Angels pitchers showing progress

Spring training is, in many ways, meaningless.

But for the Angels, this much is true: it’s better to pitch well in meaningless games than to pitch poorly in meaningless games.

After their first 12 games of the spring, the Angels are leading the Cactus League with a 3.23 ERA. The two teams with lower ERAS, the Washington Nationals and New York Mets, both play in the more pitcher-friendly environment in Florida.

“That means that they are progressing,” manager Ron Washington said before Wednesday’s splitsquad games. “I don’t think you can put any more on it. They are progressing. The best ERA in the Cactus League is a big deal. You’ve got to start somewhere.”

In the lockout-shortened spring training in 2022, the Angels had the second-best Cactus League ERA. Although the Angels finished that season with 73 victories, the hitting was their primary problem. They finished the season with the ninth-best ERA in the majors.

The deeper number that might be the most encouraging is that the Angels have issued 2.63 walks per nine innings, which is the best ratio in the majors, in the Cactus League or Grapefruit League.

Washington said that’s a credit to new pitching coach Barry Enright and bullpen coach Steve Karsay.

“They deserve a pat on the back for the way they have taken this young pitching staff and got it believing that they can throw the ball over the plate with their stuff, instead of trying to run away from being touched with with a bat,” Washington said. “We’re going right at them.”

Trout hits grand slam

Although Mike Trout hit a grand slam, the Angels still lost, 12-5, to the Oakland A’s in a split-squad game on Wednesday afternoon in Tempe, Ariz. The Angels also lost, 6-5, to the Chicago Cubs in Mesa, Ariz.

The slam was Trout’s first home run of the spring.

• Veteran Jake Marisnick (Riverside Poly High) hit his first homer of the spring and also had a bunt single.

Rendon sidelined

Third baseman Anthony Rendon reported feeling “something in his groin,” on Sunday, Washington said before the Angels’ game Tuesday, noting the team would be cautious with Rendon.

Despite Rendon’s recent history, including injuries that cost him most of the past three seasons, Washington said he’s not concerned about this particular injury.

“It’s spring training,” Washington said. “Everybody goes through little aches and pains. Everybody goes through it. We all would be concerned if it would stop him from being in the season. But right now, everybody goes through it.”