As the All-Star break draws near, the Los Angeles Angels are unexpectedly in the postseason mix. Going into Saturday, July 5, they are 1 1/2 games short of a wild card spot.
There are some strong offensive players on the Angels. Jo Adell, Taylor Ward, Nolan Scanuel, Mike Trout, and Zack Neto all have OPS+ values above 100. They have now added another veteran player.
Brandon Drudy Signs a Minor League Contract With the Angels
According to Taylor Blake Ward of Baseball America, the organization is taking a chance on Brandon Drury, whom they recently signed to a minor league contract.
Angels have signed former Silver Slugger and veteran infielder Brandon Drury to a minor-league deal
— Taylor Blake Ward (@TaylorBlakeWard) July 4, 2025
Drury participated in 97 games while on the squad the previous season. Despite his four home runs, he had a rough game. In 2022, he agreed to a two-year contract worth $17 million with the Angels. He has ten years of big league experience and was a Silver Slugger Award winner in the past.
Drury briefly played with the Chicago White Sox during spring training prior to his latest deal, showing promise by slashing .410/.439/.821 over 13 games. Unfortunately, he was sidelined for a while due to a fractured thumb, which stopped his progress.
Before being cut loose in May, he later played in ten games with the White Sox’s Triple-A affiliate. Drury is a low-risk gamble since his signing might not have a big impact on the Angels’ future.
The Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Angels 4-3 in extra innings on Friday, July 4, to win for the sixth time in a row.
The @BlueJays walk it off in wild fashion for their 6th straight win! pic.twitter.com/iBBfVzFKkE
— MLB (@MLB) July 5, 2025
In the sixth inning, the Blue Jays led by 3-0, but Jo Adell’s three-run homer in the following inning gave the Angels a winning chance. Extra innings were played after the game was deadlocked in the ninth inning.
Through the top of the tenth inning, the Angels were unable to score. Los Angeles pitcher Sam Bachman walked Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes to begin the bottom half of the eighth. Then the Angels were hit by disaster.
Ernie Clement made a sacrifice bunt with Lukes at first and automatic runner Myles Straw at second. Bachman made a mistake as he flew a throw over first base after swiftly recovering the bunt, allowing Straw to run home and secure the walk-off victory.
The Blue Jays, who now lead the New York Yankees by two games in the American League East, rushed onto the field to celebrate the victory. With a 50-38 record, the Blue Jays are currently leading the AL East and are confident that they will win the division for the first time in ten years.
The devastating defeat, meanwhile, drops the Angels back to a .500 record once more. These kinds of losses will keep the Angels out of the running for the time being, despite their best efforts to stay in the American League playoff race.