Angels' Ron Washington Blasts Player for Failed Squeeze Bunt: 'He Didn't Do the Job'

Patrick Andres | May 15, 2024

Apr 16, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Los Angeles Angels manager Ron Washington (37) looks on. / Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

Since longtime manager Mike Scioscia's exit after the 2018 MLB season, the Los Angeles Angels have had a revolving door in the dugout. Skippers Brad Ausmus, Joe Maddon and Phil Nevin have all tried their hands at turning around the team—to no avail.

The Angels hired veteran boss Ron Washington on Nov. 8 in an attempt to right the ship, but that plan appears already headed south. Exhibit A: Los Angeles's 7-6 to the scuffling St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday.

WIth the bases loaded, one out in the eighth inning, and third baseman Luis Guillorme at bat, the Angels completely bungled a potential squeeze play as shortstop Zach Neto made the second out of the inning at home. Guillorme then struck out to end the inning.

After the game, Washington laid the blame for the error at Guillorme's feet.

The squeeze play didn't work out for the #Angels with the bases loaded and one out in the eighth and Luis Guillorme then struck out to end the inning. Down 7-6. pic.twitter.com/YlJwdBiq5F

— Rhett Bollinger (@RhettBollinger) May 15, 2024

“Lefty on lefty, and with a sinkerballer on a left-hander, I didn’t want him to hit into a double play," Washington told reporters. "He can handle the bat. He didn’t do the job. It wasn’t anything I did wrong. He didn’t do the job.”

When a reporter pointed out that Cardinals pitcher JoJo Romero had been wild that inning, Washington said they were "making excuses" and again blamed Guillorme.

Los Angeles is now 15–28 this season, eight games behind the first-place Seattle Mariners in the AL West.