ANAHEIM, CA – The latest winner of the AL Player of the Week went to somebody who plays for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, but it wasn’t Shohei Ohtani…or Mike Trout…or Anthony Rendon. The honor didn’t go to any of the usual suspects; it went to utilityman Taylor Ward, who had a memorable week.
Ward absolutely dominated the week hitting four home runs along with 11 RBIs and 10 runs scored while batting a sweltering .448 with an unbelievable 1.484 OPS. If anybody was wearing a Halo that week, it was definitely Ward who certainly had many throughout the league turning their heads.
These weren’t just empty stats either. Ward was a big part of the Angels’ six-game winning streak with the team also winning eight of their last nine games. He even came off the bench and hit a clutch two-run home run in extra innings against the Boston Red Sox over the “Green Monster” at Fenway Park to propel the Angels to the win.
Ward’s torrid stretch has even caused some changes with the Angels lineup. With his power and ability to get on base, he’s taken over the leadoff spot from Ohtani, who’s now batting third. His hot bat has also led to more starts in left field, a spot many believed longtime prospect Jo Adell was going to occupy this season. However, Adell was recently optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake amidst some offensive struggles batting just .231 to start the year and committing three errors defensively.
Ward has been shuffling between the minor leagues and the big leagues the previous four seasons often serving as a part-time utilityman plugged into the lineup to give regulars a day off.
Now he’s put in the work on his swing and appears to figured things out as a hitter and unexpectedly become an overnight sensation.
“His at-bats are some of the best I’ve seen, to be honest,” pitcher Michael Lorenzen said of Ward. “Even in spring training, his takes were incredible. If I were to start hitting again, I’d probably try to be like him.”
His story seems similar to that of Justin Turner and Chris Taylor, All-Star for the Dodgers. Both were utility players essentially written off by other teams, worked diligently with coaches in the minors, transformed their swings, and found a home with the Dodgers who saw potential and helped both reach it at a high level.
Ward might not exactly have the same backstory as Turner and Taylor, but a similar trajectory as far as guys who emerged as key contributors on a winning team after putting in the work in the minors.
Time will tell if the ‘halo’ around Ward’s head is real or just simply a bright light made with metal wires and pipe-cleaners.
The sample size is too small and it’s still too early in the season to know for sure, but Ward has certainly been a welcomed surprise for the first place Angels (17-10), who also have the second-best overall record in the AL.
Ward has given the Angels a jolt and is now the table-setter for the big bats in the lineup like Ohtani, Trout, Rendon, and Jared Walsh. There’s no telling how long Ward’s incredible run will last, but the Angels are hoping they can ride that lightning through the summer and into October with potentially another future All-Star on their squad.
