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Clips

(September 26, 2017)

September 26, 2017 Page 2 of 21

Today’s Clips Contents

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIME (Page 3)

Angels move further away from a playoff spot

Angels mailbag: One last week

FROM THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER (Page 7)

Angels on the verge of elimination after loss to White Sox

Angels Notes: Parker Bridwell defies the experts

FROM ANGELS.COM (Page 10)

Trout hits 30th, but Halos on brink of elimination

Playoff hopes dwindling after miscues vs. Sox

Bridwell starts with Halos clinging to WC hopes

Inbox: Who is Angels' 2B of the future?

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (Page 15)

Angels' wild-card hopes fading after 4-2 loss to White Sox

White Sox could end Angels’ wild-card hopes

FROM YAHOO! SPORTS (Page 18)

The dream of a Trout postseason is nearly dead

FROM THE ATHLETIC (Page 19)

By the numbers: James Shields, White Sox, stamp out Angels' playoff hopes

September 26, 2017 Page 3 of 21

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

Angels move further away from a playoff spot

By Pedro Moura

The Angels’ chartered airplane touched down at Chicago Midway International Airport after 3 a.m.

Monday, their “Sunday Night Baseball” victory in Houston already immaterial. The team buses reached a

reserved Michigan Avenue hotel at about 4 a.m.

To compensate, the buses set off for the ballpark later than normal in the afternoon. Still, the shift in

schedule lingered in the Angels’ spirits.

“I’m like a zombie right now,” Ben Revere said upon arrival at Guaranteed Rate Field. “I don’t want to

move. I just want to take a nap.”

The Angels played like zombies often on a sleepy Monday.

The 92-loss Chicago White Sox topped them 4-2 and sent their playoff hopes tumbling even further

down September’s slope.

“That was disappointing,” Mike Trout said. “That was a tough loss.”

The White Sox announced a crowd of 13,443 fans. Far fewer took their seats throughout a tranquil

evening on the South Side.

Chicago struck first, aided by an Andrelton Simmons error on an attempted double play. With two men

on and two out in the first inning, Angels starter Ricky Nolasco surrendered a two-run double to Nicky

Delmonico.

Nolasco gave up another run in the third, again hurt by a misplay from a typically deft defense. Justin

Upton slid for and reached an Avisail Garcia drive, but lost it in the lights. It went as a triple. Garcia

scored on a sacrifice fly.

In between, the Angels managed one run when Simmons singled, Luis Valbuena walked and Martin

Maldonado singled. Trout made it two with a fifth-inning solo shot, fighting back from a 0-and-2 count

to get to 3-and-2. There, White Sox starter James Shields left a cutter over the middle of the plate, and

Trout clobbered it 457 feet to left-center.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia tried to wring one last inning out of Nolasco. When back-to-back singles

began the sixth, Scioscia abandoned that plan. He split the rest of the inning between relievers Jose

Alvarez and Blake Wood, who let in the lead runner but no one else.

Over another hour, no one else scored. Shields finished seven innings for only the second time this

season, the 35-year-old’s revamped delivery working well.

September 26, 2017 Page 4 of 21

Fed up with his umpteenth failed start of the season last month, Shields experimented with lowering his

release point and found greater success, if not actual success.

Few starting pitchers release the baseball as low to the ground as he now does.

“That,” Trout said, “was definitely a different Shields.”

Shields’ season has typified Chicago’s: awful at first, and still not good, but better. Because of the

tanking team’s late-season call-ups, the Angels encountered a more talented White Sox team than most

major league clubs did this year.

For his third consecutive start, Nolasco described his performance with the word “decent,” or one of its

colloquial derivatives. He is right. He owns a 3.38 earned-run average in that span. Yet the Angels have

lost all three games, and 22 of Nolasco’s 32 starts this season.

It is a paradox. Nolasco is the rotation’s lone constant, the Angels’ only starter to make it through the

year. A dozen other men have made starts, and all of them at some point suffered a demotion or an

injury or a shift to the bullpen.

But, absent the losses they have incurred with Nolasco on the mound, they would still be in the playoff

picture.

Now, the Angels (77-79) are about out of it. The only way they can earn the American League’s second

wild-card slot outright is if they win all six of their remaining games and the Minnesota Twins lose all six

of theirs. If they lose once or Minnesota wins once, the two teams would play a 163rd game on Monday

in Minneapolis.

If both conditionals come true or one does more than once, the Angels’ season will end Sunday

afternoon at Angel Stadium.

It is, as Upton said Monday, a “tough spot.”

“All we can do is try to play our best baseball and see what happens,” said the left fielder who has

carried the Angels for most of this month.

Asked if his team’s philosophy would be to keep playing until it was eliminated, Scioscia demurred.

“Play until we get in,” the manager said. “How about that?”

Short hops

Third baseman Yunel Escobar will play an instructional league game Tuesday in Arizona, and likely

another Wednesday. … Left-hander Andrew Heaney remains on track to start Thursday. He’ll throw a

bullpen session Tuesday as his final step to return from shoulder soreness.

September 26, 2017 Page 5 of 21

Angels mailbag: One last week

By Pedro Moura

Hello, Angels fans. This is actually it now. There is one week left in the 2017 regular season, one week to

determine whether the Angels will qualify for the American League wild-card game.

