence on the team.
