Angels’ Mickey Moniak shakes season-long slump with better discipline

The outfielder and the Angels' hitting coaches decided to focus on three points of emphasis last week: swing decisions, swing path and balance

SAN FRANCISCO — Mickey Moniak fouled off the first two pitches he saw from Brandon Pfaadt in the seventh inning Thursday night, putting the Angels outfielder in a quick hole against the Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander.

Considering that Moniak was, at that time, hitting .179 and striking out in 27% of his plate appearances, his prospects didn’t look good.

Moniak, though, took the next three pitches for balls, fouled one off, and then let another one go, drawing a walk.

It marked the first time in nearly four years that Moniak fell behind 0-and-2 and then walked. He had done it in the 12th plate appearance of his career, and then not again until the 650th.

Then, he did it again in the 651st.

It all might have been just an odd bit of trivia, except for Moniak it was the tangible demonstration of one of the three points of emphasis that he and hitting coaches Johnny Washington and Tim Laker had agreed on a week earlier.

“Swinging at the right pitches,” Moniak said. “Having a good path and being balanced.”

The result of it all is that Moniak is 8 for 19 with four walks and four strikeouts since that meeting, before the Angels’ game June 8. He had two doubles and a triple Friday night, becoming the first Angels player to have an extra-base hit in three consecutive innings since Garret Anderson in 2007.

“I think I feel comfortable in the box again,” Moniak said. “It’s no secret it’s been a grind the last couple months. I think the last week or so I felt like I’ve been able to get in the box and just go out and compete, not think about my swing or anything along those lines. And it’s been working out pretty good.”

Moniak said he’s been so focused on the process that he didn’t even realize he’d fought back from a two-strike count to walk in real time. It was only when he saw the video later.

“Just taking it one pitch at a time and trying to win that pitch,” Moniak said.

Moniak’s recent hot streak has been overdue, considering the expectations he set when he seemed to have a breakthrough by hitting .280 with 14 homers and an .802 OPS in 2023.

It didn’t happen for the first two months of this season.

“I feel like for the first time in my career, I was missing pitches that I shouldn’t,” Moniak said. “Part of it is mechanical. Part of it is just trying to get back to what works. Simplifying things. When I feel confident in what my swing is, I think it’s a lot easier to make the right decisions.”

CIMBER TO IL

The Angels placed right-hander Adam Cimber on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation, which can at least partly explain his recent slump.

Cimber had a 2.60 ERA through May 11, and since then he’s had an 18.00 ERA. On Friday night, he retired only one of five hitters, allowing four runs.

Cimber said Saturday morning that he had been “battling through” the injury.

“Sometimes there’s more that goes into it than just trying harder and working harder,” Cimber said. “If your body’s not quite right, it’s not going to be the same. Things that were working earlier in the year that you’re cueing on aren’t going to work because things aren’t working physically the way they’re supposed to work.”

The Angels replaced Cimber on the roster with right-hander José Marte, who returned to the big leagues for the first time this season. Marte has an 8.14 ERA in 24 1/3 innings with the Angels over the previous three seasons. He had a 2.61 ERA this year in Triple-A.

The Angels released infielder Ehire Adrianza to open a 40-man spot for Marte. Adrianza has been out with a back injury. The Angels did not expect to have playing time for him when he returns because they’ve since added infielders Michael Stefanic, Cole Tucker and Luis Guillorme. Brandon Drury and Miguel Sanó are also due to come off the injured list soon.

JOYCE TO OPEN

The Angels will have right-hander Ben Joyce start Sunday as an opener. The Angels have not added a traditional starter since they sent down Reid Detmers.

Manager Ron Washington said Joyce will try to get through two innings, and the Angels will “go from there according to where we are in the lineup.” Left-hander José Suarez and right-hander Carson Fulmer could be available to pitch the bulk innings after Joyce.

Joyce debuted a new sinker in Friday night’s scoreless outing. The pitch, which is around 96 mph, could be a good complement to his 101-mph four-seam fastball and his slider.

UP NEXT

Angels (RHP Ben Joyce, 0-0, 12.27) at Giants (LHP Kyle Harrison, 4-3, 3.96) at Oracle Park, 1:05 p.m. Sunday, Bally Sports West, 830 AM.