It is extremely improbable that they will. At 77-78, the Angels have seven games left, and the Minnesota

Twins have six. Eleven of those outcomes need to finish in the Angels’ favor or they will be eliminated

from the Oct. 3 game at Yankee Stadium.

There is that to think about, as well as the future. Many of you seem more focused on the future. Let’s

get to your questions in this year’s penultimate mailbag.

(via email)

Mike Trout is having a marvelous season, but his average has plummeted in recent weeks. Is he injured?

Fatigued? What do you think accounts for his prolonged slump?

Thank you!

Marc Ballon

It’s mostly randomness. Trout is simply not having his hits fall in at the rate they once did. It’s not

particularly complicated. When his average stood at .348 on Aug. 11, 37% of the balls he had put into

play had fallen in for hits.

Since then, only 23% of the balls he’s put into play have evaded fielders. So, in that stretch, he’s hitting

in the .220s. That is not going to continue. He runs too fast and hits the ball too hard for that to

continue. He also is probably not going to carry a .370 batting average on balls in play going forward. His

career mark is .356. He can do that.

More importantly, Trout is walking as much as he ever has. In the “prolonged slump” the questioner

referred to, Trout has walked far more than he has struck out. If you do that in the major leagues, you’re

virtually guaranteed to be good, especially with his speed and power.

Nothing is wrong. He’s mis-hit a few fastballs he should have ripped. I would not expect that to

continue. Proceed as normal.

Do view this season as a success or failure? Are the angels any closer to becoming a legitimate

contender in the future.

Forced to pick one, it has to be a failure. This is a team with the best ballplayer in the world, a significant

payroll, and a big market to call home. They’re under .500 and on the verge of ensuring they’ll go at

least nine years between playoff victories. Obviously, that is not good.

September 26, 2017 Page 6 of 21

I’m not sure if they’re any closer to contending. A lot of the improvements between 2016 and 2017

were shorter term in nature. If the Angels are to contend next season and beyond, they will have to do it

again this off-season, and probably again next year. Garrett Richards will be a free agent in a year, and

he’s the only pitcher with top-of-the-rotation potential the Angels have in their organization.

7-13 in Sep. What happened? Is Trout hurt? Did new guys disrupt chemistry? Did injuries catch up? Bat

flips? Graterol/A's?

The Angels are not a bad team, but they are also not a good team, and they lost to teams that are better

than them. That is pretty much what happened. No, the new guys did not disrupt the chemistry. I do not

think Justin Upton could disrupt anybody’s chemistry. Sure, injuries caught up to the Angels, in that they

would be better if Andrew Heaney and Matt Shoemaker and JC Ramirez and Alex Meyer and Yunel

Escobar were healthy. Most of those guys were hurt in August, though.

I can’t come up with a single possible way Luis Valbuena’s bat flips or the flap between Juan Graterol

and the Oakland Athletics could have hampered the Angels for three weeks.

Do any of the Angels play fantasy baseball or football?

Yes. I think that might be the thing I’ve learned in this job that would have most surprised my old self.

Ballplayers love fantasy sports. They love talking trade and talking trash. It is funny.

Kinsler

Trout

Upton

Mousestakus

Pujols

Simmons

Calhoun

Cron

Maldonado

Could this be a possible lineup next season?

That would be difficult to swing. If Justin Upton does not opt out, the Angels will have $110.7 million

committed to six returning players: Upton, Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, Andrelton Simmons, Luis Valbuena

and Kole Calhoun.

They will also owe something like $25 million in arbitration to at least eight more guys: Garrett Richards,

Matt Shoemaker, Martin Maldonado, Blake Parker, Cam Bedrosian, C.J. Cron, Tyler Skaggs and JC

Ramirez. Add in $5 million to cover the minimum-salaried players, and you have at least $140 million

committed. Based on their opening-day payroll from the last two seasons, that leaves about $25 million

to spend.

Acquiring Ian Kinsler and Mike Moustakas would cost more than that and would leave no room for

additional acquisitions or the retaining of free agents such as Yusmeiro Petit. If Upton remains an Angel,

September 26, 2017 Page 7 of 21

there’s room within payroll to add someone significant, but probably just one person, and then more

moves at the margins.

Who plays 2B in 2018?

That is a good question, to which I do not know the answer. If it’s someone who is in the organization

now, it will be Kaleb Cowart, who demonstrated he has improved in fielding the position. He is also not

as overmatched at the plate as he once was.

More likely is that the team will find someone via trade or free agency.

I’m not sure. It’s been so long since I rooted for a sports team. My instinct is that the best idea is to

thrust yourself into other pursuits you find fun and fruitful.

Thoughts on brand new album? Best 3rd base free agent?

Brand New’s “Science Fiction” is great. It is forceful and graceful and melodic. Andy McCullough and I

discussed it on our podcast last week. My favorite 2017 records, right now, are Cloud Nothings’ “Life

Without Sound”, and the War on Drugs’ “A Deeper Understanding.”

Mike Moustakas is the best free-agent third baseman.

Yes, what do you do in the offseason?

I still write about baseball. Also, I like to run, read, see my friends and visit places.

FROM THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Angels on the verge of elimination after loss to White Sox

By Jeff Fletcher

CHICAGO — After the Angels’ 4-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox on Monday pushed his team to the brink

of elimination, Mike Scioscia interrupted a question from a reporter, who asked if they have to “just play

until you’re out.”

