Angels Lose Series to Pirates despite only giving up 3 runs total

September 6, 2026

Not many games left in the season, and Angels fans are looking towards next. Obviously, we are excited at to what Stan will do, but this you team has lots of potential itself. Well, parts of it do. Like the rotation. Another start for Walbert Urena, another Quality Start. The hardest thing to get and somehow, the Angels have an exciting young rotation. Urena went 8 innings, giving up 1 run on 3 hits, striking out 4 and walking 1.

And 1 L

The issue is that this offense is utterly terrible. Skenes has been struggling this year and somehow, the Angels fixed him, not getting a run off of him and merely 1 walk. Even with those 4 hits, only 1 went for extra bases and again, the team is as unclutch as they come.

Highlighted Recap

Pitching and defense is the core of a team. And today had them in spades, like this leaping catch by Lowe in the 3rd.

Nice

Too bad Urena gave up a HR right after

1-0 Pirates

The Angels meanwhile were unable to do anything, as even a Trout double in the 5th ended with Neto being thrown out at home.

bruh

But hey, defense kept this a 1 run game as Meckler also made a great catch in the 6th.

THE MECK

Too bad the Pirates can also field and robbed a hit in the 7th

We can’t have nothin

Urena went 8 innings, and yet got the loss as the Angels did absolutely nothing and lose 1-0.

Upcoming

Off to Boston, and then @ Nats next weekend.

33 Comments

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Super Member

Jim Atkins

16 minutes ago

Trout is unmovable, get used to it. Starting pitching is the best thing this team has shown us in a very long time. Bullpen is a trainwreck. Offense is, well, I have no words. We do have the beginnings of a team here and in the minors. BTW, I will be in the stands in DC exactly one week from today. My sweetie and I are making a short trip to see some cool Smithsonian stuff (Earhart’s Lockheed Vega is back on display! O Rapture!) and will hit the game.

Last edited 15 minutes ago by Jim Atkins

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Eric_in_Portland

1 hour ago

I think that was a win. Trout had 2 hits and his OPS is back over .800. Of course he’s been dropping steadily, was over 1.000 early, then in the .900s for a good long time, before plummeting into the .790s. But anyway, 2 hits yesterday, 2 today. Wally looked great. Meck with a great catch in rightfield. Neto might be a hotdogger who will one day get thrown out at 2nd because he admired what he thought was a homerun but still, what a great arm that guy has! I’m always impressed. The rest of the lineup is disposable for the future. Maybe Schanny.

So some of my faves did well and at this point that’s all I care about for 2026.

Super Member

HalosFanForLife

1 hour ago

Frank the tank.

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Super Member

John Henry Weitzel

1 hour ago

Angels being bought now is annoying as the offense is anemic and the FA market for bats is rough. Need at the minimum a new C, 3B, OF (hopefully someone who can play CF when Trout can be convinced to DH) and maybe 2B if Moore is not ready in 2027.

And that is IF Meckler is actually legit (please I hope so), that Neto can not regress any further, that we are fine with Nolan being a contact first 1B, and Trout is healthy.

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Turk's Teeth

52 minutes ago

Reply to John Henry Weitzel

Trade Neto for MLB-ready OF prospects, and see if Schanuel and Moore fetch anything. Maybe bring in bridge pieces like Gleyber Torres or Isaac Paredes. Otherwise, build through drafting and trades, and wait for the better ’28 and ’29 FA classes.

Super Member

Roy Hobbs

31 minutes ago

Reply to Turk's Teeth

Hard to be patient but I’m totally with you on this.

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Turk's Teeth

22 minutes ago

Reply to Roy Hobbs

Hell, you’ve been patient for twelve years. What’s two more for a full body makeover?

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FungoAle

13 minutes ago

Reply to Turk's Teeth

I’d certainly trade Neto. No hot streak will cause me to second guess but would like him to close out strong to pick up on those deadline discussions.

Isaac has a club option which is sure to be exercised given the shortfall on the FA market.

