Angels Lost 8-7

June 22, 2025

Good news! LaMonte Wade broke up the no hitter in the bottom of the third. Nobody scored in that inning anyway. Nobody at all scored until the bottom of the fourth when Taylor Ward doubled, followed by a Logan O’Hoppe home run. 2-0 Angels.

That didn’t last long, however, as the Astros came back with four runs in the next frame. 4-2 Astros.

In their half of the fourth, the Angels replied with a Lamonte Wade Jr. Single, a Christian Moore single, and a Nolan Schanuel homer to make it 5-4 Angels.

Then Cooper Hummel walked and Hunter Strickland came in to pitch. Mauricio Dubon homered, Luis Guillorme singled, Jose Ramirez doubled, and Jake Meyers hit a sacrifice fly. 8-5 Astros. Not good. The Angels went three up three down in the bottom of the sixth inning and there was no further scoring until the bottom of the seventh..

LaMonte Wade Jr, walked. Kevin Newman grounded into a force out. Christian Moore struck out and Luis Rengifo singled. Nolan Schanuel singled to score Kevin Newman. 8-6 Astros.

In the bottom of the ninth, Zach Neto pinch hit for Kevin Newman, He homered to make it 8-7.

Moore and Rengifo both struck out, but Nolan Schanuel doubled to bring up Mike Trout. Unfortunately, he lined out to center field. The Angels lost this one 8-7.

Photo credit: Rex Fregosi

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Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

6 hours ago

I like the kids. Even though Moores not ready I like him too. Let’s get MOAR KIDZ! Let’s trade Taylor Ward and Kyle Hendricks to the Padres for Kale Founitain, Kavres Tears and Cobb Hightower or something…. maybe get some Henry Baez while we’re at it.

Member

Phil

1 hour ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

Agree!
I’d much rather see Moore given more at-bats, at the expense of Rengifo and Soler.
Give the youngster a chance to prove he needs to be back in the minors.

Like Kyren Paris – who was swinging for the fences at every at-bat, no matter the situation or the count.

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

7 hours ago

I see absolutely no difference between this last series with the Astros and series over the past few years. My rage boner makes me feel alive. This team is not any better than recent teams because I need that. Please don’t take this away from me, without the Angels I only have the WNBA to look down on. I’m not a loser, they’re the losers!

In truth, Nolan’s getting to be pretty much an average 1B now in what should be the time he’s finishing up AAA. The real question is Jo Adell. Jo, are you just messing with us or have things clicked? Sure, you had an ugly ass strike out, but that’s gonna happen. But are you really sorta good or just having a Kyreen streak?

And is Soriano…. an ace? That’s just not possible.

Legend

Eric_in_Portland

7 hours ago

Now that the CWS is over we can really get into the draft. We’ve focused on the #2 pick but we also have #47 and, as Turk’s Teeth keeps suggesting, we might trade for a pick in the 30s. And then there are 18 other rounds. So I’m off to read scouting reports. This will be fun.

Legend

Cowboy26

6 hours ago

Reply to Eric_in_Portland

We aint trading for a comp pick. It’s not Perry’s M.O. Even if he decides to sell something at the deadline he will wait to the very last minute which will be way too late to receive a draft pick.

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

6 hours ago

Reply to Cowboy26

I wouldn’t mind a comp pick trade, but I’ve come to realize that we can get a guy who is likely better than who ever we get with a comp pick in a trade that doesn’t involve a draft pick.

Like if we traded Jansen and Hendricks to the Cubs for Ben Cowles, Brody McCullough and Angel Cepeda…. either Cowles or McCullough is about as likely to help us as a comp pick kid and Cepeda is young and talented. I’d take that.

Trusted Member

SchofieldsWalkoff

8 hours ago

That was a fun game. Had a chance to win & Trout roped it 103 just at someone.

Ain’t mad, they showed they could hang with the Astros in pitching & slugging games.

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

6 hours ago

Reply to SchofieldsWalkoff

Yeh. they lost the series because they are still not as good as the Astros, but they didn’t just assume the fetal position either and they went punch for punch the whole time other than a blowout that we won.

Honestly, I wish we had another game against them….

Super Member

BannedInLA

6 hours ago

Reply to SchofieldsWalkoff

I concur. They lost 2/3 but, the discrepancy between these two teams has noticeably narrowed IMO.

Honestly, the difference in this game was Strickland (whom was past due for a bad outing) and Trout (0-5).

This squad has moxie. And a bit of talent. The foundation of a future playoff contender is there – provided that we hit gold, or at least silver, on a few more yuts.

