LOS ANGELES ANGELS NOTES:
LEADING OFF: Happy Birthday to Angels radio broadcaster Terry Smith!…Today, the Angels play the third (2-0) of seven games on a road trip against the Texas Rangers (2-0; June 12-15) and Kansas City Royals (June 16-18)…Halos went 5-1 on last homestand against the Chicago Cubs (3-0) and Seattle Mariners (2- 1)…LAA was 3-4 on last road trip against the Chicago White Sox (2-1) and Houston Astros (1-3).
HEATING UP: Angels have won three straight games and eight of last nine…The stretch includes a five game win streak from June 4-9, which matched the longest win streak of season (also won five straight from April 30-May 5).
HIGH WATER MARK: At 38-31, Angels are a season-high seven games over .500; first time at seven games over .500 since May 27, 2022 (27-20)…This is also the first time the Angels are seven games over .500 this late in a season since finishing the 2015 season with an 85-77 record…With a win today, would move to eight games over .500 for the first time since May 26, 2022 (27-19).
ANOTHER COMEBACK WIN: Hunter Renfroe hit a two-run go-ahead homer in the direction of Globe Life Field’s Golden Chick concession stand to give Halos a 4-3 lead last night…The homer put Jimmy Herget in line for his first win of the 2023 season.
IT HAS HAPPENED!: Last night, Zach Neto recorded the Angels first sacrifice bunt since the penultimate game of the 2022 season (Max Stassi – Oct. 4, 2022 at Oakland)…The streak of 69 games without a sacrifice set a new franchise record (previous was a 66-game streak from May 30 – Aug. 13, 2019).
ROBBED: Mickey Moniak robbed Ezequiel Duran of a home run in last night’s game…According to Sports Info Solutions, the Angels lead the Majors with five HR robberies this season…Moniak is tied with Mike Trout, Aaron Judge and Luis Robert Jr. for the individual lead in HR robbing catches this year, with two each.
SHO BUSINESS: On Monday, Shohei Ohtani recorded his 14th career multi-HR game (second this season), becoming the fifth player in Angels history with a game-tying HR and a go-ahead HR, both in the 7th inning or later and the first since Vladimir Guerrero on June 18, 2005 vs. Florida. (ELIAS).
‘PEN PALS: Over the last nine games, Halos bullpen has worked 37.0 innings, allowing two earned runs… The 0.49 combined ERA leads the Majors in that span.
VS. TEXAS: Angels lead season series vs. Texas 3-2… Rangers won two of three games at Angel Stadium from May 5-7 and Angels have won first two games of current series in Arlington….Halos have won six of last eight games vs. Texas, dating back to last season…Last year, Texas won season series 10-9.
THE DRAGON: Over his last 10 games, Chris Devenski has tossed 12.0 scoreless innings and has stranded 15 of 16 (94%) inherited runners…In that span, he’s allowed two hits with two walks with 13 strikeouts.
MOST CAREER HOME RUNS vs. RANGERS
(since franchise moved to Texas in 1972)
- Mike Trout – 44
- Reggie Jackson – 43
- José Canseco – 40
*Trout ranks third in career HR vs. Senators/Rangers franchise all-time behind Reggie Jackson (54) and Harmon Killebrew (48).
CATCHING ON: This season, Angels catchers are tied for third in the Majors with 11 home runs and rank second with a .811 OPS.
LEAGUE LEADER: Shohei Ohtani, leads the Majors in opponent batting average (.172) and ranks third in pitching strikeouts (102)…With the bat, he leads the American League in home runs (20), extra-base hits (36) and total bases (156), is second in the A.L. in slugging (.600), third in OPS (.973) and hits (77) and fifth in RBI (50).
SO EXTRA: Zach Neto has totaled five extra-base hits across his last three games, becoming the fifth shortstop in Angels history to do so…He also became the first Angels shortstop with multiple extra-base hits in consecutive games since Gary Disarcina on May 16- 17, 1995 at Minnesota.
PLAY FROM AHEAD: Halos have held leads in 55 of 69 games played this year.
ESTÉVEZ ENDING: This season, Carlos Estévez is pitching to a 1.50 ERA (30 IP – 5 ER) and has converted all 18 of his save opportunities (the 18 saves are a new career high)…He is the first Angels pitcher to convert his first 18 save opportunities of a season since Lee Smith set the Club record with 19 consecutive successful save chances to start the 1995 campaign.
