He was a feel-good story for the Angels last season, a reliever who, at age 32, finally established himself in the big leagues after years of trying.
In his first two appearances of 2018, however, the air surrounding Blake Parker has been slightly chillier.
He struggled through the ninth inning Friday, allowing two hits, a walk and a run while picking up the save in a 2-1 victory over Oakland.
"I'm going to get better," Parker said. "I'm going to keep working and get back to where I know I can be and pitching more competitively.