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LA Angels Wednesday News Crash: 8 wins to go

September 9, 2026

Good morning Angels fans! Have some links!

Angels News

The Angels actually won yesterday! Yeah, I know!

And it was a Detmers start! His 5th win of the year despite being the best starting pitcher in MLB in the 2nd half.

The Angels did not get a save though, which means that the Angels Save leader for 2026 is still Romano and Zeff, neither of which are on the team anymore. At 4 saves that is even worse than 2020 when Ty Buttrey had 5.

With so few games remaining, the Angels need just 8 more wins to avoid the dreaded 100 loss season that every other team has had at least once. Can that happen? The remaining schedule is Boston today, @Nats this weekend, then home for Mariners and Twins, and @A’s and @Mariners. The last 16 games are vs teams well under .500.

Around Baseball

While the Angels are in their 11th straight losing season, the NFY had their 34th straight winning season. The last time they had a losing season was 1992, which means most active MLB players were not even ALIVE the last time the Yankees had a losing season. And they still have the gall to complain about their GM.

Kazuma hit his 30th HR of the year, the 5th Japanese player to do so in MLB history. That would have been nice to have as an Angel…

Expansion wen? It has been almost 30 years without expansion, by far the longest MLB has waited to expand and the population of the US has ballooned since the late 90’s. Passan has his take on the most likely candidates. Which cities do you want?

Ohtani will not pitch the rest of 2026. Yeah that body is overtaxed.

NBC ratings for Sunday Night Baseball have been good. What I would like is for games to not be on Apple or Netflix, how about that?

Anything I missed? Post below for upvotes!

67 Comments

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Legend

Eric_in_Portland

2 hours ago

Portland has just renamed a street to Campesinos Boulevard. That means “farmworkers” Why? Because after how many years they decided to name it for Cesar Chavez so it was changed 17 years ago and now we’ve heard about Chavez’ perversions so it has to be renamed. It should go back to 39th Avenue but no, it has to honor Latinos. From my point of view it’s making an issue out of nothing, taking up city council time, accomplishing little.

I mention this because I have very little faith that the council can be of any use towards getting an MLB franchise. The council has already shown it doesn’t know how to deal with Tom Dundon who bought the Trailblazers. Portland, and the Oregon legislature, is less than gung-ho on getting a team. It’s more like if it falls into our laps we’ll take it. Committing $800 mil towards a stadium (with a cockamamie plan to charge visiting players) when Stan K is talking $2.5 billion for a modern park shows that we don’t actually have the funding. There’s no Paul Allen anymore and Phil Knight isn’t interested in extending his empire, possibly because he’d be 90 or older by the time a team came here. So who’s the owner? Who around here is willing to spend billions?

In short, the city should take care of potholes first, at least look like they’re doing something to help the city before they get around to a major economic decision. But I don’t know if the council is capable of even that.

Super Member

PedroCerrano

2 hours ago

Reply to Eric_in_Portland

Phil may not have the throw away money that he once did as Nike valuations have tanked. I knew Mayor Keith Wilson’s dad for years before he handed things off to Keith. Super chill – salt of the earth guy who started the trucking company that Keith still owns. I think his dad would be shocked to see what happened to the city he called home. Like you said – just fix the dam streets and stop driving employers away with your crazy.

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

2 hours ago

Reply to Eric_in_Portland

What if we declare we are naming the team The Portland Rainbow Thrust or The Portland Truth To Powers?

Then they pretty much gotta build a stadium right?

Legend

Eric_in_Portland

1 hour ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

I shouldn’t laugh but I did. I’m as lefty as can be but there’s left and then there’s falling off the cliff left. (and right, too)

Trusted Member

GonFishin

3 hours ago

Has anyone been paying to the Ducks offseason? Good Lord, Verbeek has run a clown show this offseason. On top of all the FAs they lost, they just had to waive/terminate Kreider’s contract to make room for Cutter because the Leo contract cap f***ded them. They are going back to the bottom again.