SINGLE HANDED: Gio Urshela has hit 53 singles this year plus 11 extra-base hits (eight doubles, one triple & two home runs)…Urshela ranks second, behind Toronto’s Bo Bichette (66), for the American League lead in singles…Since May 5, Urshela ranks fifth in the American League with a .324 (35/108) batting average in that span.
NET-OW: Zach Neto has been hit by 11 pitches this season, which is tied for second-most in the Majors… Since 1901, he is tied for the fewest career games played (45) when reaching 11 career HBP (also, Tim Locastro for Dodgers/D-backs from 2017-19).
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER – LHP REID DETMERS
1-5, 4.79 ERA
Earned first win of season in last start on Thursday vs. Cubs
- TODAY’S GAME: Making 12th start of the season today and sixth on the road…Second start of 2023 vs. Rangers…Made Opening Day roster for second consecutive season…Is in third Major League season with Angels.
- LAST TIME OUT: Earned first win of the season in last start on Thursday vs. Cubs, after tossing 5.2 innings and allowing one earned run on five hits with two walks and eight strikeouts
- 12K: Matched career high with 12 strikeouts on May 19 vs. Minnesota and carried a no-hitter through 5.2 innings…Previously tallied 12 strikeouts on July 31, 2022 vs. Texas.
- STREAKS SNAPPED: Victory in last start ended a career-high streak of five consecutive losing decisions…Also ended streak of 10 straight winless starts to begin a season, which finished tied for third-longest in Angels history (Rickey Clark – 12 starts in 1968 and Hector Santiago – 11 starts in 2014).
- STAY UNFAMILIAR: This season, opponents are batting .223 (40/179) the first two times through the order, but are batting .512 (22/43) the third time through the batting order.
- EARLY SUCCESS: Has a 2.73 ERA (33 IP – 10 ER) in the first three innings of games, compared with an 7.71 ERA (23.1 IP – 20 ER) from the fourth inning on…20 of 35 runs allowed this year (57%) have come in 5th and 6th inning.
- GOING OFFSPEED: In 2023, is holding opponents to a .268 (41/153) average against off-speed pitches, including a .185 (6/31) clip on curveballs, but has a .300 (21/70) average against his fastball.
- VS. TEXAS: In six career starts vs. Texas, is 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA (30 IP – 18 ER) and 40 strikeouts…This year, is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA (4 IP – 3 ER) after first start on May 6 at Angel Stadium…First victory over Rangers came in final start of 2022 season on Sept. 30, 2022 at Angel Stadium (W; 6 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 SO…Set a career high with 12 strikeouts vs. Rangers on July 31, 2022 at The Big A.
- AT GLOBE LIFE FIELD: In two career starts at Globe Life, (both in 2022), is 0-0 with a 10.29 ERA (7 IP – 8 ER)
TEXAS RANGERS NOTES:
WINS AND LOSSES: Texas lost to the Angels last night, 7-3, and team has a 0-2 record to open this 7-G, 7-day homestand against LAA (0-2 + 2 G) and TOR (3 G)…team has lost 3 straight, 2nd-longest losing skid for TEX this season (0-4, 4/24-27)…Rangers have dropped 5 of 6 beg. last Wed.,
team’s most losses in any 6-G span in 2023…club is still 6-5 in June and has won 8 of 14, 12 of 19, 15 of 23, 18 of 28, and 23 of last 35 games…TEX is an A.L.-best 27-14 (.659) record in last 41 G beg. 4/28, tied with Arizona (also 27-14) for the best record in MLB over that span…TEX is 33-19 in last 52 G and 37-21 last 58 G beg. 4/9.
- At 41-25 (.621), TEX owns the 3rd-best record in MLB to only TB (48-22, .686) and BAL (42-24, .636)…club’s 41 wins rank T3rd in MLB (48-TB, 42-BAL, 41-TEX/ARI).
- The 41-25 start ties the best 66-G start to a season in WSH/ TEX franchise history (see chart below), just 3rd time in club history to have at least 40 wins at this point in a campaign.
- TEX is 16 G above .500, lowest point since 6/2 (36-20) and 3 shy of season high point of 20-over after win 6/6 vs. STL (40-20)…it was team’s most games above .500 since end of 2016 (95-67) and the earliest date/fewest games (6/6 and 60 G) ever to reach that mark.
