MILWAUKEE — Already eliminated from the playoffs and guaranteed to finish with a losing record for the 10th consecutive season, the final two weeks of the regular season will still play a significant role in the Angels’ quest to end those dubious streaks.
“This is a huge chance to focus on some of our long-term goals organizationally,” interim manager Ray Montgomery said Wednesday as the Angels prepared to face the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers. “This is not how we envisioned the end of the season going but that said, there’s still many (good) years to come.”
Montgomery pointed to the recent arrival of 21-year-old infield prospect Denzer Guzman, who hit his first career home run in the Angels’ 9-2 loss on Tuesday night, and other emerging young talents like second baseman Christian Moore, 22.
“We have a responsibility as a staff and as an organization to make sure that these guys keep getting their work done,” Montgomery said. “They’re playing into seasons, which they’ve never done before.”
Going up against a team that has already clinched a postseason berth and is currently in the lead for the top seed in the National League playoffs is a daunting task for any team, especially one with so much young, unproven talent.
At the same time, Montgomery thinks it’s a good opportunity for his players to get exposed to the type of atmosphere that comes with winning and playing meaningful games down the stretch.
“You want them to get really comfortable,” Montgomery said.
Right-handed pitcher Caden Dana, who started Tuesday’s game, said the key to getting through these last few games of a frustrating season is pretty simple.
“Just have fun,” Dana said. “Positive energy is the biggest thing. It’s easy to get down on each other, get down on ourselves, but we just have to keep a positive positive vibe in clubhouse.
“So I’m just going to make these next two weeks be fun.”
O’HOPPE RESTS
Logan O’Hoppe got through his first game back from a stint in MLB’s concussion protocol without issue but nonetheless was held out of the Angels’ lineup Wednesday night.
Montgomery said the absence was by design.
“I’m just giving him alternate (days off) coming back off the concussion,” Montgomery said. “We wanted to make sure we ease (O’Hoppe) back in the right way.”
While O’Hoppe is back with the team, catcher Travis d’Arnaud is still not back to 100% after suffering a concussion last Thursday when he was hit in the helmet on a backswing by Seattle’s Julio Rodriguez.
“I texted with him this morning, just to check in on him and he’s a little foggy,” Montgomery said. “He’s been through it before, so he knows what he’s dealing with. I told him ‘just do what you got to do, take care of yourself and get yourself better.’”
UP NEXT
Angels (LHP Yusei Kikuchi, 6-11, 4.08 ERA) at Brewers (RHP Quinn Priester, 13-2, 3.25 ERA), Thursday, 4:40 p.m. PT, FDSN West, 830 AM