The Los Angeles Angels will host the Detroit Tigers Thursday night in Anaheim, Calif., to begin a four-game series with a list of concerns that is only growing.
Not only have the Angels lost five in a row, they got another Mike Trout injury scare in a 9-3 loss Wednesday to the Seattle Mariners.
Trout has started all 29 of the Angels’ games this season, and he said after the game Wednesday that he hopes to start Thursday. Trying to beat out a play on a groundball, Trout sprinted to first bag, lunged for the bag and landed hard on it with his left foot, jamming his knee.
Last year, Trout missed most of the season with a torn meniscus in his left knee that required surgery. Trout initially remained in the game after being thrown out on the play, but was lifted for a pinch hitter one inning later as a precautionary measure.
“When it happened, it was just a weird feeling,” Trout said. “After getting treatment stuff, it actually feels a little better. Hopefully, it’s just a little scar tissue breaking up.”
He said he believes he will be ready Thursday for the series opener.
Trout stands one behind the American League leaders with nine home runs this season, but his numbers otherwise are not good, especially considering his resume. He went 1-for-2 on Wednesday and is hitting .179 with a .264 on-base percentage and .462 slugging percentage.
The Angels’ offensive woes are not limited to Trout. Left fielder Taylor Ward began the season as the club’s leadoff hitter, was moved out of the spot recently and Wednesday was on the bench for the first time this season.
Ward is hitting .189 with six homers and a .623 OPS. He has struck out 28 times.
“The borderline pitches, I’m cool with taking those,” Ward said. “If they’re painted, I think over time, they’ll even out. But if the ball is fully in the zone, I need to take a hack at that for sure.”
Left-hander Yusei Kikuchi (0-4, 4.31 ERA) will make his seventh start of the season for Los Angeles, still looking for his first win. After pitching six full innings in four of his first five starts, he was knocked out of the game after just two innings in his most recent start against the Minnesota Twins, giving up four runs and nine hits. He was the losing pitcher in the 5-1 game last Saturday.
He is 1-2 with a 6.21 ERA in six career starts against the Tigers.
Right-hander Casey Mize (4-1, 2.12) will make his sixth start of the season for Detroit, already doubling his win total from the 2024 season, in which he made 20 starts.
“I have very high expectations for myself, always have, always will,” Mize said. “I always expect more out of myself and knew I would get back to being a quality contributor.”
Mize ha? allowed one run or fewer in four of his five starts.
“I’ve had some good stretches like this in my career,” Mize said, “but to start a season like this, it’s really positive … The hitters are telling me that the things I’m trying to do out there are working.”
Mize is 1-0 with a 3.14 ERA in three career starts versus the Angels.
–Field Level Media
