Angels News: Ron Washington Holds "Come to Jesus" Meeting as LA Fights to Finish Strong

It’s been a rough stretch for the Los Angeles Angels. With a record of 54-79 and sitting in last place in the American League West, it’s almost a foregone conclusion that 2024 will mark their seventh consecutive losing season. But if you think this team is going to roll over and call it quits, think again. Manager Ron Washington isn’t having any of it.

Before Tuesday’s game against the Detroit Tigers, Washington decided to pull a card he hadn’t used since April—a 90-minute team meeting. And no, this wasn’t just any meeting; this was what Washington likes to call a "come to Jesus meeting." Unfortunately, the divine intervention wasn’t immediate, as the Angels promptly lost 6-2 that night.

The team’s struggles have been glaring. After being swept by the Toronto Blue Jays and losing 13 of their last 16 games, including five in a row before Tuesday’s pep talk, Washington knew something had to change. But despite the renewed effort, Wednesday brought another loss—their seventh in a row and 15th in their last 18 games. Yikes.

With only 30 games left on the schedule and a staggering 16.5 games out of first place, it’s practically impossible for the Angels to finish 2024 with a winning record. So, what’s left to play for? Why bother showing up when the season is effectively lost?

Catcher Logan O’Hoppe has the answer. “What else are you going to do? Mail it in and just take hits for five weeks?” O’Hoppe said to Jeff Fletcher of the Southern California News Group . “That’s not an option for any of us. The approach going forward is just making the most of what you have left, because I know we all miss it at some point in the offseason.”

O’Hoppe’s words echo the sentiment Washington expressed when asked about the purpose of the team meeting.

“We can’t let what happened in Toronto affect what we have to do from today forward,” Washington said. “That’s what that was all about.”

The meeting wasn’t a dressing down but more of a collective airing of grievances—a chance for everyone to share their thoughts and feelings.

“It wasn’t a chewing-out meeting. It was a come to Jesus meeting, and it went well,” Washington explained. “Everybody had something to say. Everybody spoke. I was pleased with it. … Quite a few spoke up. It was great. It was nice for them to get up in front of people and recognize that they can share their feelings.”

Even though the losses keep piling up, there’s a silver lining: the team has grown closer.

“We love coming out with each other, and we’re grinding it out,” O’Hoppe said. “Meetings like that bring us really close. There was no negative take out of it. It was all productive.”

In the end, the Angels might not be able to salvage the season, but they aren’t throwing in the towel. For Washington, O’Hoppe, and the rest of the squad, the goal now is to fight to the finish—because mailing it in just isn’t an option.