Angels Manager Isn't Worried About Being Like Dodgers: 'We Don't Have What They've Got'

Los Angeles Angels manager Ron Washington avoided comparing his team with the Los Angeles Dodgers, citing the difference in quality between the teams and not wanting to set his team to a higher standard than they can achieve.

“I don’t think like that,” Washington said testily. “We all know to get to that level, that’s when you become a championship team. So I’m not going to stick it to my players by saying that, ‘you know, we need to be at the level’.

“We don’t have what they’ve got over there. It’s easy for them to stay at that level. We have to compete at the level of talent that we have and grow from there.”

The Angels showed that ability to compete Friday night in the series opener against the Dodgers, where they cruised to a 6-2 victory. Starting pitcher Jack Kochanowicz had his longest outing of the season and received his third win while only giving up one run. The bullpen, which has an MLB-worst 6.91 ERA, allowed only one run to the NL West frontrunners.

Third baseman Yoan Moncada opened the scoring for the visiting Halos, hitting a two-run shot in the first inning to give the Angels a lead. Shortstop Zach Neto and first baseman Nolan Schanuel also notched two RBIs in the game. Four-time All-Star Kenley Jansen pitched the final inning and closed the door on the team he played for from 2010-21

“We should be at least fighting for a chance in the middle of the pack,” Washington said. “But the injuries and the people that we lost and the things that’s been happening with our youth, just got us where we are."

The Angels lost relief pitcher Ben Joyce after a season-ending surgery in his shoulder Wednesday, and have been without All-Star outfielder Mike Trout for more than two weeks, as he injured the same knee which sidelined him for the season in 2024. Zach Neto missed 18 games to start the season with a shoulder injury, but returned to the team April 18.

“The day will come,” Washington said. “that we can get to that level where I feel like we can compete for a championship.”

The Angels look to win their first series against the Dodgers since 2021 in the second game of the series Saturday evening at 6:10 p.m. PT.

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