Nolan Schanuel homered, but the Angels' offense sputtered in a 5-2 loss to the Red Sox on June 23, 2025. Can LA overcome its injuries and find a spark?
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was another one of those nights at the Big A. A flash of brilliance from a young player, a solid but not-quite-good-enough start, and an offense that couldn't find its rhythm. The Los Angeles Angels opened their series against the Boston Red Sox with a deflating 5-2 loss, a result that felt all too familiar for a team struggling to stay afloat in the American League.
With the loss, the Angels dropped to 37-41, now 6.5 games behind the division-leading Houston Astros.
The box score tells a simple story. Nolan Schanuel continued his impressive season, launching a solo home run in the sixth inning and finishing 2-for-4. Taylor Ward chipped in an RBI double. And that was about it. The rest of the lineup was silenced by Red Sox starter Walker Buehler, who looked sharp over six innings. Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz battled, but ultimately surrendered four runs in 5.1 innings, taking the loss and falling to 3-8 on the year. It was a classic case of not getting the timely hits needed to support the pitching.
You don't have to look far to see why the offense is sputtering. The lineup is a shadow of its full-strength self. Mike Trout remains locked into the designated hitter role, a necessary precaution for his knee but one that handcuffs the team's defensive options. More pressingly, the bats of Jorge Soler and Yoan Moncada are sorely missed. Soler remains on the IL, with Gustavo Campero filling his roster spot. Meanwhile, the news on Moncada isn't encouraging. The third baseman reported he's still feeling pain in his injured knee and hasn't even started baseball activities, leaving his return timetable completely up in the air.
Every loss stings, but these June games are starting to feel heavier. The defeat drops the Angels to 37-41, keeping them stuck in fourth place in the AL West. More importantly, they're now 6.5 games behind the Houston Astros. With each loss, the hill gets steeper and the team's playoff odds take another hit. The consistency just hasn't been there, and the Angels are running out of time to make a serious push before the trade deadline conversations get very, very different.
The Halos have two more chances against Boston to salvage this series and try to build some momentum. A win tomorrow is crucial to stop the bleeding and prevent the season from slipping further away. The team needs its healthy stars to carry the load and for someone, anyone, to step up and provide a consistent offensive spark. Otherwise, we're looking at another long summer of 'what ifs'.
