Jacob deGrom Got Absolutely SMOKED and the Rangers Have No Answers

Whoa, hold up! The Los Angeles Angels just dropped a bomb on the Texas Rangers, winning 9-6 last night in Anaheim, and let me tell you, it was a wild one. Zach Neto was an absolute monster, mashing two dingers, including a leadoff shot that set the tone. But the real story? Wade Meckler, an Anaheim local, stepped up for his very first career Angels at-bat and launched a three-run BOMB. Yeah, you heard that right. Jacob deGrom, one of the game's biggest names, got lit up like a Christmas tree, and the Rangers couldn't stop the bleeding.

Angels Offense Goes Nuclear Early

From the jump, the Angels were swinging for the fences. Neto led off the first inning and sent the very first pitch deGrom threw a whopping 398 feet to left for his 12th career leadoff homer. Mike Trout and Jorge Soler then walked, setting the stage for Meckler. This guy, in his literal first time at the plate for the Angels, crushed a 403-foot, three-run homer to right field. Suddenly, it was 4-0! The Angels weren't done, extending their lead to 6-0 in the third thanks to Logan O'Hoppe's two-run, bases-loaded single. This team, which had only snagged two wins in their last 11 games and was on a three-game losing streak, looked like a completely different squad. Grayson Rodriguez, in only his second start in 670 days after a long injury stint, got his first win since July 2024, giving up four runs over 5 2/3 innings.

Rangers Claw Back, But The Damage Was Done

The Rangers, to their credit, didn't simply roll over. Brandon Nimmo smacked a 436-foot leadoff homer in the fourth, then Evan Carter followed with a two-run triple over Trout's head. Suddenly, it was 6-3. Jake Burger lined a ground-rule double in the sixth and scored on a Justin Foscue single, closing it to 6-4. Nimmo then delivered an RBI double in the seventh, making it a one-run game at 6-5. But the Angels had an answer every time. Oswald Peraza launched his sixth homer of the season, a 418-foot shot, in the bottom of the seventh to make it 7-5. Then Neto came back for more, leading off the eighth with his tenth homer of the season, a 427-foot blast to left-center. Trout doubled and scored on a Nolan Schanuel single, putting it out of reach for good at 9-5 before Danny Jansen added a solo shot for the Rangers in the ninth off Mitch Farris. deGrom's outing? Rough. Six runs on six hits and three walks in just three innings, tying a career-high for allowing four homers in his previous start. Yikes. Man, what a game for the Angels, snapping that rough streak! It's wild how fast things can turn around. Speaking of turning things around, our Mariners just handled business! Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez led the squad to a hard-fought 2-0 shutout victory against the Kansas City Royals. Our pitching was on point, and the bats did precisely enough. Next up, we keep this momentum rolling against the Royals in the second game of the series. Let's keep that winning feeling going, Seattle! We need every single win in this early season grind!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.