Los Angeles Angels Mike Morin starts well, then fades

May 20, 2016; Anaheim, CA, USA; Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Mike Morin (64) throws in the third inning against Baltimore Orioles at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
May 20, 2016; Anaheim, CA, USA; Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Mike Morin (64) throws in the third inning against Baltimore Orioles at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Angels reliever Mike Morin was solid for the first month of the season, but he has been inconsistent in May leading to his demotion. He’ll be hoping for a turnaround after being sent down to Triple-A Salt Lake on Monday.

For the past few seasons, the Los Angeles Angels have been stuck in a frustrating pattern of starting off the year on the wrong foot.

They’ve consistently dug themselves into a deep hole in April and spent the summer trying to make up for such a poor start.

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This year, they finished the month of April with a record of 11-13, but reliever Mike Morin can say he wasn’t part of the problem.

Unfortunately, in May, he became a much bigger part of it.

Mike Morin Player Grade: B-

This season has been the tale of two Morins. Here is the analysis.

In April, Morin was 1-0 with a 2.89 ERA in 9.1 innings pitched. He struck out seven and walked only one, getting credit for three holds. It’s even more remarkable to look at the fact that out of the three earned runs he allowed in 13 games, two of them were on a two-run home run courtesy of Dexter Fowler in just the second game of the season.

He settled down from there, not even allowing a hit in his final six appearances of the month.

That streak worked into May, where he didn’t allow a hit in his first five appearances.

By May 11, his ERA was down to 1.84, but three days later, he allowed four earned runs against the Seattle Mariners and has struggled since.

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In his last seven games, Morin has a 13.50 ERA, allowing 10 earned runs in 6.2 innings. He also has a 2.25 WHIP in those games.

Morin didn’t help himself this weekend either as the moldy cherry on top of a cringe-worthy month of May was giving up a go-ahead three-run home run to Carlos Correa in the 13th inning of Sunday’s game against the Houston Astros.

Morin was credited with the loss, his first of the season.

His stat-sheet in May runs completely perpendicular to what it looked like following the first month of the year.

He’s allowed 10 earned runs in 12 innings and walked four, all contributing to his 7.50 ERA for the month. On the bright side, he did strikeout 11 and collected three more holds, but the struggles were apparent and haven’t let up recently.

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He’s a valuable part of the bullpen, appearing in a team-high 25 games, but his 5.48 ERA this year is 13th among 18 Angels pitchers.

Morin will be hoping June doesn’t bring gloom, but instead some more positive innings like he’s shown he’s capable of throwing.

Next: Cam's the Man?

That is, if and when he gets called up from Triple-A Salt Lake following his demotion on Monday.