OC Register: Young players lead Angels to victory over A’s

[AngelsWin.com]

ANAHEIM — The Angels’ 5-1 victory over the Oakland A’s on Friday night provided a little more hope for the future, which is all that matters as they play the final weekend of this disappointing season.

Right-hander Chase Silseth pitched four innings in his first game after a month out with a concussion, and Mickey Moniak hit a two-run homer in his first game after four weeks out with a back problem.

Silseth, 23, and Moniak, 25, have both shown enough this season to have likely roles on the Angels in 2024.

Silseth posted a 3.96 ERA in 52⅓ innings, but that included a first half in which he was bounced between the rotation and bullpen several times. Once he returned from Triple-A in July with a simplified repertoire of pitches and a spot in the rotation, he had a 3.21 ERA. Two of his three victories were against the Atlanta Braves and Houston Astros.

His progress was interrupted by a freak injury, though.

On Aug. 26 in New York, Silseth was running from the mound toward third for a rundown when he was hit in the back of the head by a throw from first baseman Trey Cabbage.

Silseth was down on the field for a few minutes in a frightening scene. A few days later, he was diagnosed with a concussion. He returned to pitch at Triple-A twice before finally making it back to a major league mound.

Working with a limit of about 60 pitches on Friday, Silseth only lasted four innings. He walked three in the first inning to load the bases, but he escaped unscathed with a double play.

The only run he allowed came after Zack Gelof was awarded first base after he was hit by a pitch, even though it appeared he swung at the pitch.

The Angels were down 1-0 after Silseth threw his final pitch, but they took the lead with three runs in the bottom of the fourth.

That rally included a single for Moniak. He added a two-run homer in the fifth.

The homer against Ken Waldichuk was Moniak’s first career homer against a lefty, in his 87th career at-bat.

Overall, Moniak is hitting .282 with 14 home runs and an .809 OPS in 320 plate appearances. He came into the season with a .157 average in 167 major league plate appearances.

Besides Silseth and Moniak, a few other Angels rookies had good games.

Right-hander Davis Daniel followed Silseth to the mound and pitched the final five innings of the game for his first major-league victory.

First baseman Nolan Schanuel drew a walk and singled, extending his streak to 28 consecutive games reaching base. It’s an Angels franchise record for the start of a career, and the fourth-longest such streak in major league history.

Schanuel also made a nice catch, leaning over the railing to grab a foul pop-up.

Shortstop Zach Neto and catcher Logan O’Hoppe each reached base safely twice.

More to come on this story.

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[Angelsjunky]

[Angel Oracle]

Silseth logged 98 total innings between here and the minors.

Should be able to reach 162 innings by 2025, health permitting.

A nice younger nucleus exists with Detmers, Canning, Sandoval (if improving WHIP), Silseth, and possibly Daniel.

Still need one established starter to lead the way.

[Angels 1961]

Phil Nevin has been around most of these young players for over year and half now. I think he knows them pretty well and I hope he gets to stick around to further their development.

[BTH]

8 minutes ago, Angels 1961 said:

Phil Nevin has been around most of these young players for over year and half now. I think he knows them pretty well and I hope he gets to stick around to further their development.

I hope he doesn’t.