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ANAHEIM — After back -to- back victories in which the Angels showed how they can play at their best, they showed how they have played for most of the season. Their 7-2 loss to the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday was one of their uglier performances in weeks.
The Angels made two errors, and their pitchers walked seven hitters. At the plate, they were 2 for 12 with runners in scoring position, and they struck out 11 times overall.
One of the strikeouts was Neto’s 200th of the season, as he became the first player in Angels history to reach that dubious figure.
He also made an error and failed to come up with a play on a ball just past his backhand in the first inning, spoiling a night in which he also had two hits and reached base four times. The Angels (58-94) had a chance at their second sweep of the season, which would have been their first since May.
Even though they’ve lost more than they’ve won all season, lately the pitching has mostly been good enough to keep them close. This was their most lopsided loss since Aug.
9. Starter Yusei Kikuchi did not have it.
He walked five and was charged with five runs in 4⅓ innings. The first play of the game was a line drive that skipped past Neto.
It was ruled a hit, but it was a play that Neto has made plenty of times. Neto was charged with an error when he misplayed an easier grounder three innings later.
The Mariners scored two runs in the first inning, with Kikuchi throwing 37 pitches. Kikuchi settled down for a few innings, but in the fifth he issued two more walks, which opened the door for another three runs.
That inning also included a throwing error from first baseman Vaughn Grissom. He made a diving stop with the bases loaded, but his throw to second skipped into left field, the Angels’ second error of the game.
Kikuchi’s night ended there. In five starts since he’s been back from the injured list, Kikuchi has a 4.10 ERA.
His previous three starts had ranged from good to passable, but this was his worst outing of the five. “From the start of the game, I knew that today I didn’t have my best stuff,” Kikuchi said through his interpreter.
“Even in those days I try to have to get through my role.” His September performance doesn’t mean much for the 2026 Angels, but it certainly impacts the way the Angels look at him for their 2027 rotation. Kikuchi, 35, is signed for one more year at $21 million.
He is expected t o make one or two more starts. “The games I perform well, I feel like I was able to attack the zone with the stuff I have,” Kikuchi said.
“I know that if I’m able to do that, I’ll get good results, and today was just one of those days.” Once he was out of the game on Wednesday, the Angels brought in Sammy Peralta for mop-up duty. He gave up two more runs.
Just before the deficit grew against Peralta, the Angels had a chance to get back in the game. In the bottom of the fifth, they loaded the bases with one out.
Mariners reliever Carlos Vargas struck out Josh Lowe and Christian Moore on three pitches each, extinguishing the threat. “Tough at-bats right there,” Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said.
“They were chasing out of the zone pitches. … We’re working on being better in the zone.
We’re not going to be perfect, but those are some things that we’re working on and we’re continuing to focus on.” On the positive side, rookies Denzer Guzman (four hits) and Moisés Ballesteros (two hits and a walk) had productive nights at the plate.
“They’re swinging the bat really good,” Suzuki said. “Bally and Guzy, the last few games now they’ve been looking comfortable at the plate and really covering fastballs and offspeed.
I think there’s some definitely some positives there.”
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