Sam Blum

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Sam Blum

After getting swept in Texas on April 17, Los Angeles Angels manager Ron Washington was asked if he could take solace in returning home at 9-9. After all, they'd started the season with 15 of 18 games on the road, facing some tough teams. A .500 record to show for it wasn't bad. "I'm not interested in .500," Washington said. "I want to be better than .500."Right now, .500 would be fantastic. The Angels are 13-20, having lost 16 of 21 games, during which they've been outscored by 72 runs.

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Sam Blum

ANAHEIM, Calif. - The Los Angeles Angels have won just four of their last 18 games. They entered the weekend with MLB's lowest on-base percentage, second-highest strikeout rate, and a slew of very bad offensive numbers over their first 30 games. General manager Perry Minasian sat down with reporters Friday to discuss his team's poor play. "I think teams go through stretches," he said. "You know, teams go through stretches where they don't swing the bat well.

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Sam Blum

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Angels superstar Mike Trout is headed back to the injured list, manager Ron Washington said after a 10-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Thursday. Trout suffered a bone bruise in his left knee. There was no structural damage, according to the team. Still, for Trout, it's yet another injury in a long line of them over the last five seasons. He tore his meniscus in the same knee nearly a year ago to the day and missed the rest of the season.

2 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Sam Blum

ANAHEIM, Calif. - After Jo Adell hit his second home run of the inning - the capper to an epic eight-run frame against the Rays on April 10, it looked like the Angels offense was for real. Through 15 games, they led the sport in home runs. One through nine, everyone was a threat. Since then, their offense has fallen off a cliff. Over the last 11 games, the Angels have struck out a staggering 122 times, compared to a paltry 14 walks.

2 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Sam Blum

ANAHEIM, Calif. - There were moments, standing on the Angel Stadium mound Wednesday night, that Andrew Heaney thought of the best friend that was no longer with him. Tyler Skaggs, No. 45. Being honored by Heaney, who is wearing the number for the first time in his career this season. "It is a number that has meaning to me," said Heaney, now with the Pittsburgh Pirates, after a 3-0 win against the Angels. "But at the same time, it's not my number. It's my number.