The Los Angeles Angels open a three-game series with the Oakland Athletics just four days after the two clubs faced off in a four-game series.
Chase Silseth takes the ball in the first game after just facing the A’s in his Major League debut on May 13. The right-hander pitched an impressive six innings while giving up just one hit and no runs his last time out.
While it may be a challenge for a young pitcher to face a club he just pitched against in his last outing, Angels Manager Joe Maddon is confident Silseth can handle it, via Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register:
Maddon said he’s not concerned about the same team seeing Silseth again so soon.
“The guy’s got a good mound presence and attitude and stuff,” Maddon said. “Here’s my stuff. I’m not going to mess around. I’m not going to try to trick you… That’s what I’ve got with the guy, and I love it. I don’t think it’s going to bother him where he’s pitching or who he’s pitching against.”
The 21-year-old was drafted in the 11th round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of the University of Arizona and became the first draft selection from his class to reach the Major League level.
The move to promote a pitcher who had only made a few career starts at Double-A came with quite a bit of risk, but he rewarded them with a highly impressive debut that put him in the organization’s record books.
Silseth’s performance in his debut made him the second pitcher in Angels history to toss at least six innings and allow just one hit during his Major League debut. He joined Rudy May who went nine innings, allowing one hit against the Detroit Tigers on April 18, 1965, as the only other pitcher to achieve this feat.
Reid Detmers named AL Player of the Week
The Angels young starters have been a bright spot for the club over the last few weeks, which was also highlighted by Reid Detmers tossing his first career no-hitter.
Detmers was awarded the American League Player of the Week after his performance against an extremely competitive lineup in the Tampa Bay Rays. This is the first, non-two-way player to win the award for the Angels since Matt Shoemaker won it in July 2016 and is the first left-handed pitcher to do so since Chuck Finley in July 1997.
He is the first Angels rookie to win the award since Ohtani won it twice in 2018.
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