Angels winning homestand should be considered a failure after being swept by Marlins

Following a series split in Baltimore, the Los Angeles Angels had a nine-game homestand coming up. They had a lot to prove and looked like they were going to do it.

The Angels still had yet to win a series against a team with a winning record. This changed in the first series of the homestand as they took two of three against the Twins. They then followed that up with a commanding sweep against the Boston Red Sox. The Angels had won five of six, all against good teams, and had a chance to finish up their successful homestand against the Marlins, the worst of the three teams.

It felt impossible for this team to come up with a failure of a homestand after the way it started. Even if they lost two of three, it probably would've felt fine even with the Marlins being a team they should beat. Unfortunately, the Angels played poorly all weekend and got swept. Instead of winning the seven or eight games you might've expected following the way this homestand started, they finished with a record of 5-4. For a team trying to get to the postseason, that isn't good enough.

Good vibes disappear after LA Angels get swept by lowly Marlins

The Marlins might be 28-26, but don't let their record fool you. They've won a bunch of one-run games and have one of baseball's worst offenses. Their -41 run differential is the second-worst mark in the National League and the sixth-worst in all of baseball. They had just lost two of three in San Francisco and three of four in Colorado. Both of those teams were under .500, and the Rockies are one of the worst teams in baseball. They are not a team that should be sweeping the Angels on their home field.

Miami came to Anaheim, didn't even have reigning Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara pitching, and defeated the Angels who were throwing arguably their three best starting pitchers in Reid Detmers, Shohei Ohtani, and Patrick Sandoval.

On Friday night, the Angels appeared to have very little energy, which is strange after such a good series against Boston. Reid Detmers wasn't at his best, and the offense couldn't get a big hit to save their lives.

Saturday's game saw the Angels with a bit more life as they rallied a couple of times and had chances to win before a couple of mind-boggling Phil Nevin managerial decisions and some pathetic defense in the tenth inning squandered those chances.

Sunday's game was the worst of them all. The Angels were shut out for the first time since August of 2022, and lost the game 2-0. The Halos drew eight walks but managed just five hits and went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

Completing a seven or eight-win homestand would've really made a statement saying the Angels are for real. After a lifeless weekend where more of the mistakes re-surfaced and the offense (mainly from the stars) disappeared.

The Angels might've won more than they lost this homestand, but don't get it twisted, after this pathetic effort against the Marlins, it should be considered a failure. This team had to do better, especially after the first two series, and they failed miserably.