Walbert Urena Walked Five and Threw 107 Pitches, Yet Angels Fans Are STILL Going Wild

Alright, Seattle sports fam, you gotta hear about what's brewing down south with the Angels. Rookie sensation Walbert Urena, the dude who's been absolutely dealing, is about to face the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix today. After their four-game win streak got snapped yesterday with an 8-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, the Angels need a W bad, and all eyes are on their young flamethrower. But get this: his last outing was a total rollercoaster, and it tells you everything you need to know about this kid's grit!

Urena's Five-Start Fireball, Even When It's Wild

Look, Walbert Urena has been on a tear, seriously. This 22-year-old right-hander is rocking a 3-0 record with a 1.61 ERA since May 18, piling up 29 strikeouts and 16 walks across 28 innings. He's only coughed up more than a single run once in that five-start stretch. His overall numbers are solid too, at 4-4 with a 2.44 ERA. But his last game? Pure drama. Against the Houston Astros on Tuesday, he tossed five scoreless innings in a huge 10-1 home win. Sounds great, right? Except he only allowed three hits, struck out seven, but also tied his career high with five walks! The guy threw a season-high 107 pitches, even though he's gone deeper into starts four other times this season. Angels manager Kurt Suzuki basically summed it up: "He was competing out there tonight. Obviously he didn't have his best command, but just his desire to get through that game is what pulled him through. You can't teach that." Urena himself admitted, "I warmed up good. I felt really good. I don't know what changed in the game. I may look it up, but that was a lot of pitches." Talk about battling! Plus, keep an eye on Angels left fielder Wade Meckler, who left Sunday's game after hitting his head on the fence trying to snag a home run. Suzuki called it precautionary, but you never want to see that.

Nelson's Struggles and a Managerial Milestone

On the flip side, the Diamondbacks are feeling good after taking their series against the Cincinnati Reds with a 5-3 win on Sunday. They're sending Ryne Nelson to the mound to counter Urena, and let's just say Nelson is looking for a serious bounce back. The 28-year-old righty is sitting at 2-5 with a 5.19 ERA and is in a three-game slump where he's 0-2 with a rough 7.16 ERA. His last start was brutal, giving up seven runs on eight hits, one walk, and two hit batters in just four innings during an 8-0 loss at Miami on Wednesday. Nelson himself was pretty direct, saying he "Gave up some hits and then left some balls over the plate with runners. Just wasn't getting ahead of guys good enough." He's trying to stay positive, though, stating, "Same process, good, bad or indifferent. Just learn from it and try to make the adjustments to be better." Nelson actually has a 1-0 record with a 3.97 ERA against the Angels in two career starts, but last July 11, he served up a game-opening homer to Zach Neto, so there's some history there. Oh, and Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo, who's been at the helm since 2017, is hunting for his 701st career win, putting him in an elite group of active managers.

So, what's gonna happen when these two take the bump? Will Urena keep dealing even if his command isn't perfect, or will Nelson finally find his rhythm? This game is shaping up to be a compelling battle between a hot rookie and a veteran manager trying to hit a big milestone. You know we'll be watching to see how it all unfolds in Phoenix tonight!

DFS Pick'em

🏆 Underdog Fantasy: Play $5, Get $50 in Bonus Entries

Use code ONTAP to lock in this offer.

👉 Claim your $50 bonus on Underdog Fantasy

Sponsored. Must be 18+. Terms apply.

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