Legend

RexFregosi

1 hour ago

Reply to GonFishin

I’d be happy if the Kings sign Kreider but with Holland, they too are pretty messy

Trusted Member

Texan44

8 hours ago

Another interesting stat. When presented an opportunity for a save, how well did each team do. Angels, Tigers, and Nats are the only teams below 50%

https://screwball.com/mlb/most-blown-saves-by-team-in-2026

Trusted Member

milehigh

7 hours ago

Reply to Texan44

Curious to see where the Nats are on that list. They just set a MLB record for most blown saves in a season at 38.

Super Member

HalosFanForLife

6 hours ago

Reply to milehigh

WOW

Legend

Pineapple12

8 hours ago

Is anyone else following the AL playoff race? Cleveland, Toronto, Texas battling for WC3, and Cleveland is 3 losses back of Chicago for the AL Central.

I want to see Cleveland take their division and Toronto grab WC3, which would push Chicago completely out. Get Jo and Sori in the playoffs!

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

8 hours ago

Reply to Pineapple12

It would be pretty amazing if the White Sox made the play offs. I like the Guardians too though…. the Blue Jays are mayonnaise to me unless they are trying to beat the Dodgers

Legend

FungoAle

8 hours ago

Reply to Pineapple12

Rooting for the Indians to make it

Legend

Pineapple12

6 hours ago

Reply to FungoAle

FA, are you watching the US Open? The quarterfinals have been unbelievably incredible! I wasn’t able to stay awake for Alcaraz-Shelton last night

Editor

Legend

Jeff Joiner

4 hours ago

Reply to Pineapple12

Honestly that is about all I have watched for the last week plus. Absolutely incredible tournament. So many great matches.

I sucked at baseball as a kid but played 3 years varsity tennis in high school. I really only watch the majors but I love the US Open.

Legend

Fansince1971

4 hours ago

Reply to Pineapple12

US Open has been insane! Tiafoe match yesterday was a classic and then Alcarez Shelton was its equal!

Last edited 4 hours ago by Fansince1971

Super Member

AngelsFanInHell

7 hours ago

Reply to Pineapple12

Isn’t the last day of the baseball season on 9/27 (roughly around 3:00pm)?

College football, NFL and all sorts of hockey will be in full swing by then.

Go Badgers!
Go Kings!
Go Packers!
Go Rams!
Go Chargers! (If scheduling permits)

Oh yeah, and no more damn games on Netflix or Apple!

Legend

RexFregosi

1 hour ago

Reply to Pineapple12

Yes but mostly interested in DBacks/Pads for last NL spot 🐍

Legend

Pineapple12

8 hours ago

Reid Detmers is an ace. He is our ace.

All it took was 5 years, a demotion to AAA, and a year in the bullpen. As a resident of the Detmers fan club, I’ve had a lot of fun watching him realize his immense potential. Let’s work on that 6 year $120 million extension

Legend

Senator_John_Blutarsky

8 hours ago

Reply to Pineapple12

Oh man, Detmers’ agent is going to find your post calling him an “ace” and will double his asking price.

Thanks a lot.

😆

Editor

Legend

Turk's Teeth

8 hours ago

Reply to Pineapple12

Crochet got $170m over six years, no deferrals. Drafted immediately after Reid.

If I’m Detmers, I’m probably asking to match that contract, honestly. Crochet hasn’t pitched since April, and Detmers looks to pitch 30+ games this year.

Legend

Pineapple12

8 hours ago

Reply to Turk's Teeth

That’s a good point. Timing really is everything because a year ago who would’ve thought Detmers would approach that number.

Man, Breslow is up to no good in Boston. His aggressiveness deserves some respect, but man his big swings might blow up in his face. I will enjoy their playoff crash out to NY

Trusted Member

toad2065

7 hours ago

Reply to Pineapple12

I kept watching the game yesterday and marveling that the Red Sox team I was watching was the same one that has owned the second half. I understand Contreras and Rafaela are injured but that lineup is really unimpressive right now. Can’t see them going far in the playoffs.

Trusted Member

cookmeister

6 hours ago

Reply to Turk's Teeth

Not saying this will be the case…..

