The Los Angeles Angels‘ 2022 season has been a roller-coaster ride for fans.
They started off the year on the right foot and held the top spot in the AL West for a few weeks.
Then, they started losing games and their skid reached 14.
Things haven’t been smooth after that: they were knocked out of the playoff positions, they fired manager Joe Maddon, and they fell to third in the division.
They were 27-17 when their losing streak started, and are now 34-38.
Amazingly, their pitching has some inspired nights from time to time.
The Angels’ pitching staff is talented, but inconsistent: that means it can look unhittable one day and allow 10 runs in the next game.
The Angels Shut Out The Royals Behind An Inspired Shohei Ohtani
On Wednesday night, they won 5-0 against the Kansas City Royals, and got their 10th shutout win.
“This is the #Angels 10th shutout win of the season, which is third-most in the Majors in 2022, behind only the Mets (11) and Yankees (11),” the Angels PR tweeted.
This is the #Angels 10th shutout win of the season, which is third-most in the Majors in 2022, behind only the Mets (11) and Yankees (11). https://t.co/MIlNaOd1TQ
— Angels PR (@LAAngelsPR) June 23, 2022
It’s surprising to see the Angels right up there with the New York Mets and Yankees in a specific category, but again, when you have Shohei Ohtani on your staff, good things usually happen.
And let’s not forget that they have the improved Patrick Sandoval and rookie Reid Detmers, who pitched a no-hitter.
Last night, it was Ohtani’s turn to shine.
The two-way star pitched eight shutout innings against the Royals, with a career-high 13 strikeouts.
Reliever Ryan Tepera pitched the ninth frame to complete the shutout.
As long as Ohtani is part of the staff, the Angels will probably earn a few more shutouts down the road.
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