The Los Angeles Angels finally completed a stretch of playing the Seattle Mariners eight times in 11 days, which caused some high tensions in the series finale, but now they turn their attention to the Chicago White Sox for a three-game set.
The Angels are still looking to battle out of the hole they dug for themselves with their 14-game losing streak, which dropped them from looking like a playoff lock to third in the American League West with a record of 35-40 and a +7 run differential.
The White Sox have also underperformed expectations this season. They entered 2022 as the favorites in the AL Central, but they are currently stuck in third place at 34-37 along with a -51 run differential.
Game 1: 6:38 p.m. PT
Noah Syndergaard takes the ball in the series opener coming off a mixed performance against the Kansas City Royals his last time out. The right-hander threw 7.1 innings, but he gave up five runs and only stuck out five.
Mixed results have been a theme for Syndergaard in his first full season back from Tommy John surgery, but overall he has been effective, posting a 3.86 ERA in 58.1 innings with 40 strikeouts and a 1.20 WHIP.
The White Sox counter with Lucas Giolito, their former ace who has looked completely lost over his last seven games pitched.
In his last seven starts, the right-hander owns a 7.36 ERA in 36.2 innings while giving up 50 hits, 30 earned runs and walking 17. In his last two starts specifically, Giolito has given up 15 earned runs in just 10 total innings.
On the season, he owns a 5.40 ERA in 63.1 innings while striking out 76, however, he has posted ERAs below 3.55 in his past three seasons.
Game 2: 6:38 p.m. PT
The Angels have not announced a starter for the middle game.
Johnny Cueto takes the ball for the White Sox and he has been a pleasant surprise for Chicago this year. In 48 innings, the 36-year-old has posted a 3.19 ERA with 40 strikeouts and a 1.15 WHIP. He gave up three runs across 5.1 innings in his last outing against the Baltimore Orioles.
Cueto owns a career 3.44 ERA in 2,082.1 innings with 1,750 strikeouts.
Game 3: 6:38 p.m. PT
The final game features the best pitching matchup of the series with two dominant right-handers in Shohei Ohtani and Michael Kopech.
Ohtani is coming off his best performance of the season when he struck out 13 Royals in eight scoreless innings while giving up just two hits. After a shaky start to the year, Ohtani has turned his season around and has been back to his dominant ways on the mound.
This season, he has pitched to a 2.90 ERA in 68.1 innings with 90 strikeouts and a 1.01 WHIP.
Kopech is in the midst of a breakout season and has emerged as the club ace. Kopech has posted a 2.59 ERA in 62.2 innings while striking out 58 to go with a 1.01 WHIP.
In his last start against the Orioles, he allowed three runs in six innings but walked four and struck out just two.
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