Angels Lose Postgame: Oh Well

April 9, 2025

Today’s matchup features Yusei Kikuchi versus Ryan Pepiot. The Angels were quite frustrating in the early innings. They watched the bases get loaded up multiple times, only to strike out to end those innings. Yusei Kikuchi gave up a grand slam in the bottom of the first inning. Kyren Paris did hit his customary solo shot to make it 4-1 Rays in the second inning.

Taylor Ward added a solo shot in the fourth inning to make it 4-2 Rays.

Jorge Soler hit a solo homer in the fifth inning to make it 4-3 Rays.

Yusei Kikuchi made it through 6 innings and then yielded to Reid Detmers. Detmers promptly gave up a solo homer to Yandy Diaz who made it 5-3 Rays. In the top of the eighth inning Kyren Paris homered to bring the Angels back within one.

In the ninth, Nolan Schanuel coaxed a two out walk to put a man on for Mike Trout. Trout popped up to first base to end the game, The Angels lost this one by a score of 5-4.

Photo credit: Rex Fregosi

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Super Member

Angelz4ever

9 days ago

Okay, spurn the page, win today, series #4 in the bag.

Easy, peasy, Moncada thumb squeezy. LOL

Go Halos!!

Trusted Member

max

9 days ago

Probably won’t continue like this, lol, but his bbref ops+ is above 300, before tonight. But what I like to see is his 3/2 strikeout walk ratio

Legend

Cowboy26

9 days ago

J D Davis come on down. Mr Moncada will be returning to his eternal home: The IL

https://x.com/JeffFletcherOCR/status/1910163618902974583

Legend

Cowboy26

9 days ago

A ’71 sighting? must have been a loss tonight.

Super Member

BannedInLA

9 days ago

Does Trout DH tomorrow or do you spell him altogether?

The hits aren’t dropping yet but, he’s 8-8 BB/SS ratio – like the days of old. That is certainly a good sign.

Legend

Eric_in_Portland

9 days ago

Reply to BannedInLA

one of these days Mike will have a 2 hit game. None yet

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

9 days ago

Trout, Adell, Ward and Soler all had better looking swings tonight than a few days ago… if I were a horrible man and manager like Mike Sciocia I’d say they look like they are coming around any game now. Turn the page.

Super Member

BannedInLA

9 days ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

That pitch that Trout popped up to end the game was THERE. He also seems to be handling the fast ball better as well. Hopefully the results start to pop.

Super Member

clover_black

9 days ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

Adell looked great.

Legend

FungoAle

9 days ago

Kikuchi needs to get through the early innings, tends to settle down a bit going forward.

Legend

Fansince1971

9 days ago

Paris could be an absolute game changer in terms of the time it will take for this team to be really good.

Super Member

Roy Hobbs

9 days ago

Reply to Fansince1971

We need a couple more. Not necessarily this year. If we could have one to two more position players show up from our minor leagues and the #2 pick in the draft this year, and one player from our trades, in 2027 we will have the money to fill the holes. For 2027, we need 2 middle of the order bats, a #1 starter, and 2-3 bullpen arms. This could be redundant, but we will likely need 2 OFs, an a. 3B. We could also trade from abundance in one area for a need in another. The good news is I see a path to get there.

Editor

Trusted Member

Rick Souddress

9 days ago

It’s been a while since I’ve been this optimistic after a loss! We shut these guys out in any other ballpark and Kyren Paris genuinely looks like prime Trout but arguably more impressive, which is saying something

Super Member

Angelz4ever

9 days ago

Reply to Rick Souddress

The three (At least) ABs with the bases juiced, including Soler’s 2-0 pop out, are what killed the Halos last night.

Member

Kevin

9 days ago

Aren’t they 0-3 when Kikuchi starts?

Legend

FungoAle

9 days ago

Man, this is exactly what has to happen to turn the corner. Players that come out of nowhere to make a significant contribution, guys like Paris. Holy shit, I’m stoked.

Legend

Mia

9 days ago

Oh well.

Take the series tomorrow.

