Today we got Tyler Anderson versus Christian Javier.
The Angels and Houston were scoreless through three innings. The Angels had no hits. Both teams had a number of warning track fly outs. The Angels, to the surprise of no one, had four strikeouts in that span. Jesus Sanchez got one over the head of Bryce Teodosio for a double that was one of the three Houston hits. Jeremy Pena also doubled.
Mike Trout led off the fourth with a walk. Taylor Ward flew out to right. Trout advanced to second base on a wild pitch during Yoan Moncada’s at bat. Trout advanced to third on Moncada’s groundout. Jo Adell flied out to left to make Trout the Angels first LOBster.
The Astros loaded up the bases with no outs to bring up Yainer Diaz. A grounder to Moncada resulted in outs at third and home plate. I’m impressed. Moncada kept his head which is more than could be expected from Rengifo. Here is the rare Angels defensive highlight.
Now there were men at first and second with two outs. Cam Smith struck out.
The Angels failed even to get a hit in the top of the fifth inning. At least Niko Kavadas got the Angels third walk. The Astros failed to score in the bottom of the inning. It was still a scoreless game, folks. The Astros were still working a no-hitter. Christian Moore made a good catch.
In the sixth inning, the Angels did a couple more fly outs coupled with the second strikeTroutTM of the game. “Treasure Island” came in to pitch for Tyler Anderson. He gave up a leadoff single. Cam Smith got a two out walk and the runners advanced on a wild pitch. Mauricio Dubon grounded out to end the inning. This game is still tied at 0-0.
In the top of the seventh Yoan Moncada doubled and then Jo Adell singled to put men at first and third with no outs.
A fly out and a strikeout brought us to the point that Niko Kavadas could hit a pretty deep fly out to preserve the Astro’s shutout.
Luis Garcia came in to pitch. Jeremy Pena lined out for the umpteenth time to Bryce Teodosio and then Christian Moore put Yordan Alvarez on base with an error. Jose Altuve singled. Carlos Correa drove in a run with a jam shot to right field. 1-0 Astros. A four pitch walk loaded up the bases. Yainer Diaz popped out to end the inning.
The ghost of Craig Kimbrel came in to pitch the top of the eighth inning. He walked Luis Rengifo. Rengifo stole second base during Zach Neto’s at bat. Neto struck out. Then came StrikeTroutTM number three of the game. Taylor Ward walked to put men at first and second with two outs for Yoan Moncada. He also walked to load the bases. Taylor Ward hit a fly ball to center that was caught to end the top of the inning.
In the bottom of the eighth, Cam Smith walked. Mauicio Dubon sacrificed with a bunt. Bunt? Bunt? Bunt? What is bunt? Jeremy Pena singled. Then Yordan Alvarez hit a fly ball out that made it 2-0 Astros. What is this devil magic that produces runs without a home run?
In the ninth, Logan O’Hoppe, Christian Moore, and Niko Kavadas all struck out. Angels lost 2-0.
Baseball original photo credit: Rex Fregosi
A few positive nuggets from the farm last night:
Both Rada and Guzman got on base four times each in last night’s 5-3 victory over Round Rock. Neither struck out.
While Guzman’s AAA numbers have come back down to earth of late, Rada’s remain stratospheric, and his .481 OBP leads all PCL hitters this season with at least 100 plate appearances.
Rada also stole his 50th base this season between AA and AAA.
Bachman continues his dominant run from Salt Lake’s bullpen. Another scoreless outing brings his ERA down to 0.47 across 19 appearances. He still walks more guys than you’d like to see, but he’s giving up less than a hit per inning, so he’s missing bats and avoiding hard contact. I have no idea why he is not getting regular work in the MLB bullpen to prepare him for next season.
Ryan Johnson had another scoreless outing at Tri City. 4 Ks and only one hit, but they once again limited him to two IP and 28 pitches. He’s pitched only 72 innings this season across MLB and MiLB, so there’s a tell here that the Angels think Johnson can’t handle a starter’s workload, despite his effectiveness in pro ball.
Costeiu had a magnificent outing – 7 scoreless innings with 10 Ks. He turns 25 this year and is repeating A+ ball for the fourth year, so I don’t think he’s a prospect, but good on him for showing what got him here as a 7th rounder in Perry’s all-pitcher draft.
The 66ers lost a close one to Ethan Holliday’s Fresno club, but Raudi kept up his hot streak – on base four times with a HR (his 14th) and stole his 35th base. I’d send this guy to the AFL in the fall if he still has some steam in him.
Yokelvin Reyes and Alton Davis (recent 2025 draftee) both combined for 4.2 IP of scoreless relief, 7 Ks and only one hit between them. Both looked like projectable bullpen pieces to me.
Don’t start telling me there might be hope for the all pitcher draft.
Do two middle/late relievers in 19 tries constitute hope?
YMMV.
Since I don’t have anything positive to say about this team I’ll share something else positive. My son got me a matching Zach Neto shirt that matches his for my birthday yesterday. I typically don’t wear individual players shirts but I’ll wear this one because he loves it .