“Play till we’re in,” the Angels manager said. “How about that?”

Clearly, Scioscia is maintaining the brave face despite the mathematical reality of the Angels’ situation.

They are five games behind the Minnesota Twins for the American League’s second wild card, with six

games to go.

“We’re in a tough spot,” outfielder Justin Upton said. “That’s why we play until Oct. 1. All we can do is try

to play our best baseball these last six games and see what happens.”

September 26, 2017 Page 8 of 21

The final seven-game stretch at least offered them the opportunity of two opponents already out of the

race, the Seattle Mariners after four games against the rebuilding White Sox.

On paper, it looked like a good matchup, facing veteran James Shields and his 5.40 ERA. However, this isn’t

the same Shields who had been mostly responsible for that number.

In the fourth inning of his Aug. 5 start – yes, in the middle of a game – he changed his delivery, dropping

his arm angle to more of a sidearm release.

Including the two runs he allowed in seven innings against the Angels, most of whom had never seen him

that way, he has a 4.08 ERA with the new arm angle.

“He kept the ball down,” Upton said. “He didn’t really elevate any pitches in the zone. That’s tough on the

hitters.”

Added Mike Trout: “It’s definitely a different Shields. He was moving the ball all around tonight. Keeping

guys off balance. The home run, I just got a pitch to hit.”

Trout’s 30th homer of the season was announced at 457 feet, which is tied for the sixth longest homer of

his career. It also made for the fourth time in his six full seasons he’s hit 30. (He hit 27 and 29 in the other

two.) He is one of 10 players to have four 30-homer seasons before their age-26 season.

“It’s pretty cool,” Trout said. “But we lost, so it’s disappointing. It was a tough loss.”

Twitter Ads info and privacy

While the Angels were struggling to hit Shields, Angels starter Ricky Nolasco gave up four runs in five-plus

innings. Scioscia said his line was misleading, though.

The two runs in the first were unearned, because they scored on a two-out double after an Andrelton

Simmons’ error. In the third, Upton lost Avisail Garcia’s line drive in the lights. The ball got by him for a

triple, leading to a run. The White Sox scored another run on a groundout, after Nolasco was out of the

game.

While Nolasco took the loss, this one was mostly pegged to the hitters and their inability to figure out

Shields.

“We didn’t pressure him enough,” Scioscia said. “Outside of Mike’s home run and a couple balls hit hard,

we didn’t have too many good looks at him.”

Angels Notes: Parker Bridwell defies the experts

By Jeff Fletcher

CHICAGO — Parker Bridwell unwittingly became an example of one of baseball’s 21st century debates.

September 26, 2017 Page 9 of 21

Bridwell, who makes his penultimate start of the season on Tuesday, has been successful in his rookie

season, despite going against the current trend.

In an era when strikeouts are booming, Bridwell has been pitching to contact. His rate of 5.79 strikeouts

per nine innings ranks ninth lowest in the majors among pitchers who have thrown at least 100 innings.

Nonetheless, Bridwell has a 3.86 ERA, which is better than the league average.

Many analysts will tell you that his success is not sustainable, because he doesn’t miss enough bats.

“I feel great about it,” Bridwell said. “I don’t care. They can say whatever they want. I go out and I’m

efficient and I’m happy how I do my job. If you’re efficient, most of the time the game is going your way.

Just got to stay away from big innings.”

Bridwell said he didn’t come to the majors intending to pitch this way. It just happened.

“It was hard for me to throw four pitches to a batter because they were swinging,” Bridwell said. “It’s the

best thing that could have happened to me.”

Bridwell has thrown 3.6 pitches per batter he’s faced, which is the best rate of any Angels starter.

“Back in the day, that was a good thing,” pitching coach Charles Nagy said. “Now it’s the high-strikeout,

high-pitch count guys. You still need guys to go out there and eat up innings and get outs.”

The trick, of course, is that you can only pitch to contact successfully if you’re pitching to soft contact. Nagy

believes Bridwell does that because his repertoire keeps them off balance.

“His ball moves,” Nagy said. “He sinks the ball. He cuts the ball. He’s got a really good breaking ball, a good

changeup. It all comes out of the same slot. He’s around the zone with all of them. Hitters can’t sit on one

pitch or one side. He puts them on the defensive and gets weak contact.”

According to Statcast, though, Bridwell’s average exit velocity of 88.5 mph is worse than average. He’s also

primarily a fly ball pitcher, so it’s possible he’s benefitting from the Angels’ outfield defense and his

spacious home park.

Whatever the reason for Bridwell’s success, he believes he can sustain it.

“Just maintain and be consistent,” he said. “Throw strikes and not necessarily go for the strikeout every

time. Be efficient and get early outs.”

ALSO

Andrew Heaney (shoulder inflammation) is scheduled for a bullpen session on Tuesday. If that goes well,

Heaney is expected to rejoin the rotation on Thursday. …

Yunel Escobar (strained oblique) is scheduled to play in an instructional league game on Tuesday. He could

be back on Thursday or Friday, likely returning to his spot as the starting third base for the few remaining

games. …

September 26, 2017 Page 10 of 21

After the Angels went 2-7 in a stretch of nine games in two weeks against the Cleveland Indians and

Houston Astros, the teams with the two best records in the league, Manager Mike Scioscia said that’s not

an indictment of his team. “Although we lost most of the games against two teams that are obviously

upper echelon of our league, I think we were in the games. We’re certainly not intimidated by them, but

we know we need to do some things better.”

