With a last-place finish in the American League West all but guaranteed, perhaps the only drama heading into the final four games of the 2025 season for the Los Angeles Angels is who will lead the team in homers.
Left fielder Taylor Ward moved into a tie with fellow outfielder Jo Adell for the top spot when he clubbed his 36th of the season to help lead the Angels to a 3-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night in Anaheim, Calif.
It was the fifth home run in seven games for Ward, who never before had hit more than 25 homers in a season since his major league debut in August 2018. Adell, who went 0-for-4 in Wednesday's victory, had a previous high of 20 home runs in 2024.
"I'm just trying to finish strong and win these last games," Ward said. "I think finishing strong now (and) you start next year looking good. I just want to keep it rolling right now."
Right-hander Michael Lorenzen (6-11, 4.70 ERA), an Orange County native who played for his hometown Angels in 2022, will start Thursday night's rubber game of the three-game series for Kansas City (79-79). Lorenzen will be opposed by rookie left-hander Mitch Farris (1-2, 6.52).
Lorenzen will be trying to end his season with back-to-back victories. The former standout from nearby Cal State Fullerton comes in off a 20-1 home win over Toronto on Friday that saw him allow one run -- George Springer's home run to lead off the game -- on three hits over 7 2/3 innings while striking out four.
Lorenzen is 2-4 with a 3.89 ERA in 39 1/3 innings over 10 career appearances (six starts) against Los Angeles and is 6-3 with a 3.49 ERA in 12 appearances (10 starts) in his career at Anaheim Stadium, including 6-2 as an Angels player.
Farris will be making his fifth career start. He made his major league debut on Sept. 2 at Kansas City in a 5-1 win, allowing one run on three hits in five innings with three strikeouts.
However, he has struggled in his last two starts, allowing a combined 11 earned runs in just 8 2/3 innings in losses at Seattle (5-3) on Sept. 13 and at Colorado (7-6) on Friday.
After giving up 15 hits in a 8-4 loss in Tuesday night's series opener, the Angels (71-87) bounced back behind the pitching of All-Star left-hander Yusei Kikuchi to even the series with Wednesday's win.
Kikuchi (7-11) allowed just one hit over five innings and struck out five but left with trainer Eric Munson after throwing a warm-up pitch before the sixth that caused him to begin shaking his left hand. It was initially reported that Kikuchi had suffered a left forearm cramp, but he said afterward through interpreter Yusuke Oshima that it was actually "the lower part of my finger."
"He's good," interim Angels manager Ray Montgomery said. "Just being super cautious."
Randal Grichuk homered leading off the fifth inning for the only hit off Kikuchi.
"I think a super-positive finish there with the way he went about it tonight," Montgomery said. "Commanded the ball, was handling the zone as good as we've seen all year, was efficient. Who knows how far he would have gone tonight if he hadn't gotten that little cramp?"
Stephen Kolek made his fifth consecutive quality start for the Royals since coming over from the San Diego Padres at the July 31 trade deadline, allowing two earned runs on five hits over six innings. Kolek compiled a 1.91 ERA over those five starts, allowing 20 hits and seven runs in 33 innings while striking out 21.
"He should have a lot of confidence (heading into the 2026 season)," Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said. "That's five really good starts for him. He took advantage of his opportunity and did a great job. There's a lot to like from what we saw with him."
--Field Level Media
