The Los Angeles Angels are set to face their division-rival Texas Rangers for the eighth and ninth times this season, but the first time at Angel Stadium.
In their last series, the Angels were swept by Texas in a three-game series last week, but in April L.A. took three out of their four matchups.
The Angels still enter the series with the fourth-best record in the American League at 26-17 and a run differential of +51, but sit one game behind the Houston Astros in the AL West. The Rangers have yet to see their offseason spending spree turn into many wins as they are sitting 10th in the AL with a record of 18-22 and a run differential of -9.
Taylor Ward is still out of the lineup as he deals with an injury to his neck and shoulder, but this MRI was clean and he is available to pinch-hit, just not play the field until his strength returns.
Game 1: 6:38 p.m.
In their first game, Noah Syndergaard takes the ball for the Angels looking to build upon his impressive start to the season and rebound from his previous outing when he lasted just 0.2 innings and gave up four runs against the Rangers.
Despite that outing, Syndergaard still owns a 3.60 ERA and 3.51 FIP across six starts with 30 innings pitched, but he has still not posted the strikeout numbers he has previously in his career, punching out just 17% of batters compared to his career mark of 26%.
Dane Dunning starts for the Rangers with a 3.92 ERA and 3.79 FIP across eight starts and 43.2 innings pitched. His last outing also came against the Angels when he pitched six innings and allowed two runs on three hits while striking out six and walking three.
Game 2: 6:38 p.m.
Reid Detmers starts the second and final game for the Angels after a disappointing outing his previous time out. Fresh off a no-hitter, Detmers faced the Rangers last week and lasted just 3.2 innings while allowing three runs on three hits, striking out four and walking two.
Overall this season, he owns a 4.15 ERA and 4.63 FIP in seven starts with 34.2 innings pitched. Like Syndergaard, Detmers has also lacked the strikeout totals that often leads to success, getting just 18% of batters to go down on strikes.
Glenn Otto starts for the Rangers for the sixth time this season, and he hasn’t found much success so far. In his previous five starts, he’s posted an ERA of 5.55 with a 5.61 FIP in 24.1 innings. In his last outing, he was much better though, throwing six innings and allowing two runs against the Houston Astros.
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