Jared Walsh, the first baseman for the Los Angeles Angels, has had a difficult two seasons. He has a 627 OPS over 149 games since the start of 2022 due to injuries, neurological problems, and poor play after making the All-Star team in 2021.

After a successful run in Triple-A, the Halos summoned Walsh back up to the big league roster before their weekend series against the Detroit Tigers, and for a brief while, it seemed as though the old Walsh was back in action. In the three games, he hit 2-for-9 with two home runs, both of which came in his first two games back with the Angels.

According to Janis Carr of The O.C. Register, Walsh’s journey to this point has been long and arduous, but he is appreciative of the position it has given him now with a chance to work his way back into an MLB role.

Walsh described his performance this past weekend as “huge.” “Hitting a home run in the major leagues is a wonderful experience every time. So, it’s been good; many prayers have been answered.

Walsh said that he wishes the hot streak had started with more time left in the season, but the most crucial thing is that he has regained his concentration at the plate.

He remarked, “I feel like some of the lethargy and fog has actually lifted. “I feel like I’ve kind of found my groove, but sadly there are only 15 games remaining, or whatever it may be. But I’m genuinely happy and significantly better.

“I’ve been hitting for a while, so you kind of sense when things are going wrong. I simply never felt alert, fully engaged, or able to focus my attention. It was good once that happened and I could concentrate.

Nolan Schanuel, a first-round draft selection in 2023, has taken Walsh’s place at first base. Walsh has primarily played right field during this time. He expressed no objection to the adjustment and claimed that he was not in a position to regain his first baseman position.

However, as the Angels prepare for a probable roster reorganization this offseason, getting 30 year old Walsh back to his previous form could be a crucial strategy.

Schanuel is happy with his limited power.
The sixth-longest such run since 1961, Schanuel’s 22-game on-base streak to start his career has garnered attention. And he doesn’t feel the need to increase power, content to just concentrating on getting on base. If and when the Angels instruct him to do so, he claims he will concentrate on power.