The Athletics handed the Los Angeles Angels a 16-11 loss at Tempe Diablo Stadium on Thursday in spring training play. Despite Sebastián Rivero's 2-for-2 with a double and three RBI effort at the plate, the Angels could not overcome a sizable deficit. Alek Manoah worked 2.1 innings on the mound, allowing 5 earned runs on 3 hits. The Angels finished with 15 hits on the day while holding the Athletics to 12. The loss is a minor bump as the Angels continue fine-tuning ahead of Opening Day. The exhibition season is about preparation, and today provided the kind of reps the coaching staff needs to see.
Key Performers
Sebastián Rivero was the top performer at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a double and three RBI. His extra-base hit was a key moment in the game. The Angels will be hoping for more of the same as the spring continues.
Denzer Guzman provided support, going 1-for-1 with a home run and an RBI, Bryce Teodosio also contributed, going 2-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI, and Wade Meckler chipped in, going 1-for-2 with an RBI. The Angels showed flashes of offense but could not piece together the big inning they needed.
On the other side of the diamond, Tyler Soderstrom led the Athletics offense with a 1-for-2 with a home run and four RBI day. Clark Elliott also contributed, going 1-for-3 with a home run and three RBI. Junior Perez added a 1-for-1 with a home run and two RBI effort as well. The Athletics offense proved to be too much for the Angels pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Alek Manoah took the loss after running into trouble, working 2.1 innings while allowing 5 earned runs on 3 hits with three strikeouts. He threw 64 pitches in the outing. The coaching staff will review his performance as they continue mapping out the pitching plan for the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 4.8 innings of work, allowing 11 earned runs while striking out five. The Angels continue to sort through their relief options as they build their Opening Day bullpen. Every inning pitched in the spring is an opportunity for pitchers to make their case for a spot on the roster when the games start counting.
Among the relievers, Walbert Urena stood out with 2.2 innings of 4-run work, striking out three. It was an impressive showing that could factor into roster decisions.
How It Happened
Athletics got on the board first with eight runs in the second inning. The Angels countered with a run in the third. The Angels plated a run in the fourth. The Angels added two runs in the fifth. Athletics responded with five runs in the sixth. The Angels countered with a run in the seventh. The Angels plated five runs in the eighth. Athletics answered with three runs in the ninth. The Angels responded with a run in the ninth. The Athletics were able to score in three separate innings, keeping the pressure on throughout the contest. The Angels out-hit Athletics 15-12 on the day, with both teams playing clean defense. A crowd of 5,856 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
Despite the result, the Angels will take the lessons learned from this game and move forward. Spring training is about preparation and evaluation, not wins and losses, and the coaching staff gained valuable information about the roster today. There is still time to make adjustments before the regular season begins, and games like this one are part of that process.