Can the Angels Finally Snap Their Seven Game Losing Streak?

Just when it looked like the Angels had finally turned a corner, they found themselves right back where they had spent much of the season. After putting together one of their best stretches of baseball, Los Angeles has now dropped seven straight games, including the series opener against the Rangers. While the losing streak has erased much of the momentum they had built, the Angels still have an opportunity to stop the slide against another division rival before the series gets away from them.

Angels center fielder Mike Trout (27) throws to shortstop Zach Neto (9) during the eight inning against the Brewers on Sunday April 30, 2023 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wis. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Walbert Ureña Gives the Angels a Chance

With Walbert Ureña scheduled to start Game 2, the Angels will have another opportunity to put an end to their losing streak. Ureña has been one of the club's most reliable starters this season, consistently giving the Angels a chance to compete every time he takes the mound. However, he'll need more support from the offense if Los Angeles hopes to even the series. That won't be an easy task, as the Rangers are expected to counter with MacKenzie Gore. While Gore hasn't matched the numbers many expected this season, he still possesses electric swing and miss stuff and is capable of dominating a lineup when he's at his best. If the Angels are going to snap their seven game skid, it will take a complete team effort on both sides of the ball.

The Angels Need Adell and Neto

One encouraging takeaway from the series opener was the performance of Jo Adell, who finished with a two-hit night. As the Angels look to snap their losing streak, they'll need Adell to continue building on that performance. He has already shown flashes of the player he can become, and when he's swinging the bat well, he adds another dangerous dimension to the Angels' lineup. The key now is consistency. Meanwhile, Zach Neto had a quieter night, going 0 for 3 with two strikeouts. After being one of the Angels' hottest hitters during their recent stretch of success, expect Neto to put the opener behind him and look to make an impact in Game 2. If both Adell and Neto can get going offensively, the Angels will give themselves a much better chance to finally put an end to their seven game losing streak.

Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout (27) celebrates after hitting a solo home run in the sixth inning of an MLB baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Monday, Aug. 5, 2019, at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. Los Angeles Angels At Cincinnati Reds Aug 5 | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Another Late-Inning Collapse

The storyline felt a little too familiar in the series opener. Despite a solid outing from Luis Severino, who threw six innings while allowing two runs and striking out four, the Angels found themselves tied 3-3 entering the bottom of the eighth inning with every opportunity to steal a win. Then, one inning changed everything. The Rangers erupted for five runs to pull away and hand the Angels another frustrating loss. It's a trend that has surfaced too often this season, with one bad inning undoing an otherwise competitive performance. If the Angels can clean up those costly moments, there's reason to believe they'll start turning close games back into wins. They already proved during their recent hot stretch that they're capable of playing winning baseball. Now the challenge is limiting the mistakes and putting together a complete game as they look to snap their seven game losing streak in Game 2.

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