STANDINGS: Rangers hold a 3.5-game lead in the A.L. West over 2nd-place HOU, losing 1.5 G on the division lead with losses the past 2 nights…TEX had a season-best 5.0-G lead over HOU for 4 straight days 6/8-11, team’s largest division lead since winning the A.L. West by 9.0 G in 2016…current 3.5-G lead is still 3rd-largest division lead in MLB (TB is +4.0 GA in A.L. East; ATL is +4.0 GA in N.L. East)…TEX has had sole possession of 1st place in the West for 38 straight, 45 of 46 and 58 of the last 60 days beg. 4/14.
- TEX has been alone or tied atop the division for 73 of the season’s first 74 days (exception: 4/8).
SERIES STUFF: The weekend series loss at TB ended a span of 6 consecutive series victories, longest span for team since club-record 10 straight series victories from 5/20- 6/20/16…it also ended a span in which TEX had won a franchise record 6 straight road series…the Rangers are 15-5-1 overall in series this year, going 7-2-1 at home and 8-3-0 on the road…after dropping 2 of 3 at TB, team is now 11-2-1 in last 14 series and 14-3-1 in last 18…TEX has gone 6-1-1 in last 8 series at GLF…club has dropped back-to-back series just once in 2023: 4/3-5 vs. BAL (1-2), 4/7-9 at CHC (1-2).
AT HOME: TEX is 21-11 (.656) at home, 3rd-best home record in MLB (TB-.816, 31-7; LAD-.677, 21-10)…have lost season-high 3 straight at home…have won 8 of 11, 9 of 13, 13 of 19, 18 of last 27 at GLF beg. 4/5…TEX is 107-117 all-time record at GLF (2020-23), 27-18 last 45 G here beg. 9/11/22.
- Texas leads MLB with 6.63 R/G at home in 2023, and 212 R are 2nd to TB (222), as Rays have played 6 more home games…TEX has scored 9 total runs during the current 0-3 span at GLF.
VS. LOS ANGELES-AL: TEX is 2-3 vs. LAA in ’23, losing 2 straight…TEX has won season series vs. Halos in 3 of last 4 years…TEX is 2-6 in last 8 vs. LAA, but has won 8 of 16 and 11 of last 20 G vs. Halos…Rangers are 15-13 vs. LAA all-time at GLF, winning 5 of last 8 after a 5-10 span.
- TEX is 14-7 (.667) vs. A.L. West in ’23, winning 5 of 7, 7 of 10, and 10 of last 14 G…have won all 6 series vs. division foes in ’23.
ROSTER MOVES: The Rangers announced the following roster moves prior to tonight’s game in Arlington:
• C Sam Huff recalled from Round Rock (AAA).
• RHP Joe Barlow activated from 15-day Injured List.
• RHP Owen White optioned to Frisco (AA).
• C Sandy León designated for assignment.
MR. BRIGHTSIDE: In the midst of the Rangers’ current 1-5 span, below are some notes on the club’s current position:
- The Rangers’ 41 wins are T3rd-most in MLB, and represent an increase of 10 wins over team’s total at this point in 2022 (31-35)…the +10 increase in wins over the previous year represents one of the largest increases in MLB in ’23 (+13-BAL, +11-TB, +10-TEX/ARi) and is T2nd-largest yearto-year increase thru 66 G in Rangers history (+11 in 1974, +10 in 1986/2004/2023).
- Regardless of tonight’s result, TEX will have a record among the top 3 67-G starts in franchise history…each of the 6 years listed in the 67-G chart in the left column resulted in postseason appearances, including 5 of the 7 division title years in Rangers history.
- Rangers’ current MLB-best 6.20 R/G average would easily be the club’s highest figure ever prior to the AS break (currently 5.97 R/G in 1996), topping any number during club’s 26 years at The Ballpark in Arlington.
THE OTHER WAY: The Rangers have recorded 109 hits to the opposite field this season according to Stathead, T3rdmost in MLB (125-STL, 112-BOS, 109-TEX/COL)…Nathaniel Lowe leads all Rangers with 18 such hits in 2023, T7th-most in the A.L…after 2 oppo hits last night, Lowe now has 107 hits to the opposite field since the start of 2021, 2nd-most in MLB to only TOR’s Bo Bichette (135).
SCOREBOARD: Texas continues to have the top 4 in the American League in runs scored this season: 57-Semien, 48-García, 47-Jung, 45-Lowe…there are 22 players in the A.L. with 40+ runs created (STATS) this season, and 6 of the 22 are Rangers: 58-Semien, 48-García, 44-Lowe, 42-Jung, 41-Heim, 40-Seager.
