Angels' Ron Washington Pinpoints Reasons for Davis Daniel's Success

Maren Angus-Coombs | Aug 2, 2024

] / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Angels wasted a solid start from Davis Daniel on Wednesday at Angel Stadium.

Daniel gave up one run in five innings, but his offense never got him the lead in a 2-1 loss to the Colorado Rockies.

Reliever Hans Crouse gave up a tie-breaking homer to Brenton Doyle in the eighth and the Angels scored their lone run off a solo shot from Logan O'Hoppe.

“Daniel gave us a real good stuff,” Angels manager Ron Washington said. “He really did. The thing is we just couldn’t support it with any more runs than the one he got from O’Hoppe. (Kyle) Freeland is a pretty good pitcher. He kept us off-balance tonight. Tip your hat to that.”

Daniel probably did enough to earn another start after struggling to bounce back from his masterful first start.

The 27-year-old's big league debut was almost flawless. He worked eight scoreless innings without a walk and threw 73 strikes among his 99 pitches.

However, his next two starts were wobbly. He allowed 12 runs (11 earned) and earned a trip back to the minors. It was his start in Triple-A that gave him the confidence for Wednesday. He gave up one run in seven innings in his last start with Salt Lake. He sturck out nine and walked none.

“Just trying to build off the last one there and continue to work from ahead,” Daniel said. “I think it was kind of the same thing today. Just continue to try and get strike one and be on the attack and come in with the heater. I felt like the slider was a little more consistent tonight. I think the combination of pitching in with the heater and throwing some sliders off (the plate), it opened up a lot for me.”

This time around, 60 of his 85 pitches were for strikes and 15 of the 21 batters he faced saw first-pitch strikes.

“He stayed off the middle of the plate for one,” Washington said. “He was able to land his offspeed pitches, and he moved the fastball around. He just didn’t throw a fastball down the middle of the plate. Once he had that little hiccup in the first inning, he settled in pretty good.”

As the Angels turn their attention to his next start, it will most likely be against the New York Yankees. The No. 5 spot in the rotation has been open for weeks and doesn't appear to have been won by anyone. The Angels signed veteran Johnny Cueto, 38, to a minor league contract on July 24, but he has yet to pitch since.

Daniel has shown glimpses of what his potential is, even if only in two great starts against two subpar offenses.