But using Crochet as the comp might bring that price down a bit. He had a similar season to Reid (Reid is better in some areas and vice versa) before signing the extension.

But the aftermath (injury this year after a career year) with no clear outlook might make the Angels hesitant.

Editor

Legend

Turk's Teeth

2 hours ago

Reply to cookmeister

There are always reasons to be hesitant doling out a contract of that AAV and length to any starting pitcher. But frontline starters are such a rare commodity, and Detmers’ track record of health is better than most of them. With LAD, NYY, Boston et al willing to overpay, I think Detmers will get his payday regardless. Kroenke is so capitalized and diversified, and the Angels have so few commitments going forward, the pricetag may not matter overmuch.

Why I favored Detmers over Crochet in that 2020 draft was precisely because Crochet looked like a guy who’d be on and off the IL for any team that selected him, and that has proved to be the case. He’s going to always be a pitcher of high peaks and low valleys, methinks.

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

2 hours ago

Reply to Turk's Teeth

Honestly, I was pretty surprised Crochet actually managed to convert to a starter all the way.

Trusted Member

jco

1 hour ago

Reply to Turk's Teeth

Crochet would be my argument if I were Detmers, but the economics are a little different and it would end up less. Crochet was one season away from FA when he signed the deal and was coming off two all star seasons and was the CY runner up the prior year. Crochet would also be a cautionary tale to the Angels.

Detmers has been really good this year, but still has two years left of team control. It would be less than the Crochet extension, but not dramatically less.

I was pro-trade, but I might be pro-extension at this point. I’d rather extend Detmers than Neto at this point.

Legend

FungoAle

8 hours ago

Reply to Pineapple12

Happy he was able to survive 2024 when the organization turned on him and this site was lighting hm up on a semi-daily basis

Editor

Legend

Jeff Joiner

6 hours ago

Reply to Pineapple12

Completely agree and wrote so this morning.

Add to it that Detmers is really a good dude, too, and it makes it easy to root for an extension.

Detmers is a peak value. The Angels need to either extend him or trade him. Making the right call is critical.

Super Member

Roy Hobbs

6 hours ago

Reply to Jeff Joiner

Either one is the right call. Not doing one or the other is the wrong call.

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

5 hours ago

Reply to Roy Hobbs

Yup. It’s the worst

Editor

Legend

Jeff Joiner

4 hours ago

Reply to Roy Hobbs

Agreed and I could argue it either way. I think at this point you try an extension first and if that does not pan out, then trade him.

Selfishly I really like Reid and hope he stays. Very nice guy. Acts like just a normal guy, was super great with the kids a the play ball clinic, and is about the only player who seems to recognize me.

Editor

Legend

Turk's Teeth

2 hours ago

Reply to Jeff Joiner

The Angels have a little leverage now with an extension under a new owner, and probably would pay marginally less than on the free market by buying out a couple years.

I really think they should try to extend him at this point. Drafting and developing a frontline starter is so rare, I think all the storylines are positive, and it sets a good tone for new ownership.

Legend

Senator_John_Blutarsky

8 hours ago

$2.5 billion extortion payment to MLB owners for an expansion team? Whoa. I guess when it costs $4b to buy an existing team that doesn’t own a stadium and hasn’t won anything of consequence in 14 years, $2.5 billion is a bargain.

One team in the thin air is enough: no SLC expansion.

Trusted Member

milehigh

8 hours ago

Reply to Senator_John_Blutarsky

One Rockies franchise is enough.

Author

Super Member

John Henry Weitzel

8 hours ago

Reply to milehigh

Which is why I vote for Vancouver. Another city in Canada, it makes Mariners travel less stupid, another west coast team, and it is at sea level.

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

8 hours ago

Reply to John Henry Weitzel

This is a good idea…. only issue being try to get a stadium built in Vancouver

Super Member

PedroCerrano

6 hours ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

I don’t see Vancouver as even being on the radar. Exchange rate, politics and local economy are all roadblocks.Seattle north with lots of homelessness and funding issues.

