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Lucas Giolito of the Los Angeles Angels pitches in the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on July 28, 2023 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
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Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels swings for a strike in the eighth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on July 28, 2023 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
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Kevin Kiermaier of the Toronto Blue Jays takes off his batting equipment as he strikes out in the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Rogers Centre on July 28, 2023 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
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Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels prepares to hit in the seventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on July 28, 2023 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
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Jordan Romano of the Toronto Blue Jays leaves the mound as he’s pulled by manager John Schneider in the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Rogers Centre on July 28, 2023 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
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Manager Phil Nevin of the Los Angeles Angels speaks with the media after a 4-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on July 28, 2023 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
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Matt Thaiss of the Los Angeles Angels reacts after striking out in the eighth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on July 28, 2023 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
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Whit Merrifield of the Toronto Blue Jays slides in to steal second base ahead of Andrew Velazquez of the Los Angeles Angels in the sixth inning at Rogers Centre on July 28, 2023 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
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Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels celebrates his solo-home run with Mickey Moniak in the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on July 28, 2023 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
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Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels walks into the dugout after striking out in the third inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on July 28, 2023 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
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Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels is greeted by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at first base as he hits a single in the sixth inning at Rogers Centre on July 28, 2023 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
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Whit Merrifield of the Toronto Blue Jays gets an ice bath from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. during his post game interview after a 4-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels at Rogers Centre on July 28, 2023 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
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Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels rounds the bases after hitting a solo-home run in the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on July 28, 2023 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
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Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels celebrates his solo-home run in the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on July 28, 2023 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
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Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels hits a solo-home run in the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on July 28, 2023 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
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Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels tips his helmet before his at-bat in the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on July 28, 2023 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
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Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels heads to the dugout ahead of the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on July 28, 2023 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
TORONTO — Lucas Giolito was excited to step right into a pennant race, but disappointed with his first step.
Giolito gave up three runs in 5-1/3 innings in the Angels’ 4-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night, his first game after he was acquired in a trade on Wednesday night.
Although the trade was made while the Angels were in Detroit, Giolito went straight to Toronto and met his new teammates the same day he took the mound wearing their uniform for the first time.
“It feels like that playoff atmosphere every single game, which I’m all here for,” Giolito said. “I’m bummed out that I didn’t get the job done today to help the team, but I like what’s happening here. Really, really positive vibes. The clubhouse chemistry. I’m very excited to be a part of it.”
The Angels got Giolito to bolster their rotation, and in his first game he said he was “not the best.”
“I felt relatively sharp, throwing a lot of strikes, but they hammered my mistakes pretty good,” Giolito said.
Giolito gave solo homers on misplaced fastballs to Matt Chapman in the second inning and Danny Jansen in the third.
He retired eight hitters in a row through the fifth inning, but got into trouble again in the sixth. Although he gave up a pair of hits, the Angels still could have gotten him out of the inning if shortstop Andrew Velazquez had not booted a double play ball.
“He’s going to pitch deep into games for us,” Manager Phil Nevin said. “He’s going to throw a lot of pitches for us. Really excited to have him. We’re gonna win a lot of games with him.”
Jeff Fletcher has covered the Angels since 2013. Before that, he spent 11 years covering the Giants and A’s and working as a national baseball writer. Jeff is a Hall of Fame voter. In 2015, he was elected chairman of the Los Angeles chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America.
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