There is no excellent way to state how bad the struggles of Los Angeles Angels have been since the beginning of August. They are on a seven-game losing streak. The Angels have all but fallen out of the chase of the postseason. From top to bottom, everything has fallen apart completely, and the Angels are playing worse than last year when they lost 14 games in a row last year.
The Angels’ Struggles are Numerous
Not Hitting With Runners On
One thing that has plagued the team all season has been the inability to hit with runners on. New hitting coach Marcus Thames was the hitting coach for the Miami Marlins in 2022. In that season, the Marlins team slashed .230/.294/.363. The .230 batting average was 27th in the league last year. This year, however, the Angels are slashing .254/.323/.443; all are top 5 in the company. The glaring issue is that they have left 801 guys on base, the fourth highest in the league.
With all the production the Angels have had on the offensive side of the ball, how are they struggling this much? 12-86 (.139) with runners in scoring position since July 28th. That lack of production will lead to many losses as the players left on base continue to climb. During this streak, the Angels have no actual approach to the dish. They are swinging at pitches outside of the established strike zone and, at the same time, being extra aggressive on fastballs at the top of the zone.
Thames isn’t entirely to blame for the Angels’ struggles offensively. The players could be more patient in those situations. They want to make contact instead of hunting the fastball and the home run. This lineup has plenty of quality hitters in it. Eventually, it should settle and reset and be back to normal. Unfortunately, there is still time to make any run in 2023.
Same Old Story With Pitching
The Angels need help with starting pitching. Their struggles with pitching have been going on for years. Many have blamed the issues squarely on the pitching coach Matt Wise the past few seasons. This stems from reports of pitchers being sent down to Triple-A and having their problems fixed by the pitching coaches. That could be from another set of eyes seeing and talking to them. Another perspective can be a great tool in sports and shouldn’t be downplayed.
The Angles numbers in the pitching department are as follows. A 4.45 era and a WHIP of 1.366, good for 13th in the league. In addition to failure to pick up when pitchers are tipping to letting pitchers go too far into the game. The mistakes that have been made are mounting. As the season continues and this streak grows, things will get magnified. The era over eight during this streak puts everything into perspective. Many mistakes need to be corrected in the way changes are being made. Up and downs are expected in a long season.
The Angels’ struggles with their pitching have gone on for years. The Angels have had it happen from back contracts, injuries, and failure to perform. At some point, a change would be made to right the ship. The lack of changes can be placed on the fact Arte Moreno didn’t sell the team. Next year that excuse won’t be around. That days of bad pitching could be over next year.
Rest of the Way
The Angels might have to deal with it for the rest of the year. They are currently sitting eight games back of the final wild card. The reasons to make a change and stand pat are essentially the same. Furthermore, being that far behind in the standings, it stands to reason to let it ride out for the rest of the season. The downside is it makes all the aggressive moves made five days before the trade deadline all for not. Joe Maddon lost 12 games before he was relieved of his duties. The Angels’ current streak sits at seven in a row. If they want to attempt to fix their struggles, time is quickly running out.
Main Photo Credits: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Players Mentioned: Marcus Thames, Matt Wise