Nashville?

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

5 hours ago

Reply to PedroCerrano

Sans huge issues getting a stadium built Nashville is 100% getting a team.

Super Member

PedroCerrano

5 hours ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

Stadiums funded by public initiatives seem to be less and less likely. Mega-billionare owners are the way to get it done 🙂

Super Member

BruinsAngelsKings

3 hours ago

Reply to PedroCerrano

Seattle north with lots of homelessness

My wife and I were in Seattle this past August, almost exactly the same time we visited in August 2022. The increase in homeless encampments throughout the city was dramatic and immediately noticeable compared to our previous trip. On a positive note, we did not see anyone openly shotting up drugs this time. We had to go to Victoria, BC to see that this time.

Super Member

PedroCerrano

2 hours ago

Reply to BruinsAngelsKings

I lived in SW Washington until 2015 and spent lots of time in Portland and Seattle.Both had street people issues and some folks who would have been better off in a mental treatment facility. It was still fun to visit with lots of great resaurants, etc and they mostly kept to themselves.Sadly now, bear spray is now a manditory accessory for my wife and daughter.

Editor

Legend

Turk's Teeth

2 hours ago

Reply to PedroCerrano

I mean, it’s definitely “on the radar”. Manfred has mentioned it many times on the short list of expansion targets, an ownership group has been selected and the city is actively working with them.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/article/vancouver-chooses-prospective-owner-for-mlb-expansion-bid/

Yes, Nashville is a likely eastern expansion city (though they are well behind in terms of stadium plans and ownership group), but Manfred seems to want to expand to one western and one eastern site, and SLC, Vancouver and Portland are the names most frequently floated for the west.

Editor

Legend

Turk's Teeth

6 hours ago

Reply to John Henry Weitzel

There are so many viable expansion targets, I’d like to see the MLB get aggressive and have a two phase expansion plan, on three and eight year horizons. Population growth and increased attention warrants it.

All three major Canadian metros should eventually have teams. Ultimately Vancouver, Portland and SLC in the west. Nashville, Montreal and one of the Carolina cities in the east.

Phase one to 32 teams, probably starting with SLC and Nashville, and phase two to 36. Eight divisions of four initially, expanding to six divisions of six by 2034.

I’m not in love with another high elevation team, but SLC is closer than any metro to having a plug and play offer at this point.

Author

Super Member

John Henry Weitzel

6 hours ago

Reply to Turk's Teeth

Alright, how would you do the 6 divisions of 6?

comment image

Editor

Legend

Turk's Teeth

3 hours ago

Reply to John Henry Weitzel

This largely works, but having the two Chicago teams in one division might be a bit of a departure from convention:

PACIFIC DIVISION
Vancouver
Seattle
Portland
San Franciso
Los Angeles
San Diego

SOUTHWEST DIVISION
Anaheim
Las Vegas
Colorado
Salt Lake
Arizona
Texas

SOUTHEAST DIVISION
Houston
Nashville
Cincinnati
Atlanta
Tampa
Miami

CENTRAL DIVISION
Minnesota
Milwaukee
Chi Cubs
Chi Sox
Kansas City
St Louis

NORTHEAST DIVISION
Boston
NY Yankees
Toronto
Montreal
Detroit
Cleveland

ATLANTIC DIVISION
NY Mets
Philadelphia
Baltimore
Washington
Pittsburgh
Carolina

Super Member

2pints

4 hours ago

Reply to Turk's Teeth

in our current climate I could see an executive order mandating that if MLB allows a Canadian team they must be named the Vancouver Americans.

Editor

Legend

Jeff Joiner

4 hours ago

Reply to 2pints

When the Vancouver Americans play in American stadiums we hike the price of tickets by 50%.

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

4 hours ago

Reply to Jeff Joiner

They are named the Vancouver First Persons. There’s just a capital I on their hat.

Editor

Legend

Turk's Teeth

3 hours ago

Reply to 2pints

There’ve actually already been some culture war issues in the Northwest League (where the Angels’ Dust Devils affiliate regularly plays the Vancouver Canadians. There are Canadian federal COVID-19 border restriction and some American prospects have refused the shot, so sat out series.

