Washed Out

 

Year One of the Ron Washington experiment in Anaheim hasn't gone as well as you might think. There's no immediate improvement, and no chance of competing, especially given Mike Trout's departure after April, and at times the Angels have been outshined by even the Oaklandest of Athletics. And yet, I still think there's more progress here than there would have been with, like, Phil Nevin or Brad Ausmus or someone like that. Because even if the team has not been successful, the Wash way has definitely brought out the best in a lot of these team, especially younger guys like Zach Neto, Nolan Schanuel and Logan O'Hoppe.

I mean, there is a palpable difference between this Angels team than several of the previous ones, even if the scores don't really reflect much of a change. I feel like there's just more unity in this version of the Angels. There's less obviously ill-fitting pieces. Even somebody like Kevin Pillar can jump right in with these guys and hit .300. All these years of letting the youth movement fill up has given this team people like Taylor Ward, Neto and O'Hoppe, and has let them all surge at the same time. 

What it really is right now is that this team has made me excited for what could develop under Wash's leadership, cause there are a lot of pieces that really could build into something. Everyone this week has been talking about Ben Joyce and his 100mph pitches, and while he may not be the crowdpleaser that Paul Skenes or Mason Miller have been, he's still a really good weapon. Through 21 games, Joyce has a 1.82 ERA and 21 Ks, and has only grown more valuable with the departure of Carlos Estevez. He could be really something if he sticks around and stays this good.

Equally intriguing is someone like Jose Soriano, who got a rotation spot after some space opened up in free agency. Soriano isn't too flashy, but he's efficient, and he has 85 strikeouts and a 3.47 ERA in his 20 appearances this year. And look, with the injuries that have befallen Patrick Sandoval, and the struggles Reid Detmers has had, it's been tough to keep the rotation spots open, but honestly, having Soriano, Tyler Anderson and Davis Daniel not only eating innings but pitching well is definitely a plus. Clearly they're not coming away with great records, but they're above average options for a team that's missing a lot right now.

The Angels are gonna leave this season with so many more answers, and so many pieces that work continuously rather than 'well let's give that a try'. And if everyone stays around, which, aside from maybe Ward and Rengifo is pretty likely, they could build a small little middle of the pack competitor for 2025. Hell, maybe Mike Trout can be healthy for some of this one.

Coming Tomorrow- It's hard to take the spotlight away from a guy who pitched a no-hitter this week, but this guy and his monster home run rates certainly might.