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The Angels just never seem to make it easy on their fans. They are hovering slightly under .500 which is a welcoming sight considering that Mike Trout has been out of the Angels lineup for over a month. The Angels are still in 4th place in the AL West but that isn’t going to stop me and other Angel fans in believing they can do the impossible.
Angels down but not out
The Angels are currently 9 games back in the AL West and 6 games back for a Wild Card spot. While that might seem like too much distance to cover but we’re only at the halfway point. The teams they are currently chasing are the Yankees, Mariners, Blue Jays, Indians and Rays. Yes it is a very tough ask but it’s not impossible.
The Angels are 4-6 in their last 10 games but they are 4-1 in their last 5 games. In that span the Angels mounted one of the most incredible comebacks of the 2021 season.
Battle in the Bronx
Ohtani was the starter on June 30th in the Bronx against the Yankees. The Angels gave him a 2-run lead before Ohtani had the chance to even take the mound. Unfortunately that’s as good as it ever got for Ohtani that night. He only managed to record 2 outs. All 7 runs in that inning were earned for him. The reason for his struggles were easily attributed to his 4 walks. When Ohtani has struggled in the past it is usually a direct result of his lack of command.
The Angels were down 8-4 until the 9th inning. Then that’s when things got really interesting. Chapman came in for the Yankees and was tasked with closing it out. But that did not go as planned at all. Chapman only managed to record one out will walking 3 to load the bases. Walsh came up and delivered the biggest hit of his career. He hit a game-tying grand slam. Angels scored 3 more runs to score the win. It was a truly incredible win that could easily turn the Angels’ season around.
Ohtani and Walsh give Angels another dramatic win
The Angels next game was postponed due to weather against the Yankees. And their very next game was another comeback win. The Angels were down 6-2 heading into the bottom of the third inning. Ohtani hit 2 home runs before they headed into the 9th inning tied 7-7. Ohtani was then able to work the walk and then steal second base with 2 outs. Walsh hit a rocket to left field which did not leave a lot of time for Ohtani to score but he did it anyways. Angels won 8-7 in dramatic fashion again.
The Angels have a lot of momentum going for them. Everything is pointing for them to be sellers but they are doing just enough to stay in contention. It will be a tough decision for the Angels organization to make at the end of July.