FROM ANGELS.COM

Trout hits 30th, but Halos on brink of elimination

By Maria Guardado and Scott Merkin / MLB.com

CHICAGO -- The Angels' playoff hopes continued to dim on Monday night, as they dropped to five games

out of the American League Wild Card race with a 4-2 series-opening loss to the White Sox at

Guaranteed Rate Field.

James Shields allowed two runs over seven innings, and Nicky Delmonico went 2-for-4 with two RBIs to

hand the Angels the seventh loss in their last eight games. The Halos (77-79), who slid two games below

.500 for the first time since Aug. 8, are now on the brink of elimination, as their defeat caused the idle

Twins' magic number to clinch a Wild Card berth to fall to two with six games left to play.

"We're in a tough spot, but that's why we play until Oct. 1," Angels left fielder Justin Upton said. "All we

can do is try to play our best baseball for these last six games and see what happens."

Shields, who gave up only an RBI single to Martin Maldonado in the second and a solo home run to Mike

Trout in the fifth, matched a season high for strikeouts and innings pitched. He has three wins in his past

four decisions.

"I don't know if it's improved, but I'm having the results I want," said Shields, who altered his pitching

style 10 starts ago to attack hitters from different angles. "It's still a work in progress, but it feels pretty

good. Every game, I figure some new stuff out with my delivery, and it's been working."

Said Trout: "It was definitely a different Shields. He was moving the ball around tonight. He was keeping

guys off-balance."

Ricky Nolasco lasted only five innings for the Angels, yielding four runs (two earned) on seven hits while

walking one and striking out four. The veteran right-hander was hurt by a couple of mistakes by the

Angels' defense in the first and third innings, which both led to runs for the White Sox.

"As the game went on, Ricky's stuff got better," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "After the second,

third inning, he started to throw the ball well. It looked like he had better command, a little better

velocity. Just had a little trouble in the sixth inning, but he didn't pitch as bad as some of the numbers

[indicate]."

September 26, 2017 Page 11 of 21

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Angels' costly miscues: The White Sox were able to capitalize on a couple of defensive misplays by the

Angels. After Yolmer Sanchez led off the bottom of the first with a single, Tim Anderson tapped a

grounder to shortstop Andrelton Simmons, who fired a throw that went wide of second and put runners

on second and third with no outs for Chicago. Nolasco retired the next two batters, but then

surrendered a two-run double to Delmonico that gave the White Sox an early 2-0 lead.

In the third, Avisail Garcia lifted a fly ball to left field that appeared catchable, but Upton lost it in the

lights, allowing Garcia to come away with a leadoff triple. Matt Davidson then drove in Garcia with a

sacrifice fly, extending the White Sox's lead to 3-1.

"I took off and I could see it, and then when I got to a certain angle, it just went in the lights," Upton

said. "It is what it is. It's part of the game."

No. 30 for Trout: Trout launched a 457-foot solo shot to center field off Shields to trim the deficit to 3-2

in the fifth. The Angels' center fielder became the 10th player in Major League history to post at least

four 30-homer campaigns by his age-25 season and the first since Miguel Cabrera in 2008.

"It's pretty cool, but we lost, so it's disappointing," Trout said. "That was a tough loss."

"You can't throw a ball down the middle to that guy. It was a cement-mixer slider," Shields said. "I didn't

really execute my pitch too well. You can't make a mistake to that guy, especially with two outs. He's an

incredible ballplayer and a great dude, too. I know him pretty well. He's a good player, good overall

ambassador for baseball."

QUOTABLE

"I'm revamping every year. This being my 12th season, you're always trying to refine your game every

year, no matter what, whether it's a pitch or a mechanical adjustment." -- Shields, on changing his

pitching approach

THE STREAK IS OVER

The White Sox ended a seven-game losing streak against the Angels, with their last head-to-head win

coming on April 20, 2016, at home.

WHAT'S NEXT

Angels: Rookie right-hander Parker Bridwell (8-3, 3.86) will start for the Angels on Tuesday night as they

continue their four-game series against the White Sox at 5:10 p.m. PT at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Bridwell, who was charged with the loss in his last start Thursday after allowing four runs over 5 1/3

innings against the Indians, will make his first career appearance against the White Sox.

White Sox: The White Sox will hand the ball to Chris Volstad for their 7:10 p.m. CT matchup. The veteran

Volstad is set to make his first start since Oct. 2, 2012, when he worked seven innings for the Cubs in a

3-0 loss to the Astros. He gets the start with Carson Fulmer moved back to Saturday (in Cleveland) due

to a blister on his right index finger.

September 26, 2017 Page 12 of 21

Playoff hopes dwindling after miscues vs. Sox

By Maria Guardado / MLB.com

CHICAGO -- The Angels have slipped to the brink.

After falling to the last-place White Sox, 4-2, in Monday's series opener at Guaranteed Rate Field, the

Angels dropped five games behind the Twins for the second American League Wild Card spot with six

games left, putting them on the verge of elimination.

