Angels’ Jared Walsh heats up with renewed punching strategy – Daily News

ANAHEIM – Jared Walsh stopped his slide in the second half by rediscovering the left side of the field.

Although the Angels first baseman was a member of the All-Star team, his numbers were steadily declining until a few weeks ago. The difference is, Walsh made a conscious effort to hit the ball down the left side again.

“I was at the point where I was shooting way too hard,” said the left-hander. “I know throughout my career, when I’ve been good, the center-left is really where I try to drive the ball. The first work with the staff made me come back, sending the ball to the middle of the field. There are just a lot more successes out there.

In September, Walsh only fired 27.6 percent of the time. Previously, its lowest percentage of bullets fired was 38.9% in May. The other four months were all 40% or more.

Walsh hit .333 with a .988 OPS in September. Both are his best marks for any month this season.

This all follows the stretch of the All-Star Game through the end of August, when Walsh hit .226 with a .645 OPS.

He said he hopes the way he came out of the crisis will be informative so he can correct himself more quickly next time.

“To be completely honest, you know that at some point you’re going to go through a period where you won’t feel like you anymore,” he said. “It was one of those things. I think overall, in the grand scheme of things, it’s going to be very positive for me. It’s going to keep me on a routine and know what I’m good at, using all the ground instead of being happy. So I think this is something that I will reflect on in the future and understand that if I do, I can always do it again.

CAMPAIGN

Joe Maddon opened his media session with an unsolicited speech about second baseman David Fletcher’s candidacy for the Gold Glove.

The price is determined by a combination of manager and coach votes (75%) and a formula using a variety of defensive measures (25%). As of August 22, the latest results which were public, Fletcher ranks seventh in metrics.

“If you just use a numeric generated metric number, you will often be mistaken,” Maddon said. “Trust me on this.”

Maddon added that it would be “an absolute disgrace” if Fletcher didn’t win the Golden Glove.

“Don’t tell me there’s someone in both leagues who plays the job better than him,” Maddon said.

SUSPENDED

Chicago White Sox right-hander Mike Wright was suspended for three games on Sunday after hitting Shohei Ohtani with a pitch Thursday afternoon. White Sox manager Tony La Russa has been suspended for one game.

Wright appealed his suspension. Managers cannot appeal suspensions.

Wright was sent off after hitting Ohtani in the ninth inning on Thursday, which Angels manager Joe Maddon believed was in retaliation for the Angels hitting three White Sox players on Tuesday. Maddon said this was all unintentional.

ALMOST BACK

Southpaw Reid Detmers pitched a 40-pitch mock game and right-hander Austin Warren pitched a 17-pitch mock game, as both players move closer to a return to the injured roster.

Maddon said Warren is expected to be activated on Monday and Detmers will have another simulated game and then be activated next weekend.

Both players tested positive for COVID-19 and had to quarantine themselves for 10 days, delaying their launch.