Redemption stories in sports make for some of the best moments. They give the audience someone to root for that goes farther beyond the game itself. It can help make a fan for life, or just a really awesome experience.
For Los Angeles Angels outfielder Jared Walsh, he experienced a redemption moment on Monday night. He had long been forgotten just a little over a year removed from his 2021 All-Star selection, but he made sure to make the most of his opportunity.
Walsh has dealt with injuries and poor play in recent times, so he has been a mainstay in Triple-A. But with the Angels season coming to a close soon, they brought him back up recently to see what he could do.
He blasted a home run late in the game on Monday evening, and despite the score being 11-1, it meant more to him. Walsh felt like he was back, and that he could start to get his career back on track.
“That was amazing — amazing,” Walsh told The Athletic. “Definitely something that I was waiting for throughout the entire season. That’s one of those feelings, for an 11-1 home run — that meant a lot more to me than just ‘we’re down by nine runs.’”
Walsh has played in just 31 games this season for the Angels and has hit .132 with three home runs and eight runs batted in. It has been another tough season for him, but he is hopeful that he can prove himself to the organization.
“My career essentially fell apart,” Walsh said. “But I always feel like I’m capable of a comeback story. Back’s been up against the wall before.”
He will be a free agent after this season, and he opened up about what his plans could be. Walsh just wants the chance to play in the big leagues and prove himself.
“I just want to play in the major leagues. And if they give me that opportunity here, then they do,” Walsh said. “And if somebody else does, they do. It’s been a tough year. I think it’s going to be interesting for how teams evaluate me. I have made progress, and I still think I have a lot left in the tank. Whether that’s in Anaheim or whether that’s for one of the other 29 teams, that’s not for me to decide.”
It remains to be seen what happens with Walsh, but at least for one night, things felt right. He will be given some more time over the last two weeks of the season to produce, and if he can, it could help him land a contract and an opportunity for next season.
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