Angels lose a 15-9 slugfest to the Nationals on June 28, 2025. Despite homers from Nolan Schanuel & Taylor Ward, the bullpen imploded in a wild loss.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a night of pure fireworks at Angel Stadium, but unfortunately for the Halos, the visiting Washington Nationals brought the bigger arsenal. In a chaotic slugfest, the Angels saw an early lead evaporate, ultimately falling 15-9 in a game that was both thrilling and deeply frustrating, dropping them just below the .500 mark on the season.
The Angels scored nine runs, hit two home runs, and still lost by six.
The game started with promise, feeling like a classic Angels victory in the making. Nolan Schanuel ignited the offense with a two-run homer to give the Halos a 3-2 lead, and Taylor Ward followed up later with his own home run, stretching the advantage to 5-2. The bats were alive and the crowd was electric. However, the momentum shifted dramatically as the Nationals' offense came roaring back. A go-ahead RBI double from Brady House was a key blow, but it was part of a larger, relentless assault that the Angels' bullpen had no answer for. By the time the dust settled, Washington had put 15 runs on the board, rendering the Angels' strong offensive night completely moot.
This single loss carries significant weight in the broader context of the season. The defeat snapped a brief winning streak and pushed the Angels' record to 40-41, a frustrating step back below the .500 benchmark. They remain in third place in the AL West, but the gap is widening, as they now sit 8.5 games behind the division-leading Houston Astros. For a team trying to prove it's a contender, nights like this are a painful reminder of the consistency needed to stay in the race.
Amid the disappointment of the loss, there was a small glimmer of good news on the injury front. Shortstop Zach Neto, who has been nursing a sore right shoulder, remains day-to-day. An MRI earlier in the week revealed no structural damage, and the team is hopeful he can avoid a trip to the injured list and return to the lineup soon. His presence is sorely missed, and his return would be a welcome boost for a team that needs all the help it can get, especially with no other trades or roster moves reported on the horizon.
The Angels will look to bounce back tomorrow and salvage the series against the Nationals. While the offense has proven it can put up runs in bunches, the focus now shifts squarely to the pitching staff. If they can't find a way to contain opposing lineups, nights like this will become all too common, and the goal of reaching .500 and climbing the AL West standings will remain just out of reach.
