Los Angeles Angels vs Yankees Match Player Stats (August 2024)

The Los Angeles Angels vs Yankees series last August wasn’t supposed to be close.

The Angels were struggling through another disappointing season while the Yankees were in the thick of a playoff race.

But baseball has this weird way of ignoring what’s supposed to happen.

I sat through every inning of this series, and trust me – nobody saw what was coming.

How Rain Changed Everything

When rain washed out the August 6th game, it forced a doubleheader that threw both teams’ pitching plans into chaos.

The results tell the story:

August 7 (Game 1): Yankees 5, Angels 2
August 7 (Game 2): Angels 8, Yankees 2
August 8: Angels 9, Yankees 4

The Yankees took care of business in the opener, just like the standings suggested they would.

But then the Angels’ bats woke up in a big way, pounding out 27 hits and 17 runs in the final two games.

Remember, this was a Yankees team that had steamrolled most opponents all season, similar to how they handled Cleveland earlier in the year.

Breaking Down the August 8th Blowout

The final game showed why box scores matter more than pregame predictions.

Angels Offensive Stars:

Nolan Schanuel: 3 for 5, HR, 2 RBI (.256 AVG)
Zach Neto: 3 for 4, R, RBI (.261 AVG)
Jo Adell: 2 for 5, bases-clearing double, 3 RBI (.199 AVG)
Michael Stefanic: 2 for 4, 2 runs (.283 AVG)

The story here? Jo Adell was hitting below .200 but crushed a bases-clearing double that broke the game open.

As a former minor league player, I can tell you that’s what makes baseball great. Your season average means nothing when you step in the box with the bases loaded.

Yankees Stars Go Silent When It Mattered

The Yankees lineup that struck fear in pitchers all season suddenly looked ordinary:

Yankees Batting Struggles:

Aaron Judge: 0 for 4, 2 strikeouts (.318 AVG)
Gleyber Torres: 1 for 5, 3 strikeouts (.235 AVG)
Anthony Volpe: 0 for 3, 1 strikeout (.259 AVG)

Judge, a two-time MVP (2022, 2024) known for crushing anything near the zone, couldn’t touch Tyler Anderson that day.

Torres, playing some of his final games in pinstripes before his offseason move to Detroit, whiffed three times.

Volpe, the former first-round pick who’d been solid all year at shortstop, went hitless before getting pulled.

Zach Neto: The Unlikely Yankees Killer

Some players just dominate certain teams, and Zach Neto owns the Yankees.

His three-game performance was video game stuff:

Neto vs Yankees (August 2024):

Game 1: Home run that accounted for both Angels runs
Game 2: 3 for 5, 6 RBI, HR, career day
Game 3: 3 for 4, picking up right where he left off

This wasn’t just a hot streak. Neto has been crushing Yankees pitching since he entered the league.

In 12 career games against New York, he’s hitting .326 (14 for 43) with 2 homers, 4 doubles, and 9 RBI.

Against everyone else? Just .243.

For a guy who was just the 13th overall pick in 2022 out of Campbell University, that’s remarkable production against a storied franchise.

Juan Soto vs Angels: The Weirdest Stats in Baseball

While Neto feasts on Yankees pitching, Juan Soto has the opposite problem with Angels arms.

One of baseball’s elite hitters turns mortal against LA:

Soto vs Angels (Career):

.196 batting average (9 for 46)
Only 1 home run in 12 games
Still draws walks (12 BB in 12 games)

This August 2024 series continued the pattern: just 2 hits in 13 at-bats.

Soto normally hits around .285-.290, so his .196 against the Angels sticks out like a sore thumb.

Unlike typical matchups where star hitters dominate, Angels pitchers somehow cracked the code on Soto, something even Dodgers pitchers struggled with earlier that season.

Pitching Matchups: Anderson Outduels Cortes

The real difference-maker was on the mound:

Angels Pitching Success:

Tyler Anderson (August 8): 6 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 7 SO, improved to 9-10 with 2.99 ERA
Hunter Strickland: Won game two (3-1) with solid relief
Bullpen: Held strong when it mattered

Yankees Pitching Problems:

Nestor Cortes (August 8): 4.2 IP, 9 H, 6 ER, ERA rose to 4.42
Will Warren: Lost his MLB debut in game two
Total damage: 17 runs allowed in two games

Anderson, a crafty lefty who relies on changing speeds and location, completely shut down the potent Yankees lineup.

Cortes, meanwhile, couldn’t find his usual command and paid the price.

The Weather Factor Nobody Talks About

Something baseball analysts often miss: weather affects games more than you think.

The August 7th doubleheader opener was played in tough conditions: 65°F with rain and wind.

That affects everything from grip to pitch movement to how far the ball carries.

Both teams played in the same weather, but certain pitchers and hitters handle those conditions better than others.

What This Means for Future Angels-Yankees Games

These teams face off again in 2025:

May 26-28 in Anaheim
June 16-17 in New York

After what happened in August 2024, I’m keeping an eye on:

Zach Neto continuing his Yankees demolition tour
Angels pitchers potentially having Juan Soto’s number again
How the change to Angel Stadium affects offensive output

I’ll be watching these matchups closely to see if these trends hold up.

Player Careers Since the August Series

This series wasn’t just another three games. It impacted careers:

Gleyber Torres: Left the Yankees after 2024, signing with Detroit for $15 million. The trade rumors started almost immediately after he joined the Tigers.

Aaron Judge: Bounced back big in early 2025, hitting .405 with 8 homers and 28 RBI in his first 29 games, showing why he’s still one of the game’s elite sluggers.

Zach Neto: Used this Yankees series as a springboard. By April 2025, he was producing multiple three-hit, homer games against various opponents.

FAQ’S – Los Angeles Angels vs Yankees Match Player Stats

Who was the real MVP of the August 2024 series?

Without question, Zach Neto. His 6-RBI explosion in game two of the doubleheader changed everything. Going 3-for-5 with a homer and six RBIs in a single game against Yankees pitching in the Bronx is something special from a young shortstop.

Why does Neto hit Yankees pitching so well while struggling against other teams?

Baseball is weird like that. Some hitters just see certain pitching staffs better. Neto’s .326 career average against the Yankees (compared to .243 overall) suggests he picks up their pitch sequences and locations particularly well. His compact swing seems perfectly designed to handle Yankee Stadium’s dimensions too.

What explains Juan Soto’s struggles against Angels pitching?

Angels pitchers clearly found a blueprint against Soto that others haven’t. His .196 average against them is shocking for a hitter of his caliber. They likely target specific weaknesses in his approach or have identified patterns in his swing that create favorable matchups.

How did Tyler Anderson neutralize Aaron Judge so effectively?

Anderson mixed his pitches masterfully and never gave Judge the same look twice. His changeup was particularly effective that day, keeping Judge off balance. Even MVP-caliber hitters struggle when a pitcher executes his gameplan perfectly and varies his approach.

Can fans expect similar results in future Angels-Yankees matchups?

While baseball has plenty of randomness, the sample sizes for players like Neto (12 games vs Yankees) and Soto (12 games vs Angels) are getting meaningful. These patterns are worth watching when these teams meet again, especially with the first 2025 series happening in Anaheim.

What We Learned

The Los Angeles Angels vs Yankees August 2024 series proves you gotta watch the games, not just check the standings.

Everyone expected a Yankees sweep. Baseball had other plans.

The box scores don’t lie – Neto crushed Yankees pitching, Anderson shut down Judge, and Soto kept struggling against Angels arms.

This weird, wonderful sport keeps us hooked because of series like this. Underdogs win sometimes, and when they do, the stats show us exactly how they pulled it off.