The Angels are officially stuck in quicksand, averaging a measly 2.5 runs per game since the All-Star break. Yeah, you read that right. Their bats went silent again on Wednesday night, scraping together just four hits in a brutal 5-2 loss to the Orioles in Baltimore. This isn’t just a slump, folks, this is an all-out offensive collapse, and it is getting harder and harder to watch.
The .620 OPS That Should Terrify Angels Fans
How bad is it? Post-All-Star break, the Angels are slashing a painful .224/.303/.318 with a .620 OPS and a sky-high 26.8% strikeout rate. And get this: their slugging percentage, OPS, and that strikeout rate? All of them rank as the absolute worst in baseball over that stretch. Worst in the entire league! They’ve managed to score five or more runs only twice in seventeen games. On Wednesday, the “offense” consisted of Jose Siri’s solo home run in the sixth and Wade Meckler’s RBI single in the seventh. Seriously, that is it. Travis d’Arnaud got on base thanks to a grounder bouncing off the second base bag, and Nolan Schanuel reached when Pete Alonso couldn’t field a grounder cleanly. Schanuel scored on Meckler’s single, but man, those are some rough ways to get on base.
One Arm Is Hot, The Other Is Falling Apart
While the offense was busy doing… well, nothing, the pitching was a mixed bag. Left-hander Reid Detmers cruised through the first three innings, looking solid. But then the fourth inning happened: a walk, followed by back-to-back home runs. Ouch. Detmers’ velocity was dropping throughout the game, with his fastball averaging a concerning 91.8 mph in that fateful fourth inning. Apparently, the Angels broadcast mentioned he has been battling a cold, which, paired with the significant heat and humidity in Baltimore, might have played a role in the dip. You hope so, anyway.
But then, out of nowhere, a ray of pure gas! Right-hander Ben Joyce, who has been out since April 8, 2025, due to shoulder surgery, made his return to a big league mound. And what a return it was. Joyce tossed a scoreless inning, striking out one and walking one, with zero hits allowed. His fastball averaged a blistering 100.8 mph and even topped out at an insane 102.2 mph. That is the kind of velocity that makes you sit up straight!
The Angels are now a dismal 43-71 on the season. They are facing a series sweep on Thursday morning. You have to wonder if Joyce’s rocket arm can spark any kind of hope for this team, or if the bats are just too far gone to matter.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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