Super Member

2pints

3 hours ago

Reply to Turk's Teeth

In 10 years it won’t be just Covid shots having this cross-border issue, it’ll be Measles and Polio.

Legend

FungoAle

8 hours ago

Reply to Senator_John_Blutarsky

I have not evaluated any of the pitches but Montreal needs to get a team back

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

9 hours ago

Jeebzus. Does it get more pathetic than the Mike Trout glossing on our broadcasts? “Holy mole Wayne! Take a look at Mike Trout’s career numbers on September eighth! And look at those stats for ABs after the fifth inning in a game where a cat ran on the field! I bet if Trout had been a Red Sock he would have beat a hole in the green monster over the course of all those great seasons he has had. I bet, back in the day, he coulda thrown a football over those mountains over there…” As Trout gets owned by Patrick Sandoval.

He has truly become Albert Pujols. Collect a huge check. Hit 22 HR with an average under .250. Play shit defense. Spawn memberberries. Track his career stats.

It’s not like he’s total crap. It’s just that he’s not GOOD…. but we all have to avoid mentioning it to him, and he needs to be like the 4th best player on the team if we are a real contender.

Author

Super Member

John Henry Weitzel

8 hours ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

>He has truly become Albert Pujols.

I am glancing at BR and WOW, it lines up too well.

Pujols‘ age 34 season he went .272.324.466 with 28 HR and a 126 OPS+ for a 3.9 BWAR

Trout in his age 34 season .243.376.424 20 HR, 129 OPS+ BWAR of 3.6

Trout has aged worse than Pujols so far in their 30’s, largely due to how many fewer games Trout has played as their per 162 is almost identical at 5.2 vs 5.1 BWAR.

Legend

FungoAle

8 hours ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

I alluded to this a couple of nights ago on a game thread, agree.

This was the year. Finally healthy. Hurrah. We ‘finally’ were able to get full snapshot if Mike could reclaim any fraction of his glory w/o the injury excuse, back to back years of 500 AB and …

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

8 hours ago

Reply to FungoAle

again. It’s not like he’s horrible. But the broadcasters are. Just STFU. The cloying nostalgia is just gross.

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

9 hours ago

100 losses. We can totally do this.

I hope we sign absolutely no one exciting in free agency next year.

Detmers is ON FIRE! If you have watched guys like Taylor Ward and Luis Rengifo get hurt or just suck ass heading into the trade deadline for years now, this is the opposite. Detmers looked good in July. Now he looks like Roger Clemens.

THIS IS WHEN A LOSING TEAM THAT IS DONE BEING STUPID AND IS REBUILDING TRADES A PLAYER.

Moar kids. Less Doyers.

Legend

Pineapple12

8 hours ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

Cubs fans want to run Zeferjahn out of the city lol. Moz did extremely well in that trade assuming Mo Baller eventually becomes a baller.

Trusted Member

milehigh

8 hours ago

Reply to Pineapple12

Makes it look like Angels coaching & analytics got the most out of Z and Cubs can’t. Nah, couldn’t be.

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

9 hours ago

The Apple/Netflix games annoy me. Why? Because they are pointless. MLB knows they piss off all the old men who watch baseball. But money, so they do it. They can’t even spin it as anything but a cash grab. What’s worse, Apple and Netflix buy into a small slice of the MLB, but I’d like to see how many people subscribe over these games. How many people actually watch these? I have Apple TV, so I happen to watch those Angels games. But I signed up to watch Severance.

I just don’t see how those two streamers make money broadcasting a handful of MLB games. If I were them I’d try to get in on something more exclusive and own it. Like Paramount has done with the UFC. I know about two dozen guys who now have Paramount. Imagine if Netflix became the streaming partner of F1 racing, for example. Or try to corner a night the way Amazon did with Thursday Night Football. If MLB was somehow expanding their audience, or if Apple was gaining millions of subscribers, I’d be annoyed but I’d understand.

