Texas allows 8th grand slam of short season
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Jared Walsh was a 39th-round pick who got a humble $3,000 signing bonus from the Los Angeles Angels. He used his cash to pay for an offseason of workouts, and then he never stopped grinding.
Five years later, the 27year-old rookie is the AL’s leader in slugging percentage for September, and he’s standing out in a lineup featuring Mike Trout, Anthony Rendon and Albert Pujols.
Walsh’s grand slam against the Texas Rangers on Monday is just the latest superlative in an improbable success story that’s getting better almost every day.
“It’s been really exciting,” Walsh said. “Something you dream about your whole life. Try not to get too sentimental. I’ll wait until the offseason to do that, but I’m just enjoying every day I get to play. It’s pretty special.”
Walsh hit his first career grand slam during the Angels’ seven-run fourth inning in an 8-5 victory over Texas.
Rangers starting pitcher Kyle Gibson was chased after allowing eight runs (seven earned) on five hits, four walks and and a hit batter in four innings. He surrendered the grand slam, which is the eighth allowed by Rangers pitchers this season. That’s in 54 games of a pandemic-shortened season. They allowed a franchise record nine grand slams in 1988.
Texas has six games remaining, including two in Arizona before finishing with a four-game series against the Astros at Globe Life Field.
Max Stassi had a two-run single in the final home game of the fifth consecutive losing season for the Angels (24-31), who have nevertheless won 12 of 18 overall after taking three of four from Texas.
Walsh extended his hitting streak to 13 games when he mashed a sinker from Gibson (2-6) 450 feet over the ficus trees behind the center-field fence at the Big A. Walsh’s eighth homer of the season was also the seventh in 12 games for an erstwhile two-way player who has found an impressive groove at the plate.
“It’s exciting,” Angels manager Joe Maddon said. “He works such good atbats. Give him credit. He’s been working really hard, and it’s showing up.”
Walsh has hit safely in 16 of 17 games this month, and he’s batting .396 with 21 RBIs during his hitting streak while taking the AL lead in slugging percentage (.844) and OPS (1.238) for September.
“It’s awesome watching him hit the ball lately,” Angels starter Dylan Bundy said. “He’s on one right now. Sweet swing.”
Walsh paused a moment to watch his grand slam sail out of the park, even though he still felt a bit of doubt about a no-doubt homer: “I probably would have looked like an idiot had it not gone out.”
Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Derek Dietrich homered for the last-place Rangers, who have lost five of seven.
Bundy (6-3) allowed three runs over five inconsistent innings, but still bounced back from his shortest start of the season with another win.