The Angels' playoff odds, which FanGraphs pegged at 38.8 percent just nine days ago, are now less than

one percent following the club's 1-7 skid.

"We're in a tough spot, but that's why we play until Oct. 1," left fielder Justin Uptonsaid. "All we can do

is try to play our best baseball for these last six games and see what happens."

After playing six consecutive games against the Astros and the Indians, the class of the American League,

the Angels appeared to have a prime opportunity Monday to reverse their downturn against the White

Sox, who are in the midst of a rebuild and started veteran right-hander James Shields, who brought a

5.40 ERA into the matchup.

But the Angels' offense generated only two runs over seven innings against Shields and his new three-

quarters arm slot. The Angels had tried to address their offensive holes by adding Upton and Brandon

Phillips through a pair of trades on Aug. 31, but they've been outscored 38-22 over their last eight

games, averaging only 2.8 runs per game over that stretch.

"It was definitely a different Shields," said Mike Trout, who crushed his 30th home run of the season to

cut the deficit to 3-2 in the fifth inning. "He was moving the ball around tonight. He was keeping guys

off-balance."

The Angels also hurt their cause with a pair of defensive miscues on Monday. In the first

inning, Andrelton Simmons made an errant throw on a grounder off the bat of Tim Anderson, putting

runners on second and third with no outs for the White Sox. Nicky Delmonico took advantage by

delivering a two-out, two-run double off Ricky Nolasco, which gave Chicago an early 2-0 lead.

"Obviously, you give them four outs, and it gets tough," manager Mike Scioscia said. "Those guys got a

key hit to get a couple runs early."

Upton also lost a fly ball in the lights in the third inning, allowing Avisail Garcia to reach on a leadoff

triple. Matt Davidson then hit a sacrifice fly to extend the White Sox's lead to 3-1.

"I took off and I could see it, and then when I got to a certain angle, it just went in the lights," Upton

said. "It is what it is. It's part of the game."

Now two games below .500 for the first time since Aug. 8, the Angels (77-79) could be formally

eliminated as early as Tuesday with the combination of a Twins win and a Halos loss. Given the Angels'

September 26, 2017 Page 13 of 21

dreary outlook, a reporter asked Scioscia after game, "What do you guys do right now, just play until

you're out?"

Scioscia, somewhat defiantly, responded, "Play until we get in, how about that?"

"We are where we are," Scioscia continued. "The one thing we can control is what we're doing. We

didn't get it done tonight, that's disappointing. We've got to come out here tomorrow with the same

energy and hopefully get the game on our terms. That's what we want to do."

Bridwell starts with Halos clinging to WC hopes

By Scott Merkin / MLB.com

The Angels' playoff push for the American League's second Wild Card spot will have to go through

veteran right-hander Chris Volstad and the White Sox on Tuesday night at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Volstad was given the nod -- his first since Oct. 2, 2012 -- when the White Sox decided to move back

Carson Fulmer's start to Saturday in Cleveland. Fulmer is dealing with a blister on his right index finger.

"If we weren't trying to be cautious, Fulmer would start," White Sox manager Rick Renteria said.

"Volstad has thrown well and [hasn't pitched since Thursday], so it falls into place."

Parker Bridwell gets the start for the Angels. Over his past five starts dating back to Aug. 30, Bridwell has

an expected batting average of .319 based on the quality of contact made against him and his actual

strikeouts. That is the third-highest xBA for any pitcher with at least 75 opponent at-bats during that

span, according to Statcast.

Regardless of who is on the mound for the Angels, the goal remains simple: Win every game on the

schedule. Los Angeles can be eliminated from the Wild Card race with a loss Tuesday paired with a Twins

victory.

"No one has their head buried in the sand as far as what the situation is," Angels manager Mike Scioscia

said prior to Monday's series opener. "We know we need to win, and we know we need some help. It's

not going to do us any good outside of putting all our focus into every game and giving us the best

chance to be where we want to be."

Things to know about this game

• Jose Abreu (left shin contusion) missed his second straight game on Monday, while Yoan Moncada

(right shin contusion) also missed the series opener. The two could be back for Tuesday's contest.

• With a win Monday night, the White Sox ended a seven-game losing streak to the Angels.

• Justin Upton is 4-for-7 lifetime against Volstad with one double and one triple. Albert Pujols,

meanwhile, is 1-for-8 lifetime with five walks.

September 26, 2017 Page 14 of 21

Inbox: Who is Angels' 2B of the future? Beat reporter Maria Guardado fields Halos fans' questions

By Maria Guardado / MLB.com

Will the Angels acquire a second baseman via trade or free agency for next season or give an internal

option a shot?

-- @ChrisW1212 via Twitter

I think the Angels will look externally to fill their vacancy at second base this offseason. Their best in-

house option to take over that spot would probably be Kaleb Cowart, but the Angels gave him an

extended look before they decided to trade for veteran Brandon Phillips, a stopgap who will be a free

agent at the end of the season. While Cowart, a natural third baseman, appears to have handled the

defensive transition to second well, I don't think he's shown that he can hit consistently enough in the

Majors to be guaranteed the starting job there next season. As of right now, I suspect Cowart will fill

more of a utility-type role for the Angels in 2018, with a to-be-determined offseason addition manning

second.

What has happened to Mike Trout in September?

