The Los Angeles Angels are the hottest team in the American League, and the long ball is fueling their run.
The Angels have 15 homers during a season-best six-game winning streak. They will aim to continue their power surge when they look to finish a four-game sweep of the Athletics on Thursday afternoon at West Sacramento, Calif.
Los Angeles hit four homers in Wednesday’s 10-5 victory while again tormenting the Athletics, who have dropped a season-worst eight straight games and 12 of their past 14.
Logan O’Hoppe of the Angels smacked two homers that traveled a combined 901 feet and has three in the past two games. Zach Neto and Jo Adell also went deep Wednesday.
“Just sticking to our approach,” Neto said after his club had nine extra-base hits. “We talk about it all the time in our hitters’ meetings. … I think it’s the key — the communication we have is growing, and we are getting comfortable with each other.”
The Angels have eight homers among 17 extra-base hits in the series.
Taylor Ward continued his hot hitting by going 3-for-5 with two runs and one RBI. He is 6-for-14 with two homers and five RBIs in the series and has five multi-hit outings over the last 10 games. Ward has five homers, five doubles and one triple during the stretch.
Hitting has been contagious up and down the Angels’ lineup.
“We had great at-bats. Good things happen when you do that,” Adell said. “We’re playing for each other; that’s what it’s about. It’s exciting.”
The Athletics are in the worst current rut in the majors and have been outscored 62-21 during the slide. They have allowed nine or more runs on four occasions.
“These are stretches you go through as a club,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said. “You don’t want it to continue, obviously.”
Rookie Nick Kurtz had the first two-homer game of his young career and has gone deep three times over the past two games. Kurtz was the fourth overall pick in the 2024 draft, and the Athletics view him as a building block for the future.
Kotsay said he liked that Kurtz rebounded after a couple of tough at-bats.
“Great night for him,” Kotsay said. “His first two at-bats, he had punchouts and continued to stay focused. I think it showed a lot of maturity on his part. We talk a lot about this kid continuing to learn how to be a big leaguer and what it takes. For him to have a great night is a good sign.”
Another promising linchpin, rookie shortstop Jacob Wilson, sat out after being drilled by a pitch on his left forearm on Tuesday. He is unlikely to play Thursday. Wilson ranks third in the majors with a .341 batting average.
Left-hander Tyler Anderson (2-1, 3.04 ERA), the Angels’ scheduled starter on Thursday, is winless over his past five outings. Anderson, 35, allowed season highs of four runs and seven hits in five innings in his team’s 11-9 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday. Anderson served up two homers.
Anderson has fared well against the Athletics with a 4-1 record and 2.50 ERA in six career starts. Brent Rooker (3-for-12) and Shea Langeliers (2-for-10) each have homered off Anderson.
Athletics right-hander Luis Severino (1-2, 4.22) will look to tame the Los Angeles offense. The 31-year-old is 0-1 with a 3.10 ERA in five career starts against the Angels. Tim Anderson (7-for-20) and Yoan Moncada (4-for-12) each have taken Severino deep.
Severino also is winless over his last five outings. He pitched well in his last turn by blanking the San Francisco Giants on four hits over six innings while receiving a no-decision on Saturday. The A’s lost 1-0 in 10 innings.
Severino has struggled in six home starts, going 0-4 with a 6.75 ERA.
–Field Level Media
