LA Angels News: Taylor Ward injury, Kevin Pillar mulling retirement, Tyler Anderson All-Star

Angels fans are hoping that Taylor Ward's early-exit was precautionary.

Drew Koch

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Taylor Ward / Katelyn Mulcahy/GettyImages

The Los Angeles Angels were on the receiving end of a shutout on Sunday after the Chicago Cubs took the weekend series with a 5-0 victory at Wrigley Field. After the Cubbies had posted a goose egg the previous night following another stellar start courtesy of Tyler Anderson, Chicago rallied to keep the Halos' bats in check on Sunday.

The Angels return home on Monday to battle their AL West rival, the Texas Rangers, and may well have Anthony Rendon back in the lineup. But while Rendon may be activated off the injured list, the Angels may well lose another player to to the IL after watching one of their top outfielders exit Sunday's game prematurely.

LA Angels News: Taylor Ward leaves game vs. Cubs with injury

It looked more precautionary than anything, but anytime a player leaves a game before recording the final out, there's always concern. During the seventh inning of Sunday's series finale against the Cubs, Angels' outfielder Taylor Ward made a diving catch, but apparently injured his left knee in the process.

At the time, Ward stayed in the game, but after reaching base in the ninth inning, was lifted in favor of a pinch-runner. Ward said after the game, "I feel definitely sore. But not too concerned. I'll take it day by day."

LA Angels News: Kevin Pillar could retire after 2024 season

Kevin Pillar crossed a milestone last week after recording 10 years of service time in the majors. That's a goal that very few baseball players ever meet, and Pillar may well call it a career after the 2024 season concludes. Pillar said that he's 98% sure he'll retire after this season.

In an interview last week, Pillar mentioned that he'd seen previous teammates play a year or two longer than they should have, and voiced his desire to go out while still playing well. Pillar was midseason pickup for the Angels and has hit .305/.360/.516 since landing in Anaheim.

LA Angels News: Tyler Anderson earns second trip to the All-Star Game

It's been a terrific season for Angels' starter Tyler Anderson, and it got even better with the annoucement on Sunday that he'll be headed back to the All-Star Game for the second time in his career. Anderson first went to the Midsummer Classic back in 2022 when he was with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

While Major League Baseball requires that every team have at least one representative for the All-Star Game, Anderson's numbers are good enough without that stipulation. The southpaw is 8-8 in 18 starts this season, and after his shutout performance against the Cubs on Saturday, Anderson lowered his ERA to 2.81. The lefty is more than deserving of being named to this year's AL roster and his selection is only going to increase his stock ahead of the trade deadline.

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Drew Koch

Drew Koch has been an MLB Staff Writer since January 2024 and part of the FanSided Network since June 2018. Drew's contributions have been published on Blog Red Machine, Friars on Base, BoSox Injection, Lombardi Avenue, Wildcat Blue Nation, Motor City Bengals, and many other sites within the FanSided Network. When he's not cheering wildly for the Cincinnati Reds or the Kentucky Wildcats, Drew enjoys fishing, golfing, playing cribbage and other card games, listening to country and classical music, and spending time with his family and friends.