-- @defib4life

Even Trout isn't immune to slumps, and it's unfortunate that he's going through a rather lengthy one at

a pivotal point in the season for the Angels. Entering Monday, Trout is batting .233 (17-for-73) with a

.791 OPS in 21 games in September, and he's attributed his dip in production to timing issues. He has

drawn 16 walks over that span, so he's still been getting on base at a reasonable clip.

What's the status of the Angels' farm system after this season. Who are a couple of under-the-radar

prospects to look for in the Arizona Fall League?

-- @DylanBricker27

The Angels' farm system is improving, and it has received an influx of promising talent over the past

couple of years. They haven't been represented on MLBPipeline.com's list of Top 100 prospects since

2014, but Jonathan Mayo recently suggested that Angels No. 1 and 2 prospects Jo Adell and Jahmai

Jones could crack the ranking next year.

First-round Draft picks Matt Thaiss and Taylor Ward will headline the Angels' contingent at the Arizona

Fall League this year, but I think it's also worth keeping an eye on outfielder Troy Montgomery, the

club's No. 20 prospect who made the jump from Class A Burlington to Double-A Mobile this season.

Montgomery, 23, batted .271 with a .771 OPS in 100 games across three Minor League levels in 2017.

What is the job security of Mike Scioscia like right now? How much longer do we expect to see him as an

Angel?

-- @YbarraJoshua

September 26, 2017 Page 15 of 21

Scioscia is under contract through 2018, so he's expected to remain with the Angels for at least one

more season. After that, it'll be up to the Halos' brass to decide whether they want to lengthen his

tenure or make a managerial change.

What is the status of Huston Street?

-- @daflowerchica

Righty Street has been rehabbing from a rotator cuff strain in Arizona, but Scioscia said recently that his

progress has stalled, so it's unlikely that he'll return before the end of the season. It's possible that

Street might have made his final appearance for the Angels in July. The 34-year-old veteran has a $10

million team option for 2018, but the Angels seem likely to decline it and instead pay the $1 million

buyout, which would make Street a free agent.

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Angels' wild-card hopes fading after 4-2 loss to White Sox

Associated Press

CHICAGO -- With seven losses in eight games, the Angels have let their playoff chances slide away in the

last week of the season.

James Shields tossed seven strong innings, Nicky Delmonico drove in a pair of runs and the Chicago

White Sox beat Los Angeles 4-2 on Monday night.

With six games remaining, the Angels trail Minnesota by five games for the second AL wild card. They

would be eliminated with a loss Tuesday, or a win by the Twins.

"We are where we are," manager Mike Scioscia said. "The one thing we can control is what we're doing.

We didn't get it done tonight, and that's disappointing. But we have to come out here tomorrow with

the same energy and get the game on our terms."

Mike Trout hit his 30th homer for Los Angeles. Trout joins Alex Rodriguez, Jimmie Foxx, Jose Canseco

and Joe DiMaggio as the only players in AL history to reach 30 homers four times before their age-26

season.

"It's pretty cool, but we lost," Trout said. "It's disappointing. It was a tough loss."

Delmonico went 2 for 4. Matt Davidson and Adam Engel each had an RBI for Chicago, which has won

four of five.

Shields (5-7) allowed two runs on four hits. The 35-year-old has won three of his last four starts.

Aaron Bummer and Gregory Infante combined for a scoreless eighth, and Juan Minaya got the final

three outs for his seventh save in eight chances.

September 26, 2017 Page 16 of 21

"He has been keeping us in the ballgame, attacking the strike zone," Chicago manager Rick Renteria said

of Shields. "He's got that action that's coming from a little lower arm slot now. He's running balls to both

sides of the plate, changing speeds and doing a really nice job."

Ricky Nolasco (6-15) allowed four runs, two earned, on seven hits in five-plus innings.

Delmonico had a two-run double with two out in the first. Both runs were unearned because of a

throwing error by shortstop Andrelton Simmons.

Los Angeles got a run back in the second on Martin Maldonado's RBI single.

The White Sox took a 3-1 lead in third. Avisail Garcia led off with a triple and Davidson followed with a

sacrifice fly.

Trout hit a solo shot in the fifth.

Chicago reclaimed a two-run lead in the sixth on an RBI groundout by Engel.

SALUTED

The father of White Sox backup catcher Rob Brantly was honored during the team's in-game military

salute. Robert Stuart Brantly is retiring as a master sergeant in the Air Force after 37 years. Monday was

his final day of service and 56th birthday.

"When I saw my son there and gave him a big hug and he told me that I was his hero, it meant the

world," he said. "I can't express it any other way than just gratitude for this organization, this team and

my family putting up with me being away for so long on so many different occasions with the military."

ARM ANGLE

Part of the reason for Shields' turnaround was lowering his arm angle to get more movement on his

pitches.

"It's definitely a different Shields," Trout said. "He was moving the ball all around, keeping guys off

balance."

TRAINER'S ROOM

Angels: 3B Yunel Escobar (right oblique strain) took live batting practice in Arizona on Monday and is

scheduled to play in a game on Tuesday. He could return to the activate roster Wednesday or Thursday.

White Sox: 1B Jose Abreu (left shin) and 2B Yoan Moncada (right shin) were held out of the lineup. Both

could return Tuesday. ... RHP Carson Fulmer (blister) had been scheduled to start on Thursday but has

been pushed back to Saturday at Cleveland.