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Turk's Teeth

29 seconds ago

Reply to FungoAle

Yeah, Paredes would likely have to be a ’28 pickup. I’m basically thinking of a two year rebuild.

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WallyChuckChili

1 hour ago

We are wasting Bert!

Legend

Senator_John_Blutarsky

1 hour ago

Urena was excellent today. He gave up three hits and lost.

The offense was anemic. Again. Trout is a “legacy” player. Neto has moments but is not yet consistent. Schanuel and Meckler are solid and a fun players to root for, but they are ultimately a “table setter” type of players and not stars. Moore deserves more at bats before rendering an assessment on his abilities, but he’s been disappointing thus far.

Maybe we’ll hit a hot streak, but going over 100 losses seems likely right now

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steelgolf

1 hour ago

And the offense sputter along to zero runs.

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Turk's Teeth

2 hours ago

Setting aside the pitching, which is transparently promising, is there a single indispensable hitter on the club at the moment? Someone who feels key to the team’s identity – that you’d want to build around?

Sure, Trout is a given – he’s going to retire an Angel, and is part of this team’s roster through 2030, rain or shine. But beyond that roughly $36m annual outlay, it really feels like the new owner should approach the lineup as a tabula rasa, a story to be written anew on a stabler foundation.

Neto? Schanuel? Moore? All are “make money fast” additions from the old regime, not what you’d build a contending team with.

If I were Stan K, I would try to persuade Moz to sign on for two years, build out a management team, and finish what he started. Keep the pitching, but flush the whole offensive core, and rebuild from the studs. Try to create a positional pipeline on the model of Milwaukee or the Dodgers. There’s no one here that is an untouchable.

Super Member

Roy Hobbs

1 hour ago

Reply to Turk's Teeth

I agree wholeheartedly. That would be my path.

Super Member

HalosFanForLife

1 hour ago

Reply to Turk's Teeth

I’d say Trout is kind of untouchable – if the plan is a rebuild – you give away a lot of talent to move him. Of course – they could eat his entire salary – or something like that and maybe get something (still not a lot)- but just seems not worth it to me. He is still producing more than the discount – and definitely can still move.

Last edited 1 hour ago by HalosFanForLife

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Turk's Teeth

1 hour ago

Reply to HalosFanForLife

“Sure, Trout is a given – he’s going to retire an Angel, and is part of this team’s roster through 2030, rain or shine.”

Just in case that sentence was missed….

Super Member

HalosFanForLife

55 minutes ago

Reply to Turk's Teeth

I did miss it – need to work on my reading skills.

Trusted Member

Texan44

2 hours ago

Different people see different things. My opinion is right now the Angels have 5 batters (Neto, Trout, Schanuel, Meckler, and Grissom) that are at or above league average. Most teams have a similar number. Most teams are not playing guys that are 40-50% below league average. Most teams we play will take attempt to take an outside pitch to the opposite field. Schanuel and Trout will do so. Every team we play attempts to move runners to the next base. We tend to look for those 2-3 run home runs.

Again, just an opinion, but I think a good hitting coach could explain each at bat, and each pitch of that at bat, what you attempt to do, changes. Learn some plate discipline and get much better results.

Super Member

Roy Hobbs

1 hour ago

Reply to Texan44

I promise I’m not yelling 🙂 . I’m just not as optimistic and believe it’s much more difficult. Trout and Meckler are really the only above average hitters on the team with wRC+s of 133 and 120 before today. Neto even after yesterday is only at 109 and Schanuel is 110 or 111, basically about 10% better than average. Grissom is dead average at right around 100. Those are not really people you build around.

You would need 3-4 other hitters in the 130s or better to be legit. I think we need to be patient and suffer for a few more years while we build the organization as described by Turks but I certainly appreciate your desire and enthusiasm to want to be better sooner. The club has just been left in a real mess. Keep pushing for improvement and keep us optimistic about the future. Appreciate your passion.

