
Getty Image / Ronald Martinez
The Los Angeles Angels are truly a tragic baseball team. And, that was on display Friday night when they lost a game in extra innings despite a Shohei Ohtani grand slam and a triple play in the ninth inning.
Think about it. The Los Angeles Angels have had two surefire Hall of Famers in Mike Trout for most of 12 seasons, Shohei Ohtani for six years, and in that time period they’ve made just one postseason appearance and haven’t won a single playoff game.
It’s a comedy of errors every year in terms of team building. They simply have not been able to surround those two with productive talent. This year’s trade deadline was a truly alarming display of incompetence. With Ohtani likely to leave for free agency in the offseason and the team only on the fringes of the playoff picture, they depleted an already-weak farm system to chase the playoffs. It didn’t make any sense, and they’ve struggled since. They’re 4-11 since the deadline, and are now 7 games out of a wild card spot.
It’s been a meme for Ohtani to have huge games, only for the Los Angeles Angels to lose anyway. And, he hit a grand slam last night. Take a look. This ball was tanked.
Ohtani, Sho us something you can't do?! pic.twitter.com/BlkXFSdSPs
— MLB (@MLB) August 19, 2023
And, in a tie game in the 9th with the go-ahead run on 3rd, they turned a fantastic triple play to get them out of the inning.
🚨 TRIPLE PLAY 🚨#GoHalos pic.twitter.com/K5AtYviWWi
— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) August 19, 2023
Yet, they lost anyway, as the Rays would tack on three runs in the top of the 10th to take a 9-6 lead. Los Angeles did not score in their half of the inning.
Luke puts us back in front in the 10th! pic.twitter.com/UzZTVTf0lV
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) August 19, 2023
Just another gut punch for Angels fans.