UP NEXT

September 26, 2017 Page 17 of 21

RHP Chris Volstad (1-0, 1.08 ERA) makes his first start with the White Sox -- and first in the majors since

2012 -- on Tuesday night in the second game of the series. RHP Parker Birdwell (8-3, 3.86) goes for the

Angels. He is 4-0 with a 3.20 ERA on the road.

White Sox could end Angels’ wild-card hopes

Associated Press

CHICAGO — The Los Angeles Angels still have a slim shot at the second American League wild-card spot.

However, down by five games with six to play entering a Tuesday contest against the Chicago White Sox,

the Angels’ hopes of catching the Minnesota Twins hinge on winning this week — and getting a whole

lot of help.

“At this point, we just have to focus on ourselves, there’s really nothing we can control (regarding) what

other teams do,” Angels first baseman C.J. Cron said. “All we can control is what we do, so we just need

to play better and win some of these ballgames.

“We haven’t been able to score enough runs. It’s not the best time to not be swinging it well, but there’s

still games left, we’re still in it.”

The Angels saw their postseason chances dim with a 4-2 loss to the White Sox on Monday.

The Angels send right-hander Parker Bridwell to the mound on Tuesday for the second game of the four-

game set, the final home series for Chicago and last road series for Los Angeles.

Bridwell (8-3, 3.86 ERA) has been particularly tough away from home.

He is 4-0 with a 3.20 ERA in eight road starts, and the Angels have won each of those games, a franchise

record to begin a career. Los Angeles is 15-3 in his starts overall.

It will be his first career start against Chicago. Bridwell took the loss in his latest outing against the

Cleveland Indians on Thursday. He threw 5 1/3 innings, giving up four runs on five hits while walking two

and striking out one.

The White Sox were originally projected to counter with right-hander Carson Fulmer on Tuesday, but

manager Rick Renteria decided to tweak the rotation to allow a blister Fulmer developed to fully heal.

Right-hander Chris Volstad will get the start instead.

“We plan on starting Fulmer on Saturday (in Cleveland),” Renteria said on Monday. “We’re going to give

him a couple more days to heal up. For us, it’s just making sure he gets through the start.”

Fulmer departed after throwing just 20 pitches on Thursday against the Houston Astros due to a blister

on his right index finger.

Volstad entered in relief and worked 4 1/3 innings, allowing one run on three hits while striking out two

and claim his first victory in five seasons.

September 26, 2017 Page 18 of 21

“If we weren’t trying to be cautious, Fulmer would start, it’s just that Volstad has thrown well,” Renteria

said.

Volstad (1-0, 1.08 ERA) made his White Sox debut on Sept. 10 vs. the San Francisco Giants, tossing one

scoreless inning. the 31-year-old veteran was 3-10 with a 5.57 ERA and one save, 71 strikeouts and a

.332 opponents’ average over 27 appearances (18 starts) with the Triple-A Charlotte this season.

His last major league start was in 2012 for the Chicago Cubs, when he finished 3-12 with a 6.31 ERA in 21

starts. He pitched for the Colorado Rockies in 2013 and for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2015 before

returning to the majors with the White Sox this month.

The White Sox (64-92) recently moved out of the AL Central cellar, and they have won four of their past

five games and 10 in their last 16. Chicago has scored first in nine of its past 11 games, including four

straight.

The Angels (77-79) have lost seven of their past eight.

FROM YAHOO! SPORTS

The dream of a Trout postseason is nearly dead

By Ted Berg / For The Win

This site failed to update on Mike Trout Monday for only the second time of the season last week while

this author was busy doing more important things. In the two weeks since the last Mike Trout Monday

dispatch, the best player in baseball has suffered from some bad luck and atypically poor results and his

Angels have lost eight of their last 12 games to fall to 4 1/2 back of the Minnesota Twins for the AL’s

second wild-card spot entering play Monday.

That stinks. The Angels always seemed a longshot to crack the postseason, given their dearth of viable

starting pitching and the holes all over their lineup. But the late-season additions of Justin Upton and

Brandon Phillips, combined with the encouraging return of starter Garrett Richards from injury, offered

some hope the club might outlast a wide and largely undistinguished field of contenders for the right to

play the Yankees in the wild-card game next Tuesday.

With only seven games left in the regular season, the 77-78 Anaheim team could win all its remaining

contests and still be done playing by Sunday afternoon as long as the Twins win half of their final six

games. The Angels lost six in a row before beating the Astros on Sunday, and Minnesota enters play

Monday riding a four-game win streak. That is to say, while Trout’s team isn’t quite mathematically

eliminated, it’d be pretty surprising if that remained the case by the weekend. They do have an easier

schedule than Minnesota, as they’ll be facing the White Sox while the Twins start a three-game set with

the unbeatable Indians on Tuesday.

September 26, 2017 Page 19 of 21

As for Trout: In the 12 games since the last update here, he has mustered only a .217 batting average

with a .677 OPS. His .235 batting average on balls in play in that span suggests he’s endured some bad

luck, and Trout’s walk and strikeout rates remained well within his normal range. In a small consolation,

Trout should pick up the 20 plate appearances he needs to qualify for stats leaderboards, which means

he’ll almost certainly finish the year as the outright AL leader in both on-base percentage and slugging.