CAN’T FIGHT THE SEAGER: Corey Seager went 3-for-5 with a HR and double last night and he has gone 10-for-17 with 2 HR, 2 2B, 6 RBI, and 3 BB over his last 4 G…after going 0-for-3 in his return from the IL on 5/17 vs. ATL, Seager has 17 XBH in his last 23 G…Seager has several 23-G spans with 17 XBH this season, the most XBH by a TEX batter in any 23-G span since Danny Santana in July/Aug. 2019.
- Among players with 150+ PA’s in 2023, Seager’s A.L.-best .357 BA ranks 2nd in MLB to only MIA’s Luis Arraez (.382)… Seager’s .629 SLG and 1.044 OPS both rank 2nd in MLB (min. 150 PA’s) to only NYY’s Aaron Judge (.674/1.078).
TO BE YOUNG: Cody Bradford (4.1 IP) and Owen White (2.0 IP) were the 1st 2 pitchers used by Texas last night, covering 6.1 innings in the loss…it was career outing no. 3 for Bradford and the ML debut for White…it marked the 1st time that TEX had used 2 pitchers within their 1st 3 ML app. in the same game since 8/25/21 at CLE, when Jake Latz (4.2 IP) started and Nick Snyder (0.2 IP) pitched in relief…it remains Latz’s only ML app., and it was career outing no. 2 for Snyder in a game that took place on a road trip in which TEX was enduring some COVID 19-Related IL placements.
HELLO OLD FRIEND: Former Angel Andrew Heaney, who pitched 7 seasons for LAA from 2015-21, is slated to face his old team tonight…it will be his 1st start ever vs. the Halos, as only previous matchup came in relief w/ NYY on 8/30/21 in Anaheim, the season in which was traded to Yankees…Heaney went 30-33 with a 4.51 ERA over 102 G/GS with LAA.
SHORTS: Owen White became the 3rd Ranger to make his ML debut in 2023: Cody Bradford on 5/15 vs. ATL and Grant Anderson on 5/30 at DET…during 1-5 span, TEX is hitting .204 (10-49) with RISP and has 50 runners left on base.
TONIGHT’S STARTING PITCHER – #44 Andrew Heaney, LHP
(4-4, 4.14)
TONIGHT: The 32-year-old left-hander is scheduled to make his 13th appearance/start of the season in the 3rd game of the series against the Angels tonight… took his 4th loss of the season in his last start on Friday at Tampa Bay (L, 5.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R-3 ER, 1 HR, 2 BB, 5 SO, 88 pitches/58 strikes), outing which raised season ERA from 4.03 to 4.14…has allowed 4-or-more hits in his last 9 starts and runners to score in 8 of those games, good for a 3.93 ERA (22 ER/50.1 IP)… Heaney is still 4-3, 3.28 (22 ER/60.1 IP) over his last 11 starts beg. 4/10…has posted quality starts in 4 of 6 and 6 of his last 9 outings, as his 6 QS this season rank 3rd among TEX pitchers (8-Eovaldi, 7-Gray)…Heaney is in his first season with Texas after signing a two-year free agent contract with the club on 12/9/22… is seeking to build on a 2022 campaign in which he produced career bests in ERA (3.10), WHIP (1.087), and strikeout rate (13.6 SO/9) with the Los Angeles Dodgers despite being limited by a pair of Injured List stints…the 9-year MLB veteran has appeared in 144 games/133 starts with Miami (2014), Los Angeles-AL (2015-21), New York-AL (2021), Los Angeles-NL (2022), and Texas (2023)…an Oklahoma City native, Heaney pitched collegiately at Oklahoma State University before being selected by the Miami Marlins in the first round (9th overall) of the 2012 MLB Draft…Texas has gone 7-5 in Heaney’s 12 starts this season.
AS OF LATE: After surrendering season-high 7 R-ER in his Rangers debut on 4/4 vs. BAL (L, 2.2 IP, 7 R-ER), Heaney has gone 4-3 with a 3.28 ERA (22 ER/60.1 IP), 63 SO/25 BB, and a .206 opp. BA (45-218) in his last 11 starts… that stretch has cut his season ERA from a season-high 23.63 to 4.14…he ranks among A.L. pitchers over that period (min. 55.0 IP since 4/10) in H/9 (13th, 6.71) and opp. BA (15th)…over his last 5 starts, he is 2-1 with a 2.67 ERA (8 ER/27.0 IP) and 27 SO/11 BB.
