Who were the best Angels in July? The team limped into the All-Star break with questions surrounding this team. The biggest being Shohei Ohtani’s status as an Angel. All of that has slowly changed. They control their destiny for a minute. The Los Angeles Angels went 11-10 in July before hitting another seven-game skid to start August.
Best Angels In July
Moiank Figured It Out
Mickey Moniak has been a crucial part of the team’s hot streak. The former number-one overall draft pick has put it all together this year, especially recently. Moiank was a bust before this year. He had been struggling to get his footing in the big leagues. Last year his line in limited action was .170/.207/.302. His partial seasons in Philadelphia showed nothing promising. Granted, he never got the chance to find his place while he was there.
In 22 games in July, his line was .309/.343/.457 and a 120 wRC+, a far cry from his time in Philadelphia. During the series against the Yankees, Aaron Boone stated he didn’t walk Ohtani during crucial moments because of Moniak. That’s something that nobody saw coming. Moniak has turned a corner this year it seems. His numbers against left-handed pitching are not great, including just five total hits when facing them.
Mickey Moniak robs Joc Pederson of a game-tying home run! pic.twitter.com/BfSh03hGT8
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) August 8, 2023
Patrick Sandoval Turned a Corner
Patrick Sandoval has been a hidden gem for a few seasons. Last season for the Angles, his ERA was .2.91 with a 1.339 WHIP in 27 games started. He was looking good during the World Baseball Classic, pitching for Team Mexico. There was reason to be excited for Sandoval, who would pitch as the number 2 starter for the Angels. Sandoval had a rough start to the 2023 campaign. Exploding to an ERA of 7.11 in June. Everything was going wrong in the 25 innings he pitched.
He turned a corner in July. He was the best Angels pitcher as he pitched to an ERA of 1.04 and a WHIP of 1.11. His past July was the best month he has thrown in a short career. He has been a bright spot on the staff. Many people have been high on Sandoval, waiting for him to take the next step. He has finally begun to do that.
Mike Moustakas’ Resurgence
The June acquisition of Mike Moustakas paid dividends for the Angels. Since coming to the Angels, he has already outmatched his production as a member of the Rockies. Moustakas had a line of .272/.306/.457 and a 107 wRC+ in July. Many of his home runs have been in clutch situations. The production is needed from the corner infielder with the often injured Anthony Rendon on IL.
In addition to being one of the best Angels on offense, Moustakas has brought some much-needed leadership to the team. He has been to playoffs and won a World Series with Kanas City in 2015. Knowing the rough road ahead of the team is the key to getting to the playoff since anything can happen past that. This attitude has been a welcomed change for the Angels and their fans. He might be on a one-year deal. Hopefully, he left an excellent impression to return next year in a similar role.
The Angels continue to have an up-and-down season. Despite a rough start to July, the Angels managed to turn into a month that got them into the playoff chase. Funny enough, the Angels have handed another hard start to August. In the first ten games in July the Angels went 2-8, and in August they are currently at 2-7. Like July they can turn things around if players get hot at the right time.
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Photo Credit- Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Players Mentioned- Shohei Ohtani, Mickey Moniak, Patrick Sandoval, Mike Moustakas, Anthony Rendon