Apologies if this has already been posted. It’s definitely not hard hitting journalism, but Trout is clearly aware he’s not “right” in the batters box.
Angels’ Mike Trout Gets Honest About Major Struggles, Knee Injury
Aug 25, 2025
https://www.si.com/mlb/angels/angels-news/angels-mike-trout-gets-honest-about-major-struggles-knee-injury
DOESN’T MATTER.
He’s still a popular player around here and partisan Angel fan who also likes Schanny and his 40 rbis as we approach Labor Day 2025. He’s our Don Mattingly and Nolan Ryan of today.
I think he’s done until he proves different. He may prove different but I’ll wait and see.
Article is 5 days old with who knows how old the quotes are… he’s only gotten even worse since.
In the last 21 days , Trout has struck out 27 times in 57 ABs.
So many sports articles contain essentially zero substance. This was a pointless write up.
Is his bat speed slower? That is the pertinent question IMO.
Or can he even see the ball.
If he is still struggling with the knee injury, one would think that he’d have trouble running (limping, running slower, etc).
From my untrained eye, I see him running the way he typically runs (even if he’s been slowed by age and injury).
Perhaps, with the upcoming off-season, he can come back stronger in 2026.
However, Albert Pujols (who put up even better offensive stats) showed the roadmap for what a HOF offensive player will do in mid-to-late 30s: 0.230-240 BA, 20-25 HR, 60-80 RBIs.
So, sadly, I don’t expect Trout to do much better.
I keep sort of forgetting how old he actually is. He’s not in his early 30s, he’s 34.
A potentially “old”’34 at that considering the numerous surgeries.
I don’t personally subscribe to the “juiced” whispers BUT, if they are true, I say get back on it…
PS – Steroids shouldn’t be outlawed in sports anyway. Just regulate them.
RICH OLD GUY…….Just keep hiring bad incompetent baseball people around you and you are the one making all the bad big baseball decisions WHILE THEY TAKE THE FALL FOR YOU. The rest of the country is on to you and your last place for a decade farm system. 2 years from now the Chisox will be good again and we’ll still be here. BTW Nolan Schanuel is still not that good a player (.266 10 hrs 40 rbis as we’re approaching Labor Day….You can’t replace that on a one yr FA signing in December?).
Not that you care but he has 49 RBIs.
Given the chance to spend $30m on a 1B for three years or on a pitcher equivalent to Kikuchi or Soriano, I’ll take the pitcher. Every time.
While Nolan’s power numbers are not good with respect to his 1B peers, every other stat is quite good in comparison including a league leading K rate among 1B.
This team arguably has the worst pitching in the AL. Give me two more pitchers equivalent to our two best pitchers. And I’d overpay to get them. The fastest way to get to actually compete for a WC spot is for this team is to improve its starting pitching drastically.
12 games left at home. I hope the stadium is empty.
Well, it took less than a month for everybody but the admirably strait up Pineapple to have all become people who didn’t want to hold onto our “good’ players at the deadline. That’s even faster than everyone on here became guys who wanted to trade Ohtani in 2022-23….. in 2024.
Real men of baseball we are.
I was fairly sure this team would collapse at some point. That’s actually fine. they were about ten times more fun to watch than I expected and that’s great.
But fk me the future is bleak. Miracles can happen, but man this team is not getting much better in the next couple years. And no. Anthony Rendon’s money isn’t gonna fix it.
The play offs are a month away. Till then shit’s gonna be really boring. Oh wait. I mean meaningful. Then I root for the Brewers and Tigers. Then I grasp pathetically at the hope that Perry trades some MLB talent for position prospects over the winter while a bunch of mouth breathers try to squeeze out reasons we should sign Bregman and Cease.
At least very strong illegal drugs are cheap everywhere. I’m not afraid of The Deadly Fentanyl. That would mean the baseball gods have mercifully spared me. Nope, I’m gonna have to sit through another winter of Blinky The Baseball Thinker explaining how he can see how stupid Ron Washington is and shit. We need to draft the real baseball players with all the skills. Oh, and the IIWPMs where he doesn’t think he should have to stick to the payroll restrictions cause Arte has said we’re all in for 2026.
Does it even matter what that powder is? I’ll snort it if it turns down the stupid.
All those A Ball pitchers are three or so years away. If we have some team OBP by then we are gonna kick the shit out of these Astros turd chompers and finish a strong second to the A’s damn it!
Maybe next year is Cole Fontenelle’s year…. sigh. Maybe Paris can hit .240? The pre-order line for your replica Taylor Ward 6th place in RBIs pewter metal award starts at 8am March 1 in Tempe. Celebrate his great hair while you can, it’s his last year here.
I have family in Michigan. I’ll support their desire to be happy vis-a-vis the sports world. I’m a Tiger’s and Lions fan for the time being.
F Blinky. All my friends hate Blinky.