TOUGH ON LEFT: Left-handed batters have slashed .118/.286/.147/.433 (4-34) with just one extra-base hit (2B) against Heaney in 2023…his .097 opp. BA allowed vs. lefties is the 8th-lowest mark in the A.L. (min. 40 LHB faced)…Heaney has held LHB to a .189/.300/.284/.584 (18-95) slash line and just one HR (Jake Cronenworth on 9/11/22 at SD w/ LAD) over the last 2 seasons (beg. 2022).
LAST START: Will pitch on extra 5 days’ rest after taking his 4th loss of the season in his last start on Friday at Tampa Bay (L, 5.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R-3 ER, 1 HR, 2 BB, 5 SO, 88 pitches/58 strikes), outing which raised season ERA from 4.03 to 4.14… the loss snapped his season high-tying 2 G winning streak…it was also his first loss in exactly a month (last 5/9 at SEA), a span of 5 starts.
VS. LOS ANGELES-AL: Heaney has no record with a 9.00 (2 ER/2.0 IP) in 1 career relief appearance against the Angels…it will be his 1st start ever vs. the Halos, as only previous matchup came in relief w/ NYY on 8/30/21 in Anaheim, the season in which was traded to Yankees…pitched for the Angels from 2015- 2021 after being acquired by LAA for INF Howie Kendrick on Dec. 11, 2014… went 30-33 with a 4.51 ERA (285 ER/569.1 IP) in 102 games/games started for the Angels, compiling a 6.7-total bWAR over the 7 seasons that he spent with the Halos.
AT HOME: Heaney has seen far better ERA results in his 5 starts on the road (1-2, 2.43 ERA) than in his 7 starts in Arlington (3-2, 5.67 ERA) this season, but has wins in 3 of his last 6 home starts…3 wins at GLF are tied for club lead (also Dunning, Eovaldi and Pérez)…opposing hitters have slashed .175/.261/.311/.572 (18-103) with just 3 HR in his away outings vs. .262/.358/.477/.835 (34-130) with 7 HR at Globe Life Field in 2023.
STREAKING STRIKEOUTS: Earned the win in his 2nd start as a Ranger on 4/10 vs. KC, recording strikeouts of 9 consecutive batters faced from the 1st through 4th innings…the 9 straight K’s marked the most successive strikeouts by a pitcher in Rangers history, snapping the single-game record of 7 set by Nolan Ryan on 7/7/91 vs. LAA and the overall high of 8 done by Joe Barlow from 7/24-8/2/21… according to Elias Sports Bureau, it matched the American League record for successive strikeouts, as Heaney became just the 3rd A.L. pitcher to do it…the others: DET’s Tyler Alexander on 8/2/20 vs. CIN-G1, and DET’s Doug Fister on 9/27/12 vs. KC…Heaney recorded 10 total SO on the night, the 18th double-digit
strikeout game of his career (last 10 on 8/24/22 vs. MIL w/ LAD) and 2nd by a Texas pitcher at that point in 2023 (also 11 by Jacob deGrom on 4/5 vs. BAL)… the last left-handed Rangers pitcher with 10+ SO in a single game was Mike Minor on 8/11/19 at MIL (11 SO)…it also marked the 6th instance in club history (beg. 1972) for a pitcher to punch out 10-or-more batters in 5.0-or-fewer innings, last Dane Dunning on 5/9/21 vs. SEA (5.0 IP, 10 SO).
2023: Opponents are batting .223 (52-233) w/ 10 HR, including a .118 (4-34) mark with one XBH (2B) for LH batters…19 of 33 runs allowed in ‘23 have come in the 2nd (9) or 3rd (10) inning…opp. BA/OPS by time through lineup: 1st (.278/.789), 2nd (.198/.676), 3rd (.170/.661)…10 HR allowed are 2nd-most among Rangers
TONIGHT’S STARTING PITCHER
(11-Pérez)…Jonah Heim has caught 9 starts, Sandy León has caught 2 starts and Mitch Garver caught season debut on 4/4 vs. BAL (2.2 IP, 7 R-ER)…earned 1st road win of season on 5/27 at BAL (W, 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R-ER), posting 1st ultra-quality start of the season…held O’s scoreless over 1st 6 frames.