Legend

Eric_in_Portland

9 days ago

win tomorrow and everything’s cool, baby. Hey, did 71 show up last night?

Super Member

Roy Hobbs

9 days ago

Reply to Eric_in_Portland

Eventually

Trusted Member

bobblanton

9 days ago

Reply to Eric_in_Portland

Yes

Legend

Fansince1971

9 days ago

Reply to Eric_in_Portland

OF COURSE I DID….was a tiny bit late but there nonetheless. Was at an event last night that went late given the east coast timezone.

Super Member

Roy Hobbs

9 days ago

Reply to Fansince1971

That was a quick flight back.

Legend

Fansince1971

9 days ago

Reply to Roy Hobbs

I meant the game ended while I was still at the event because the game was on East coast time.

Legend

Eric_in_Portland

9 days ago

Reply to Fansince1971

on those occasions we all look forward to your post!

Legend

angelslogic

9 days ago

Dang, I missed the Kyren Paris show.

Trusted Member

bobblanton

9 days ago

I say move up Paris in the lineup so he can get more at bats. He needs more at bats every game he is the most confident clutch hitter we have right now. More at bats for Paris move him up in the lineup

Trusted Member

bobblanton

9 days ago

Reply to bobblanton

At least while he is hot

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

9 days ago

Reply to bobblanton

So that would be Lopez, Anderson and Newman hitting ahead of him most innings tonight… rad

Super Member

BannedInLA

9 days ago

Reply to bobblanton

I dunno. While I understand the temptation, the kid is doing just fine where he’s at. Before moving him up in the order – with the added pressure that it implies – let’s focus on him playing everyday. You know, the whole, if it ain’t broke thing

Trusted Member

CAoldskoll

9 days ago

Can someone please call Houston and ask for the sticky stuff or whatever they gave Kikuchi? We are stuck with the Seattle version who suks az.

Member

Upstream15

9 days ago

Reply to CAoldskoll

He gave up a bullshit grandslam chill out. He’s been good enough so far.

Legend

FungoAle

9 days ago

Reply to Upstream15

Agree, I like Kikuchi, he’s a good addition

Trusted Member

CAoldskoll

9 days ago

Reply to Upstream15

You’re right, yet we’ve only played light hitting teams with shallow lineups so far yet he still gets shelled for hr ball in the start of games. Have to wait until against big bat teams Astros, Texas to see what he really has.

Super Member

BannedInLA

9 days ago

Reply to Upstream15

Bingo.

He pitched pretty damn well on the whole. Really battled in that 6th and showed some real moxie. Much like Jansen the night before.

Super Member

Pineapple12

9 days ago

They scored all 5 runs on little league homeruns lol.

Paris is the best player in baseball. That’s dope.

Win the series tomorrow!

Legend

Fansince1971

9 days ago

Reply to Pineapple12

Soler’s HR was definitely not a MLB HR. But Paris rocked that second one.

Super Member

Pineapple12

9 days ago

Reply to Fansince1971

Ward’s went 349 feet, Soler’s 356 feet. More respectable than Tampa’s 2 HRs that each went 327 feet

Super Member

BannedInLA

9 days ago

Reply to Pineapple12

At the very least, he should be playing every day.

Jo Adell should be the 4th OF.

Super Member

Pineapple12

9 days ago

Reply to BannedInLA

at full strength the starting lineup is obvious. Order it however you’d like

LF Ward
3B Rengifo
RF Trout
DH Soler
SS Neto
1B Schanuel
C O’Hoppe
2B Paris
CF Adell

Super Member

BannedInLA

9 days ago

Reply to Pineapple12

Is the Heef better at 2B or 3B?

Is it better to let Paris settle in at CF or continue the CF/2B shuffle?

I know the hole at 3B is glaring but, I wonder if we’re better served to let both players settle in at their best position?

Super Member

JackFrost

9 days ago

Reply to BannedInLA

We need to find out about Jo once and for all… for better or worse. That means he needs regular playing time. This is the make or break year for him. I say keep Jo in CF and plug Paris in as a fixture at 2b.