I’m glad someone else sees it and the way this GM operates brings me little hope. The TDL was botched bad. Worst 5-year W/L stretch in Angel history.
I lost count on how many singles were turned into doubles because ward is lazy or his noodle arm
I am consistently amazed that someone with his arm was ever a catcher. How was he taken seriously at that position?
From wikipedia. How the F was his highest grade ever for his arm strength? Wtf happened?
He’s just a non chalant, don’t give a fuck type of dude. His interviews are the same.
I don’t care that much about NFL anymore but, my NFL analogy to Trout is Terry McDaniel.
Terry McDaniel was a DB for the LA Raiders in the 90’s. One of the best DB’s in the league for at least 5-6 years. And then from one productive season to then next, he lost it all. In a blink of an eye practically. Just woke up old and couldn’t compete. At all.
People now say “washed” or “cooked” but Raider fans back then would say, “he went Terry McDaniel” when a player lost it.
I hope Trout hasn’t gone “Terry McDaniel” but reality is knocking. LOUDLY.
I would say it’s been a slow declining with injuries and age catching up. This has been developing for awhile. It may seem rapid based on hope and expectation for this season but looking back with realistic eyes reveals a long slow decline. The last years of this deal will be bru-tal!
Sure. I see that as do most.
Still, the last 4 weeks compared to the previous 4 weeks are an absolute cliff dive.
That may be injury related or something else we don’t know about. You are right – the last 4 weeks have been remarkably and amazingly terrible.
It is incredible how athletes lose their ability quickly.
I think it shows how razor thin the difference is between an average player and the hall of famers. Even the HOFers become mortal seemingly overnight with a small decline in ability.
(Heavy sigh)
2026 or bust, boys
Looks like it will be bust in 2026.
I’d be more optimistic if the Org had kept Quero and had traded Ohtani for genuine prospects in 2023. At this point it would take something of a miracle.
Any busts in our drafts will be be reported BY ME!!!
THIS IS WHAT I DO……BEST!!!!
Yeahhh… 2028…. we get good or reload some more.
2028 will just be another rehash of 2016 and beyond. It’s in the organizations DNA and strategy from the “Three horseman of the baseball apocalypse”. Look at next years schedule, and this years, and the year before. You know why this team starts the season on the road? Because MLB doesn’t take them seriously and they are nothing more than standings/ schedule filler. What is known in racing terms as “pack fodder”.
I know we can get 2 more wins to surpass 2024
Tony LaRussa, Joe Girardi new managing candidates for 2026
OLD RICH GUY likes old guys who can’t do their jobs anymore.
Why is Kavadas playing? At best he’s a one-dimensional option.
Give Rada a chance.
yea guy hit 228 in the PCL. What exactly were they expecting.
Is it the K dimension?
Rada in September and Neto POSSIBLY going 30-30 are the only compelling story lines remaining.
My soul aches watching Trout play this way.
Rada is a shit first baseman?
K Vader is replacing an injured 1B. Rada is an OF.
I’d rather watch Kavedas for a month. And Teo or Lugo. And Paris. And Moore Etc. Let em flail and flop some. See if any of them learn anything. Let CtPG Guy get a good look at them so he can break down all the shit he can see on TV that the scouting videos just aren’t showing the coaches and players. Then he’ll have several months to prep his materials and present them at Tempe on Valentine’s Day.
Or we’ll just be one step closer to knowing who we don’t need to invite to Spring Training.
The sign of a competent GM is that he builds up at least some depth on the roster in case of injuries. The Angels get injuries and they are literally playing guys that really shouldn’t be coming even close to touching a major league roster.
It’s trAdition at this point
But we don’t need a farm. we reload and we go for it!
Sounds like Michigan, Alabama, Ohio St, Georgia college FB and Duke men’s BB.
College FB and BB powerhouse programs have big operating budgets and big support infrastructures……..WE DON’T…..
This current guy tried that back in 2020
Remember the infamous all pitcher draft…..He shouldve been fired in 2023 for that disaster. BTW what has done in Latin America?
Trout can’t hit a baseball anymore. and speaking of Moore, he can’t hit AND he is a wild error machine in the field. Yeeesh.
But but but we had a guy from the same program that throws 105 mph vouch for him.
A Volunteer
Not even a tinge hyperbolic but, Trout’s K rate the past two weeks must be 50+%
Wow.
It’s nearly 50% for his last 100 ABs
In a meritocracy, he joins Paris in SLC.
There has to be something physically wrong with him. It’s impossible to be this bad.
Particularly when he was around .280 for about a month after the IL stint.
I believe that the condition is called Igotmycontractanowoffsteroidsohnomybodyismadeofwax syndrome. It really bums me out, but if he weren’t “my Trout” I’d be pretty suspicious of how he broke down right after his huge deal the way other players who stop steroids after the pay day seem to do on other teams.
the suck is because his body is broken. the broken body is odd… he aged like he lives on a waste dump.
True and certainly suspicious. He just started falling apart.