Legend

Senator_John_Blutarsky

9 hours ago

Didn’t Neto get hit by a fastball on his arm earlier in this series? Maybe that’s why he didn’t start….

Last edited 9 hours ago by Senator_John_Blutarsky

Editor

Legend

Jeff Joiner

9 hours ago

Defense really matters. Rengifo’s error led to 2 runs and we lost by 1.

Super Member

TrojanBoiler

10 hours ago

Man…. The Pacers losing Hali for all of next season really sucks for them.

Super Member

Pineapple12

10 hours ago

Reply to TrojanBoiler

💔😭

Super Member

Brent

10 hours ago

Can’t spell Trout without out.

Dude legit has zero clutch in him.

Legend

Cowboy26

12 hours ago

BREAKING NEWS:

Through 11 straight years and 3 Trashstro regime changes The Angels are still Houston’s Bitches.

That is all. Now back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Legend

angelslogic

12 hours ago

&lt"

Strickland didn’t help matters, but this loss is on RengIFFY-o for his shitty fielding.

Member

Phil

12 hours ago

Reply to angelslogic

Bad teams find ways to lose. Such as:

having Rengifo lead off, giving this 0.220 hitter more chances to make outs
continually using players who are not only defensive liabilities, but also below-average hitters. Rengifo has (-)1.3 WAR
decision to let Hendricks pitch the 6th inning
Trout refusing to acknowledge reality that he has slow bat speed. Stop working counts by giving the pitcher a freebie strike. If the 1st pitch is right down the middle, swing!

Editor

Super Member

Turk's Teeth

10 hours ago

Reply to Phil

I think Trout’s bat speed is actually just fine – top 20th percentile – and when he makes contact, all his batted ball metrics are elite.

The problem is passivity and pitch recognition. He lets too many good pitches go by, gets himself into terrible counts, and then whiffs on crap outside the zone. Bottom 20th percentile whiff %.

It’s like he doesn’t enter the at bat until strike two these days.

Legend

FungoAle

11 hours ago

Reply to angelslogic

YOU! Are you trying to devalue my superstars?

Legend

angelslogic

10 hours ago

Reply to FungoAle

Maybe?

Trusted Member

MH252525

12 hours ago

I didn’t watch the game but did they explain the rationale for not starting Neto? If he’s too hurt that’s one thing, but he came in the game and hit a homer. So can he just not throw? But he did that yesterday? The drop off between him and Kevin (Not a Major League Talent) Newman is insane. They were playing the first place team in their division. I’m sure you ask Neto, he says he can play. I just don’t get it so hopefully they explained that one…..

Legend

angelslogic

12 hours ago

Reply to MH252525

A rest day. 😔

Trusted Member

MH252525

12 hours ago

Reply to angelslogic

vs the first place team? This is why we can’t have nice things.

Legend

angelslogic

12 hours ago

Reply to MH252525

Yep, a really dumb move by Montgomery.

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

7 hours ago

Reply to MH252525

Who gives a shit? Like we’re a game out of first or something and it’s the end of September?

Member

Phil

12 hours ago

Reply to MH252525

I didn’t hear an explanation.
But, I guess it was a rest day.
Because, you know, the Angels believe a 23-y/o needs all the rest days he can get.

Super Member

smithy610

13 hours ago

Rengifo fields that grounder and they get off unscathed in that inning. And maybe Hunter would not have been needed that early and he would not have shit the bed.

Silver lining of this series? Nolan learning to hit lefties, as well as situationally. Logan found his power stroke back. HRs with men on base, good pitching the first two games….and they didn’t look totally outclassed by the trash cans. They’re closing the gap, the pieces are there.

Super Member

Pineapple12

12 hours ago

Reply to smithy610

I’m so high on Nolan, man. You can see he has a plan at the plate every single time.

He was looking to do damage at the plate today and did twice. His other hit was a situational AB where he choked up and went the other way to drive in a run.

His defense is improving too.

Legend

FungoAle

11 hours ago

Reply to Pineapple12

You might be right, a hot week next week could carry Nolan into the AS game. First base is not a strong AL position..

Editor

Super Member

Turk's Teeth

7 hours ago

Reply to FungoAle

Still not seeing it.

Vlad Jr, Aranda, Goldschmidt and O’Hearn are all having stronger seasons in the AL.

As I mentioned in the other thread, Nolan came into today’s game 7th in WAR and wRC+, and second to last in ISO.