But the baseball is just meh. And the MLB are just a bunch of whores.

Trusted Member

toad2065

7 hours ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

Totally agree Gritch. In addition, as someone who has utilized MLBtv for years, Manfraud totally screwed the pooch this year. The current product is crap compared to what they had before. Since Eastspin took over it has been downhill all the way. The games never stream at the published start times and the dead time is filled with repeating ads and droning placeholder “content”. Prime did a much better job!

Super Member

2pints

4 hours ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

I actually like games on Apple & Netflix because I pay for those streamers and don’t pay for cable, so I can watch them without going to a shady site.

Streamers are going to continue showing more live sports, its inevitable. I don’t think a streamer could legit get 100% of the tv distribution of one of the major 4 sports leagues, at least not any time soon, but I think it’d be cool for them to make deals with teams. MLB teams have their own sports networks, why can’t Netflix pay the Halos a lot of money to show all their games?

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

3 hours ago

Reply to 2pints

See, THAT would be smart. Go to a team like the Angels, or even more the Cardinals, Royals or D Backs…. a team or two whose fan area encompasses a huge chunk of land, and become their streaming service.

Say you do those last three teams…. KC, Omaha, most of those North Plains states, Kansas all the way out through West Colorado, New Mexico, Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff, Albuquerque, St Louis, All of Nebraska and Missouri, South Illinois, Alabama, the entire upper South, Louisville, Little Rock, Memphis, Jackson, The Redneck Riviera, even a chunk of Louisiana. All fans of teams that stream on Netflix.

Super Member

2pints

3 hours ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

wow, gitch said my idea was smart! I shall mark this day in my diary.

but yes, you get the gist.

Trusted Member

Texan44

9 hours ago

Just a midweek opinion. Fermin, Grayson, etc. When I look at the pitches from GRod’s last game, he threw 82 pitches. He threw 1 slider to a left handed batter and 10 curves. (Boston loaded the line up with lefties). To right handed batters, he threw only 3 changes, only 1 curve, 7 sliders. So 19 breaking balls out of 82 pitches.

Fermin selected pitch is his slider. So if you are a hitter, for GRod just assume every pitch is a fastball and you will be correct at least 45% of the time. With Fermin, assume a slider and you will be correct closer to 80-90% of the time.

Now if you review the performance of Detmers, he struck out two that I remember by throwing a 94-95 fastball right down the middle of the plate and it was taken for strike 3. They were assuming slider/curve and he threw something unexpected.

Again, just an opinion, but until GRod changes his pitch mix (or coaches/catchers do). They will sit fastball and crush him. Fermin gives up walks on close pitches because the batters assume it will tail out of the strike zone. These are two relatively simple fixes for improvement it would appear.

Legend

GrandpaBaseball

10 hours ago

Good morning, Time for Nobody asked me buy; Why would anyone pick Portland Oregon for a MLB franchise city…..Speaking of franchises, it’s all about greed in MLB when there are not enough good players to fill teams now, jeez…..My picks would 1. Stop this nonsense now, 2. Nashville Tennessee, 3. Salt Lake City. Not mentioned as a choice is putting a team San Antonio…..Picking an MVP in the National League is tougher than the American League…..Picking the Halos MVP is a bit tough, Urena/Trouty/Neto come to mind. My vote goes to Molly Jolly…..Games on streaming services need to end imho, it has everything to do with money or lack of. You can spend $300.00 a month and still not cover what you want and that is insane…..I have preached Neto being the guy since he was in College (Look it up) and when all said and done, he has had an above average season except for the strikeouts….. If given a vote I would vote for a new stadium next to the Big A…..Thanks for reading, I bet you’d like to see more of these. 😂 😁 🙄

Super Member

smithy610

10 hours ago

TT posted a very intriguing trade package for Neto to the Dodgers. At this point, with Nimmala maybe one or two seasons away, it’s time to cash in on Neto before he gets more expensive.

And hopefully with the regime change, the new owner and FO won’t be as allergic to trading with the Doyers as the old owner was.