The Angels are a last-place team for a reason. They’re near the bottom of the league in runs scored, and even attempts at producing runs via small ball seem to backfire.
But I don’t think anyone could have foreseen a squeeze play going the way it did on Saturday night against the Mariners.
With Jack Lopez at the plate and a runner on third with no outs, Ron Washington looked to catch the Mariners napping by dialing up a squeeze play. Taylor Ward took off from third on the pitch, and all Lopez had to do was lay down a half-decent bunt.
Spoiler: He did not.
Not your average double play pic.twitter.com/BW9oSDuq8c
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) September 1, 2024
While Lopez did manage to get his bunt down in fair territory, the ball astonishingly stopped on the plate. That allowed catcher Cal Raleigh to quickly pick up the baseball and tag Ward out at home.
Lopez might have even gotten tagged in that initial mayhem, but just to make sure, Raleigh alertly tossed the ball to Justin Turner to complete the double play. And just like that, the Angels went from potentially taking the lead to ending the eighth with a scoreless effort. The Mariners went on to win, 5-4.
It’s just been that kind of season for the Angels.
