The 3 Angels players most responsible for the historic winning streak

Seven-game winning streaks are not the most uncommon occurrence in major league baseball, but it certainly is for a franchise like the Los Angeles Angels. How rare is it for the Angels to string together seven straight victories? It's just the organization's third seven-game win streak in the last 10 seasons, and longest since 2022. It's honestly astounding how they are doing all of this without Mike Trout, it almost makes fans want the team to delay his return even more so than they already have.

Who needs Trouty when you have these guys, though?

Taylor Ward

It's going to be impossible to sum up all of Ward's accomplishments from the past seven games, the dude has been completely unconscious at the plate. These stats from the streak do not even include Wardo's go-ahead grand slam during the first game of the road trip in San Diego.

Ward is the sole leader in the following categories from May 16th on of the Angels hitters: BA (.433), SLG (1.033), OPS (1.533), hits (13), triples (1), RBIs (12), XBHs (9), wOBA (.620) and total bases (31).

Let's rank Ward's most memorable home runs of the streak:

1. Thursday 05/22: Go-ahead grand slam off Grant Holman in the 7th inning (Angels were trailing 5-2), which was his eighth consecutive game with an extra-base hit (last done by Tim Salmon in 2000), and third hit of the game.
2. Monday 05/19: Two-run HR off J.T. Ginn to break a 2-2 tie in the third inning
3. Saturday 05/17: Solo HR off of Clayton Kershaw's iconic curveball to break a 3-3 tie
4. Sunday 05/18: Two-run shot off Tony Gonsolin in the first inning to score Moncada, Angels go up 2-0

Logan O'Hoppe

Ward is definitely outshining the Angels' catcher, but he is slashing .357/.379/.893/1.272, has played in every game during the streak, and has home runs in his past three games. O'Hoppe has even showed some signs of life on defense after reverting his stance behind the plate to a more traditional two-feet down set up.

In what was probably the Angels' fans favorite game of the streak -- the Saturday game against the Dodgers -- Logan O'Hoppe delivered a go-ahead, three-run home run to the opposite field off Kirby Yates to put the Angels up 9-7 in the seventh inning.

Trout's return might make you think that O'Hoppe will play slightly less, as Ron Washington has snuck him into the DH-spot when he needs a break from catching. However, you have to imagine Wash will stagger Trout and O'Hoppe's DH games to get them both in the lineup i.e. the games Trout DHs, O'Hoppe catches and the games O'Hoppe DHs (meaning d'Arnaud is catching), Trout goes to right field. Jorge Soler's playing time might trickle down, but he needs some more off days now anyways.

Kenley Jansen

One pitcher needed to be represented here, and the Angels' closer is the most logical choice for sure. Jansen has three saves during the seven-game winning streak, as well as a 4:0 K:BB, 2.08 ERA and 1.32 FIP. Jansen proved his toughness during the second win of the streak against his former team -- as he gave the Angels his first outing with more than 1.0 innings pitched when he recorded a four-out save on his second consecutive day pitching.

In one of the cooler non-game moments of the streak, Jansen was captured mentoring Ryan Zeferjahn in the dugout on how to grip and release his cutter. Jansen is obviously the modern-day version of Mariano Rivera in that he is a closer who predominantly throws cutters, so he is the best resource possible for a cutter-baller like Zeferjahn...who just so happens to be his set-up man. Jansen was brought in to bring along Ben Joyce, but Zeferjahn is now the chosen disciple.

Honorable Mentions: Zach Neto, Nolan Schanuel, Jack Kochanowicz, Yusei Kikuchi, Reid Detmers, Ryan Zeferjahn

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