ANAHEIM ― Life coaching and defensive positioning rarely overlap neatly, but for the Angels’ Tyler Wade, taking a step backward was the best way forward Sunday.
Getting his first start of the season in center field, Wade was caught flat-footed in a pivotal moment. With Brandon Nimmo on first base and the Angels trailing by a run, Starling Marte scorched a line drive to center field at 100 mph off the bat. The ball landed over the head of Wade, who was late to react. Nimmo scored the Mets’ second run in an eventual 4-1 victory at Angel Stadium.
That wasn’t the Angels’ only defensive miscue Sunday; they made two other errors behind starter Patrick Sandoval (3-2) and three relievers. Although it was scored as a double for Marte, Wade’s mistake was perhaps the most costly. The Angels never led again on a night when their lineup went cold after the first inning.
Yucaipa native Taijuan Walker (4-2) threw 20 pitches in the first inning without inducing a swing-and-miss for the Mets. The Angels rattled off four hits, getting a run when leadoff hitter Brandon Marsh doubled and scored on a single by Mike Trout.
Over the next five innings, Walker didn’t allow a run. He generated 18 swings and misses while striking out 10 batters. The Angels recorded only two hits over the final eight innings on a rare day off for Shohei Ohtani.
Wade was starting in center field as interim manager Phil Nevin elected to give Trout a turn at designated hitter. The result was a poor showing against Walker, Seth Lugo and Edwin Diaz.
Diaz entered the game with one out in the eighth inning with Marsh on first base. The right-hander blew a 100-mph fastball past Trout for the second out. After walking Anthony Rendon, Diaz threw a 101.6-mph fastball past Jared Walsh ― who hit for the cycle one day earlier ― to end the inning. It was the fastest Diaz has thrown a pitch in 2022.
The Angels struck out 16 times in all. Walsh and right fielder Juan Lagares (0 for 4) were responsible for three each.
Marsh became the Angels’ primary center fielder in 2021 after Trout suffered a season-ending calf injury. He was worth two outs above average in 70 games, according to Statcast.
Wade had played only three innings in center field this season prior to Sunday. He started 10 games at the position last year for the New York Yankees, where Nevin was the team’s third-base coach ― enough to inform his decision Sunday.
Related Articles
Angels making interim manager Phil Nevin feel right at home
Jared Walsh hits for cycle, Mike Trout homers twice as Angels beat Mets
Angels’ Davis Daniel gets a birthday surprise: his first call-up
Alexander: Losing streak snapped, can Angels regain their mojo?
Angels lose to Mets despite 2 Brandon Marsh homers
“Tyler Wade’s a heck of a center fielder,” Nevin said before the game. “He doesn’t have much time out there. Last night he made a nice catch at the wall on Lindor’s ball. … He moves around great out there. I love the way Tyler plays center.”
Related Articles
Angels making interim manager Phil Nevin feel right at home
Jared Walsh hits for cycle, Mike Trout homers twice as Angels beat Mets
Angels’ Davis Daniel gets a birthday surprise: his first call-up
Alexander: Losing streak snapped, can Angels regain their mojo?
Angels lose to Mets despite 2 Brandon Marsh homers
The blunder mattered little in the end. The Mets got two more runs on solo homers by J.D. Davis and Pete Alonso.
Sandoval allowed two runs on eight hits across six innings. He walked two batters and struck out eight.
After losing three of four to the Mets, the Angels (29-33) have a day off Monday before playing the Dodgers Tuesday and Wednesday in Los Angeles.