Angels’ pitchers allow late barrage in loss to Phillies
PHILADELPHIA — The Angels continued limping toward the finish line with a roster set to undergo a makeover.
The Angels lost to the Philadelphia Phillies, 12-7, on Tuesday, a day when they placed six of their veteran players on waivers in an effort to trim salary toward the end of a failed season.
One of those players – outfielder Randal Grichuk – hit a home run and doubled twice, a nice audition for a team that might want to claim him by Thursday’s deadline.
Luis Rengifo, who might find himself playing more outfield if players like Grichuk and Hunter Renfroe are claimed, hit a pair of homers and had three hits.
None of it was enough to make up for a pitching staff that was torched.
Starter Tyler Anderson gave up six runs in five-plus innings and then reliever José Soriano entered and allowed two more. Jaime Barría gave up four more.
The Angels’ pitching staff could get even thinner if starter Lucas Giolito and relievers Matt Moore, Reynaldo López and Dominic Leone are claimed.
Anderson, who is in the first year of a three-year, $39 million deal, is not going anywhere. He now has a 5.58 ERA after 24 games, including 22 starts.
Anderson and the Angels (63-70) were off to a good start on Tuesday.
Through five innings, he had allowed two solo homers and he had a 4-2 lead, thanks to Rengifo’s homers and an RBI from Shohei Ohtani.
In the sixth, though, Anderson couldn’t get an out.
He gave up a single to Nick Castellanos, who took second when left fielder Grichuk misplayed the ball. The Angels then intentionally walked Bryce Harper.
Anderson threw a 1-and-0 changeup over the outside corner to Alec Bohm, who hammered it over the left-field fence for a three-run homer. Anderson gave up a double to J.T. Realmuto, who came around to score after Soriano had entered the game.
More to come on this story.