The Los Angeles Angels were dealt a significant blow on Aug. 3 when ace pitcher Shohei Ohtani left the mound with forearm tightness and irritation that will likely keep him from pitching the remainder of the regular season. Now, the club moves forward with Ohtani still contributing as the everyday designated hitter while the remainder of his starting pitching colleagues come together to give the Angels a solid rotation.
Leading the way early for the Angels this season is newcomer, Dylan Bundy. Bundy finished the second full week of the 2020 regular season with a 2-1 record in his first three starts since joining the Angels from the Baltimore Orioles this offseason. Bundy’s 0.7 fWAR is ninth among MLB pitchers and fifth among pitchers with three or fewer starts. Bundy has held opposing hitters to .184 BABIP and 0.83 BB/9, which are both top-10 among MLB pitchers in addition to 10.38 K/9. Bundy’s change of scenery has paid off for the 27-year-old right-hander.
Griffin Canning has remained healthy through his first three starts of the season but has struggled with control which has kept him from getting deep into ball games. He’s averaging over 10 strikeouts per nine innings but coupled with over six walks per nine innings has yet to secure his first win of the season.
Andrew Heaney’s early-season performance has been up-and-down so far as he’s had a few bad innings force him out of starts. Overall, the lefty ace of the staff coming into the season is 1-1 in four starts with a 4.26 ERA. Like Canning, he’s healthy, and that in itself will bode well for the Angels as both continue to get more reps and opportunities against the best the West has to offer.
Rounding out the Angels’ rotation is veteran right-hander Julio Teheran and rookie southpaw Patrick Sandoval. Teheran made his first start for the Angels after coming over from Atlanta this winter and lasted less than three innings. He kept Seattle in check with .250 BABIP and will need to be as effective to see success against the Athletics and Dodgers line-up’s his next two projected starts.
Patrick Sandoval made his second start of the season against Texas and was outstanding through six innings, limiting the Rangers to four hits, one walk, and four strikeouts. His only mistake was a sixth-inning pitch to slugger Joey Gallo that was deposited into right-center field seats for a two-run home run in the club’s 2-0 loss to the Rangers. Sandoval is looking for his first MLB career victory which should come soon if he keeps mixing his 93 mph fastball effectively with his mid-80s change and slider in the coming weeks.
Angels This Week
Angels wrapped up a rough weekend series against the Texas Rangers in the Halos’ first visit to the new Globe Life Park in Arlington, Tex., as they were swept. The Angels’ pitchers held the Rangers’ offense at bay with a 3.38 ERA over three games, but the line up failed to produce, hitting only .175 for series and lowering their team average to an abysmal .209 for the season. This came after a series in Seattle in which the Angels won two of the three games thanks to the Angels’ pitching staff. Los Angeles hitters still only hit .186 for the series in Seattle, finishing the week with a .180/.269/.392 slash in their limited offensive production.
Angels pitching for the week limited opposing hitters to a .217 average last week. The bullpen was notably effective in Arlington, limiting Rangers hitters to .154 BABIP and recording 0.84 ERA during the series.
The much-anticipated debut of Angels top prospect Jo Adell debut occurred Tuesday evening at T-Mobile Park in Seattle as the talented 21-year-old right-fielder ran out an infield ground ball for a single in his debut performance. His first week has seen some challenges as Adell faces the highest level of pitching and learns to play right field in MLB ballparks.
Mike Trout returned with a bang Tuesday from his paternity leave as he crushed a Justin Dunn breaking ball 407 feet to left-center field for a first-inning, two-run home run in his first plate appearance as a new father. Trout completed his first week back from four games missed with a .280 average, four home runs, and seven runs batted in.
Angels top prospect and young outfielder Brandon Marsh began taking ground balls at first base during practices last week at the Angels’ alternate training site at Long Beach State’s Blair Field. Marsh has played exclusively in the outfield for the Angels to this point in his professional career but playing time at first base can only provide an enhanced opportunity at the MLB level. The Angels’ outfield is currently projected to feature Jo Adell, Mike Trout, Brian Goodwin, and Justin Upton all under team control for the next two seasons. First baseman Albert Pujols, on the other hand, has only one year remaining on his contract.
The Angels will begin the week with a three-game home series against in Oakland beginning Monday at Angel Stadium in Anaheim. They are scheduled to face lefty Sean Manaea and counter with Julio Teheran in the opener and follow up Tuesday sending Dylan Bundy to the mound to face off against Mike Fiers. The Angels will close out the series against the Athletics Wednesday afternoon as Griffin Canning is scheduled to duel with Chris Bassitt. The Athletics enter the series in Anaheim riding a nine-game winning streak and five-game lead in the American League Western Division.
The Angels will have an off-day on Thursday before hosting the Freeway Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers beginning Friday night at the Big A. While starting pitchers for the series have not been announced, it’s likely that the Angels will send Patrick Sandoval, Andrew Heaney, and Julio Teheran to the mound for the three games unless they alter their rotation with the off-day Thursday. Expect the Dodgers to counter with Walker Buehler, Dustin May, and Ross Stripling for the three-game set.
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