Trout also led the league in OBP last season, and topped the circuit in both slugging and OPS in 2015.

There’ll be more time to recap Trout’s year next week, in what will likely be the final Mike Trout Monday

of the 2017 season. But those searching for reasons to be optimistic beyond the small shred of

remaining wild-card hopes, there’s this: The Aug. 31 addition of Upton — who’s under contract through

2021 — means the 2018 Angels should open the season with a better lineup than the one they put

around Trout for most of this year. At 29 and with five straight seasons of 26 or more homers on his

resume, Upton appears a better bet to improve a team’s 2018 offense than any forthcoming free agent

besides J.D. Martinez.

FROM THE ATHLETIC

By the numbers: James Shields, White Sox, stamp out Angels' playoff hopes

By James Fegan

So it turns out James Shields from a low 3/4 arm angle is actually really nasty, especially when facing a

team desperately clinging to dying playoff hopes. The Angels came to Chicago 4 1/2 games back, and

pretty much needing to win out to maintain any chance of catching the Twins for the second Wild Card

slot. Shields put those hopes to rest.

The crafty 35-year-old righty flummoxed the Angels lineup for seven innings, while defensive miscues

opened up the gates for the White Sox to score their first three runs of the night in a 4-2 triumph.

“I don’t know if it’s improved, but I’m having the results I want,” Shields said of the stuff he's flashed

since dropping down in his delivery at the beginning of August. “It’s still a work in progress as usual, but

it feels pretty good. Every game, I figure some new stuff out with my delivery, and it’s been working.”

They have now won four of their past five and are down to six games remaining in 2018. Check out the

numbers from win No. 64.

8: Swinging strikes for Shields on his knuckle curve alone, which he went to 22 times. Shields was a right-

handed changeup artist for most of his career and started weaving slow curves into his game down the

stretch last year. Now, he just buried a lineup fighting for its playoff life with the pitch.

Eight is also the number of strikeouts he recorded on the night, with 12 total swinging strikes. The eight

strikeouts match a season high, and are the most he’s recorded in a White Sox uniform.

September 26, 2017 Page 20 of 21

“I’m revamping every year, man,” Shields said. “This being my 12th season, you’re always trying to

refine your game every year, no matter what, whether it’s a pitch or mechanical adjustment. The league

makes adjustments on you. I’ve faced a lot of these hitters so many times.”

23.5 percent: Strikeout rate for Shields since the start of August, up from 16.6 percent beforehand. That

goes along with a 4.33 ERA and five quality starts out of 10 total. He won’t compete for a Cy Young, but

that’s a major league starter.

“Here's a guy that after the fourth inning of a game in Boston, after how many years he's had in the big

leagues now, decided he needed to make an adjustment because he had been struggling,” manager Rick

Renteria said. “Basically, he's persevered because of an adjustment he made, that he saw himself

making. What pitchers can learn from that is simply you can always make a change.”

457: Feet Mike Trout launched a baseball above the clouds, out of the park and into whatever hell exists

for baseballs. Some nights you can overlook that the best player in baseball is on the field, but this was

not one of them.

“You can’t throw a ball down the middle to that guy,” Shield said. “It was a cement mixer slider. I didn’t

really execute my pitch too well. You can’t make a mistake to that guy, especially two outs. He’s an

incredible ballplayer, great dude too. I know him pretty well. He’s a good player, good overall

ambassador for baseball.”

3: Extra-base hits for Nicky Delmonico in 17 games since coming off the disabled list in early September.

While he’s struggled to find the dominant form of his August debut, his two-run first-inning double fell

just a few feet short of making all three of the extra-base hits home runs, He followed the hit up by

ripping a line-out to Albert Pujols in his next at-bat and spraying a hard single to left and scoring in the

sixth. That’s three hard-hit balls.

5: Triples this season for Avisail Garcia, the fifth of which he was credited for only because Justin Upton

completely whiffed on his line drive to left, allowing Garcia to later score on Matt Davidson's sacrifice fly

in the fifth. Five triples is two more than he's hit in any other season, but it's only good enough for third

on the White Sox, who lead the AL with 38 triples this season. Yolmer Sanchez has eight and Jose Abreu

has six. Next behind the Sox is Detroit. Is hitting triples bad?

1.17: Gregory Infante's ERA over his past 23 innings, during which he's recorded a 19-to-3 strikeout-to-

walk ratio. He got two outs to close out the eighth inning Monday.

37: Years of service in the Air Force for Rob Brantly, Sr., who was honored during the White Sox' nightly

Hero of the Game segment in the third inning and joined by his son, Rob Brantly, Jr. Monday night was

officially Brantly Sr.'s last day of military service before retirement, and he got to see his son's team

deliver a crushing blow to his hometown Angels.

“They told me at the last minute that I was going to be honored here tonight,” Brantly Sr. said. “To be

out there on that field with my son was everything to me after my career with the military and being

away from my son on a lot of occasions. Just thinking about it out there, it all came to a head right there

September 26, 2017 Page 21 of 21

and to be on this field with this storied franchise, the White Sox, meant the world to me. And when I

saw my son there and gave him a big hug and he told me I was his hero, it meant the world. I can’t

express it any other way than just gratitude for this organization, this team and my family putting up

with me being away for so many different occasions with the military.”