Trusted Member

GonFishin

2 hours ago

Hire the new pitching coach full time. I haven’t seen this level quality of pitching from Angels starters in a long time. And this is all without Soriano too.

This lineup is pathetic, and it would be even worse if the journeyman, Meckler, didn’t catch lightning in a bottle. I look forward to a GM that doesn’t try to build an everyday lineup off minor league contracts, cash consideration trades, and rushed draft picks.

Super Member

YOUknowulovetheIE

2 hours ago

Reply to GonFishin

Nothing to be angry over, the angels are executing a great tank right now. 🤘

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Turk's Teeth

2 hours ago

Kroenke extends Detmers and signs Skubal (who clearly likes SoCal), and the Angels are in pretty good shape rotation-wise for a half-decade, health permitting.

That’s three horses with Urena, and a lot of backend depth already: Kikuchi (2027), Rodríguez, Klassen, Bremner, Johnson, Koch, Gordon.

Those two moves would allow them to focus on where the real issue is: positional depth from A ball to the MLB. Minasian starved this franchise for a half decade with his preoccupation with reliever conversions and fringe taxi squad arms.

Do the obvious with the rotation, and then bring on the bats.

Trusted Member

GonFishin

2 hours ago

Reply to Turk's Teeth

Is Bremmer going to be ready in 2027 do you think? Not “Perry ready” but actually refined for the majors.

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Fansince1971

2 hours ago

Reply to GonFishin

He will be ready to pitch in the minors while the lockout continues on.

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Turk's Teeth

2 hours ago

Reply to GonFishin

If he continues as is without injury, he’s probably ready for a call up mid-season next year, if there’s baseball to play. He’s making some nice progress with the cutter/slider, and the change remains elite.

Super Member

Roy Hobbs

2 hours ago

Reply to Turk's Teeth

That would be awesome.

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FungoAle

55 minutes ago

Reply to Turk's Teeth

Fun, bidding war in LA for Skubal’s services. I’m sure money is no longer a blocker but one thing Arte did well was not shell any 9-figure, long term commitments to pitchers (thank goodness Cole turned us down). If we must, be smart about it, limit the years and pay higher AAV.

Skubal coming to a non-contender does not seem likely unless it is an overpay. I guess we can match anyone now and be willing to exceed the luxury tax thresholds and the draft position consequences.

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Turk's Teeth

4 minutes ago

Reply to FungoAle

Really? Tarik Skubal was raving about Kroenke and Anaheim 2.0 in such thirsty terms this week that Dodgers fans completely lost their shit:

https://dodgersway.com/tarik-skubal-comments-angels-purchase-dodgers-fans-double-take

Angels fans are going to have to adjust to suddenly having a destination franchise, and the richest owner in the sport – one who has shown a stomach for paying for huge free agent contracts, one who likely has no categorical prohibitions on paying some luxury tax, and one who is willing to pay smart people to model out aging curves, ROI probability and excess value on 3, 5 and 7 year timelines.

The Angels can avoid all long-term pitching commitments, and play poverty, as if the Angels were the Pirates or West Sacramento. Or they can take some hedged risks, and play in the same FA pool that the other big metro teams do. Angels fans have lived in fear of 9 figure FA acquisitions, because Arte was making them with little feedback from baseball people, and because his petulant reaction to his own idiot mistakes was to hold the team budget hostage for half a decade until his next impulse purchase.

It’s a new world, Fungo. The Dodgers make some FA mistakes every season. Doesn’t stop them from taking future risks to maximize present rewards.

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GrandpaBaseball

2 hours ago

From the redundant files; Why does Brady Anderson still have a job, is it because he uses analytics and laptops-well that getz it done my oh my look at those hitters go to town

Trusted Member

GonFishin

2 hours ago

Reply to GrandpaBaseball

Because while may be out of a job and deservedly so, it’s obvious that there is a talent level problem with Angel batters that even the front office can identify. No amount of technology can save some of these fools.