I understand the hype is strong in Haloland around Schanuel relative to prior expectations, but in a league context, he’s basically roughly average for a first baseman – strong on base skills trading off for almost league low slugging.

Legend

FungoAle

5 hours ago

Reply to Turk's Teeth

Not likely but with a loud week, might be able to leap frog and force his way into consideration due to the provision, every team must be represented. Aranda needs to get on the team. Goldy and or Vladdy might get voted in as starter but he has been, okay.

Schanny is the best bat in the lineup and has been for a while now. O’Hoppe might be able to force his way on but that swoon hurt is case.

Trusted Member

CAoldskoll

13 hours ago

Strickland literally blew it today, bad time to flop. Mike Trout is a total wash. At game yesterday watching him look at pitches down the middle and striking out on fastballs 91-94mph. Today more of the same. He still has power, and capable of having a good game against poor/mistake pitching. Sorry to admit that’s it. I love the guy, and hope he retires an Angel. But please drop him down in the order.

Member

Phil

12 hours ago

Reply to CAoldskoll

Agree with you, partly (I want to see him traded. If he’s batting 0.240s now, just wait until the last 2 years of the contract, and he might be batting under the Mendoza line).

Trout needs to stop trying to work counts. If he gets the first pitch right down the middle of the plate, just swing.
He can’t afford to give a freebie strike to the pitcher, because he’s no longer able to keep up with a 94-mph fastball (unless he starts the swing early – in which case you see him flailing at breaking pitches, when he’s looking for a fastball. Pujols did this throughout his time with the Angels).

Father Time has caught up to Trout (aka: slow bat speed), and it’ll only get worse in the remaining years of his contract.

Super Member

Pineapple12

12 hours ago

Reply to Phil

Trout’s bat speed for the season is 74 mph, which is in the 81st percentile.

Slugging .512 on fastballs with a whiff % of 23.1%.

The majority of his advanced metrics are still above average to elite. The real issue is he doesn’t swing enough on 0-0 and 1-0.

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/mike-trout-545361?stats=statcast-r-hitting-mlb

Trusted Member

MH252525

12 hours ago

Reply to Pineapple12

if only we had an analytics team that could be telling him things like this.

Super Member

RexFregosi

11 hours ago

Reply to Pineapple12

The fans voting will make him our All Star representative (early results he is 3rd in OF so he’s in)

Legend

FungoAle

13 hours ago

O’Hoppe, Neto and Schanuel all hit homers. The young core.

Super Member

BannedInLA

6 hours ago

Reply to FungoAle

And Kikuchi pitched well in game 1 and Soriano pitched like a #1 for the third straight start.

Super Member

Pineapple12

13 hours ago

This team doesn’t suck and that makes losses like this hurt a bit more. We could’ve easily swept this series, but alas we lost 2/3.

37-40. Can we go 5-1 on the remainder of the homestand and finish June 42-41? I think so. The boys are playing good ball.

Legend

GrandpaBaseball

13 hours ago

Fire Montgomery if he made out the lineup for today. Trout should retire. Neto should have been in the lineup. Strickland allowed to stay to long. Renny leading off, really.

Trusted Member

Simba

13 hours ago

Reply to GrandpaBaseball

They flashed a stat he had the highest Angel BA as lead off last season at .325 (minimum 25 appearances), nudging Carew.

Last edited 13 hours ago by Simba

Trusted Member

Simba

13 hours ago

Reply to Simba

Not saying that made it a good choice but that may have been the rationale

Legend

Senator_John_Blutarsky

13 hours ago

Reply to GrandpaBaseball

Montgomery is not getting fired.

Trout is 33 years old. His OPS for the last 7 games is .809; for the last 15 games it’s .725. He’s not going to retire, but moving down in the order would be a good thing.

Neto is due a rest day from time to time. For all we know, maybe he asked for a light workload today. Strickland has been nails prior to today and has earned a long leash.

Last edited 13 hours ago by Senator_John_Blutarsky

Super Member

YOUknowulovetheIE

11 hours ago

Reply to Senator_John_Blutarsky

After he got hit yesterday he was shaking his hand a few times throughout the game like something was bothering him.

Super Member

TrojanBoiler

10 hours ago

Reply to Senator_John_Blutarsky

.809 would be the highest on the team for the season. Not sure there’s a better option to bat third unless we think Adell has arrived.

Doesn’t excuse his god awful three pitch K today though.

Super Member

BannedInLA

6 hours ago

Reply to TrojanBoiler

That at bat was fugly. There were also 2 guys on base. A hit in that situation, particularly an extra base hit, changes the complexion of the game. Obviously.