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.
WEST SACRAMENTO -- It was Taylor Ward’s idea.
After falling into a deep slump, Ward was slashing just .176/.218/.360 through his first 32 games and knew he needed to do something to get on track. He asked the Angels if he could face a few of their Minor League pitchers before games against the Blue Jays on May 6 and May 7 to help find his mechanics and get his timing back.
By Ward’s own admission, the first round didn’t go well, as he was doing the same things he was doing during his funk at the plate. But after sitting with hitting coach Johnny Washington after the session, the two found that his mechanics were off. He wasn’t staying back enough with his swing, and once they talked it over, Ward was able to make an adjustment, and he’s been one of the game’s hottest hitters since then.
Ward has a .318/.370/.788 slash line with eight homers, five doubles and 24 RBIs over his last 16 games, including eight straight games with an extra-base hit, punctuated by his go-ahead grand slam in Thursday’s 10-5 win. He became the first Angels player to have an extra-base hit in eight straight games since Tim Salmon in 2000.
“Definitely after the first round of live [bullpens], we just went back and quickly were able to make an adjustment,” Ward said. “And since then, I'm sticking with that adjustment. So it’s definitely a testament to the [live BPs]. That’s helped me a lot.”
Ward faced roughly 35-40 pitches before both of those games against Toronto, and his mechanics clicked quickly, as he homered in his first at-bat on May 6. He credited Washington for pointing out what he was doing wrong, and now he believes he’s locked in.
“During the lives, I wasn’t staying on my back side and was kind of falling and couldn’t hold anything back there,” Ward said. “But I’ve been able to keep that back leg down in the ground and hold. And it allows me to read the ball and be on time.”
Ward, 31, has been a streaky hitter throughout his career, and he said he thinks it’s because his swing doesn’t come natural to him. It’s one he developed after he was selected in the first round of the 2015 Draft and took time to perfect. So when something is even slightly off, Ward said he has trouble being consistent.
“Without mechanics, I don't think that I really have a shot,” Ward said. “I wasn’t drafted with this swing. It’s kind of artificially made to be as simple as possible. Some guys are born with it, and they just go and they rake, and they don't have to worry and it all clicks. And since mine is more artificial, it’s a little more sensitive. When things are good, it’s great, but when it’s not, I’m just rolling it over.”
Angels manager Ron Washington said he was impressed by Ward taking the initiative to ask for help and to face live pitching during the season, which is rare. He felt like Ward was getting close to breaking out after a rough stretch that included an 0-for-27 slump, but that the live sessions put him over the top.
“I'm certain that it probably had something to do with it,” Washington said. “But more than anything else, I think if you guys remember, I told you he was getting close, and now he's locked in. He's not missing his pitches. But I would imagine that had something to do with it, especially at the time. Got him in the right frame of mind to go up there thinking about what he wanted to do and how he wanted to do it.”
Ward compared the way he's been feeling to his breakout season in '22, when he hit .281/.360/.473 with 23 homers, 22 doubles and 65 RBIs in 135 games. Because of his slow start, he's batting .225/.272/.508 with 14 homers, 10 doubles and 34 RBIs in 48 games, but his 14 homers are tied for sixth most in the Majors, along with teammate Logan O’Hoppe.
“It’s been great,” Ward said. “It kind of reminds me of ’22 a little bit. Just been able to see pitches and not miss them. I’ve been feeling great.”
Ward’s hot stretch has coincided with the Angels playing better baseball, as they’ve won 11 of 16 games since his live session, including seven in a row. They’ve averaged 5.9 runs per game over that stretch, and Ward is a big part of it.
“It’s incredible,” Ward said. “It’s exciting. I just hope everybody keeps doing what they’re doing because it’s fun to be a part of. Just passing the baton. It’s just awesome right now.”