TEMPE, Ariz. — Taylor Ward has been consistently inconsistent over the past few years.
The Angels’ outfielder has gone through three straight rollercoaster seasons, which to some degree is just normal baseball. Ward, however, has seen his highs and lows get fairly extreme, with sharp turns related to on-field incidents.
“I definitely do not want to have the dip,” Ward said. “I want to stay steady the whole year. That’s the biggest goal for me, staying steady and healthy and not having that lull in the summer.”
Ward, 31, was off to a brilliant start in 2022 before crashing into the right-field fence, suffering a shoulder injury that sapped his strength for months.
His season was ended in 2023 when he was hit in the face by a pitch, suffering multiple facial fractures. Then, in 2024, he was hit again, and that time affected him mentally, resulting in a slump.
“There was a week or two when I was in the box, seeing the ball before he pitches,” Ward said. “It’s just not a good place to be at all.”
Ward was hitting .246 with a .773 OPS when he was hit in the head by Detroit Tigers right-hander Shelby Miller on June 30.
Ward hit .149 with a .405 OPS over his next 20 games. Willie Calhoun, who had gone through a similar incident, talked Ward through that.
“He really helped me through,” Ward said. “Helped me move on from just how scary it can be.”
Ward finished the season with a .284 average, nine homers and an .898 OPS in his final 37 games.
“There’s the mental side of it and the mechanical side of it, and I think at the end of the year, my mechanics were clicking,” Ward said.
Over the winter, he’s tried to maintain his “A” swing, which he’s had at the start and end of 2022, the middle of 2023 until he got hit, and the end of 2024.
“I think it’s just finding myself and really staying out of my own way,” Ward said. “I think me and (hitting coach) Johnny Washington have really built a good relationship. I think with him being here, he’s going to help me stay on my rails and help limit that dip. Help me stay focused on my daily stuff and everything I’ve been doing in the offseason, and continuing that through the rest of the year.”
Manager Ron Washington said it would help Ward if the Angels’ other stars would stay healthy. His plan is to bat Ward in the leadoff spot, with Mike Trout and Jorge Soler hitting behind him in some order.
“Last year, Taylor was in a situation where he had to become the big boy on the team, and he tried to live up to that,” Washington said. “He showed up every day and he played. Hopefully this year, everyone that we are depending on and counting on, they stay healthy. And I think you’ll see a better version of Taylor Ward, where he can know that his job is to get on the base and score runs, and he’s able to get us a run with one swing of the bat.”
NETO UPDATE
Shortstop Zach Neto continues to throw at a distance of 45 feet and he just started taking batting practice against coaches.
Neto, who is rehabbing from November shoulder surgery, said he’s still not sure if he’ll be ready by Opening Day.
“Honestly I have no idea,” Neto said. “I am trying to be as optimistic as possible but ultimately, at the end of the day, it’s not my call. It’s whatever the team has in store. Just trying to try to do everything I can to be ready for Opening Day.”
Neto was hurt in September on a headfirst slide, so he said he plans to work on sliding feet-first this spring.
NOTES
Left-hander Yusei Kikuchi, who will be the Angels’ Opening Day starter, is scheduled to make his first start of the Cactus League on Friday night when the Angels play the Dodgers in Glendale. …
Left-hander Victor Gonzalez arrived in camp Saturday. Gonzalez, who is from Mexico, had been delayed by a visa issue. Gonzalez said he was communicating with the team while he was at home and he remained on schedule. He said he was scheduled for a bullpen session Saturday. Gonzalez, who has pitched in the majors with the Dodgers and Yankees, signed a minor-league deal with the Angels.
