Trout, Angels endure 10th straight losing season

This story was excerpted from Rhett Bollinger's Angels Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

MILWAUKEE -- With their loss to the Brewers in the series opener on Tuesday night, the Angels reached a dubious mark, clinching their 10th straight losing season with their 82nd defeat of the year.

It’s been another limp to the finish line for the Angels, who have been dealing with a plethora of injuries down the stretch, including shortstop Zach Neto getting shut down for the year with a left hand strain and right-hander José Soriano getting hit on the right forearm by a line drive on Wednesday that also ended his season.

Interim manager Ray Montgomery acknowledged that it’s been another challenging season for the Halos, who last finished above .500 in 2015 and last reached the postseason in 2014, marking the longest active playoff drought in the Majors.

“It’s disappointing to hear it,” Montgomery said. “Obviously, we put up a pretty good fight for a certain extent of the season, and then to come into September and play like we’ve played [is tough]. That's not what these guys wanted. It leaves a bad taste in your mouth every night.”

Angels superstar Mike Trout is the only player who has been part of all 10 of those losing seasons. While he said he saw some encouraging trends, it obviously wasn’t enough. Trout, 34, remains under contract through 2030 after signing a 12-year deal worth $426.5 million before the 2019 season that pays him $37.1 million annually.

“It's definitely tough,” Trout said. “It seemed like we were having a pretty good stretch during the middle of the season, and it just got away from us. We’ve been banged up, not making excuses. But we had some guys come up and it’s been a good experience for younger guys. We had some guys that made a big jump this year.”

Neto was certainly someone who made a big jump this season, while Jo Adell and Taylor Ward experienced breakout seasons. First baseman Nolan Schanuel has also continued to show promise with his contact skills, while catcher Logan O’Hoppe had a tough year. Bryce Teodosio has also provided elite defense in center, but his bat remains a question mark.

One of the biggest issues for the Angels has been their inability to make contact, as they lead the Majors in strikeouts by a large margin, which has negated the positive of being in the top five in homers hit.

“The punchouts obviously are still becoming an issue,” Montgomery said. “They've been an issue. We've talked about it. We live and die by the home run a little bit.”

The Angels are relying on several youngsters down the stretch, as both Christian Moore, 22, and Denzer Guzman (the Halos' No. 9 prospect per MLB Pipeline), 21, were called up on Saturday in Seattle. Right-hander Caden Dana (No. 5), 21, is also in the rotation along with 24-year-old Mitch Farris. Lefty Sam Aldegheri (No. 14), 23, was also called up on Thursday and is in the bullpen for the short term, but he is expected to take Soriano’s place in the rotation.

Dana said the key for the young players is not to dwell on another losing season and to try to finish the year strong.

“We just need to keep positive energy, I think that's the biggest thing,” Dana said. “It's easy to get down on each other, get down on ourselves. So it’s just keeping a positive vibe in the clubhouse. I'm just gonna make these next two weeks be fun.”

Montgomery said it’s been an important learning experience for that young group, especially playing against contenders on the road such as the Mariners and Brewers. The Angels' next six games are against the non-contending Rockies and Royals, but they finish the year with a key three-game series for the Astros at Angel Stadium.

Montgomery said they told the younger players to make the most out of their opportunities and to get a feel for what it’s like to play meaningful games down the stretch.

“I think that's part of the message, and we've delivered that,” Montgomery said. “Obviously, these games matter. So these are the environments we want these guys to get accustomed to. Just keep grinding. Keep putting ABs together. And the collective message is we have to play as a group.”