Thursday, March 28, 2024

MLB Preview: Los Angeles Angels (20-18) at Cleveland Guardians (17-20)

LOS ANGELES ANGELS NOTES:

LEADING OFF: Today, the Angels play the first of seven games on a road trip to Cleveland (May 12-14) and Baltimore (May 15-18)…Halos went 2-4 on last homestand against the Rangers (1-2) and Astros (1- 2)…LAA was 4-2 on last road trip at Milwaukee (1-2) and St. Louis (3-0).

ROSTER MOVES: Today, the Angels recalled OF Mickey Moniak from Triple-A Salt Lake…In a corresponding move, INF Jake Lamb was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake following Wednesday’s game.

VS. CLEVELAND: Today is the first of seven matchups this season between the Angels and Guardians…Last year, Halos won the season series 4-3, with each team sweeping their home series (Halos swept four games at Angel Stadium, April 25-28, 2022 and Guardians swept three games at Progressive Field, Sept. 12-14, 2022)…The home team has won 10 straight head-to-head meetings, dating back to 2021…Angels lead all-time series 333-331.

NICE TO ‘C’ YOU AGAIN: In 23 career games as a hitter vs. Cleveland, Shohei Ohtani is batting .302 (26/86) with four doubles, seven home runs and 15 RBI…He recorded his first two Major League home runs against Cleveland pitching (Josh Tomlin – 4/3/2018 and Corey Kluber – 4/4/2018)…Ohtani also recorded his first career multi-HR game on Aug. 3, 2018 at Progressive Field (both off Mike Clevinger).

HOUSE OF HORRORS: Angels have lost each of last 10 games at Progressive Field and 20 of last 21 since the start of 2015…The active 10 game streak is tied for Halos longest losing streak at the ballpark (also had 10 game streak in Cleveland from Aug. 28, 2015 – July 27, 2017.

LEAGUE LEADER: Shohei Ohtani, leads the Majors in opponent batting average (.143), ranks third in strikeouts (66) and is fifth in WHIP (0.91).
PLAY FROM AHEAD: Halos have held leads in 32 of 38 games played this year.

A LOOK AT THE STANDINGS: Angels enter play today in second place in the American League West standings (-3.5 games behind Texas; matches largest deficit of season)…Today Halos are looking to avoid a third straight loss, which would match longest losing streak of season (April 14-16).

GOING DEEP: Angels have hit 51 home runs this season, which are second-most in the American League…Only Tampa Bay (76) has more.

THE INJURED LIST: Halos currently have 11 players on the injured list and have used the IL 13 total times this year.

BYE BABE: Tuesday night vs. Houston, Shohei Ohtani recorded seven strikeouts to give him 507 career strikeouts…Ohtani surpassed the career pitching strikeout total for Babe Ruth (according to ELIAS, Ruth had 501 career pitching strikeouts)…Ruth and Ohtani are the only players all-time with 500+ pitching strikeouts and 100+ home runs in a career.

GETTIN’ ON: Anthony Rendon ranks fourth in the American League among qualifiers with a .418 on-base percentage this season…He’s reached base safely in 13 of his last 14 games and is batting .360 (18/50) with 12 runs, two doubles, one HR, 10 RBI and 10 walks in that span.

SINGLE HANDED: Gio Urshela has hit 35 singles this year plus three extra-base hits (two doubles & one home run)…Urshela is tied with Toronto’s Bo Bichette for the American League lead in singles.

‘PEN PALS: This season, Carlos Estévez is pitching to a 1.02 ERA (17.2 IP – 2 ER) and has converted all eight of his save opportunities…Matt Moore owns a 1.00 ERA (18 IP – 2 ER) across 16 total appearances and is unscored upon in his last eight games (9.0 IP)… Andrew Wantz has a 0.59 ERA (15.1 IP – 1 ER) in his 10 appearances for the Angels in 2023.

ALL OVER THE INFIELD: Gio Urshela is one of six players in the Majors to appear at all four infield positions this season…He has made 14 starts at first base, nine starts at third base, eight at shortstop and one at second base.

UNEARNED: Angels have allowed 25 unearned runs this season, which is the most in the Majors…Halos have committed 28 fielding errors this season, which is tied with San Francisco for the most in the Majors.

ON THE BOARD: Halos have not been shut out since Aug. 21, 2022 at Detroit…Current streak of 79 games without being shut out is the longest active streak in the Majors and fifth-longest streak in Angels history.

NET-OW: Zack Neto has been hit by seven pitches this season, which is tied for second-most in the Majors… Since 1901, Neto’s seven HBP through his first 15 career games are the most in MLB…He also was the first player in Angels history to be hit a pitch in four consecutive games (April 18-21).

ORIOLES ON DECK: Following the current series in Cleveland, the Angels will conclude the road trip with a four game series in Baltimore…Last season, Halos went 1-6 against Orioles…LAA is looking to snap an active six game losing streak at Camden Yards, dating back to last victory on Aug. 24, 2021 (streak is tied for Angels longest at the ballpark; also had six game losing streak at Camden Yards in 2003).

TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER – LHP TYLER ANDERSON
1-0, 5.40 ERA
First career appearance vs. Guardians

  • TODAY’S GAME: Making seventh start of the season and fourth on the road…Is in eighth Major League season and made seventh straight Opening Day roster…Signed a three-year contract with Angels, Nov. 16, 2022.
  • BACK ON TRACK: Pitched 6.0 scoreless innings in Angels debut on April 2 at Oakland, before allowing 5+ runs in each of next three starts…Snapped that streak with 6.2 innings of one-run ball on April 28 at Milwaukee and allowed two earned runs in last start vs. Texas.
  • LEFT OUT: This season, is holding left-handers to a .207 average (6/29) compared with a .306 (30/98) average against right-handers.
  • FASTBALL DAMAGE: This season, opponents are batting .357 (15/42) against his fastball, but are hitting .282 (24/85) against the rest of his arsenal.
  • LAST TIME OUT: Took no-decision in last start last Friday vs. Texas after tossing 5.0 innings and allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits with five walks and six strikeouts…The five walks were his most since a career-high six BB on April 15, 2018 for Colorado at Washington.
  • HURT BY THE HOMER: Nine of 21 runs allowed this season (42.9%) have scored on home runs.
  • VS. CLEVELAND: Today marks first career appearance vs. Cleveland…Guardians are one of four teams he has not faced in career (also, Orioles, Twins and Pirates).
  • AT PROGRESSIVE FIELD: Today is first career appearance at Progressive Field…Becomes 26th different ballpark with a pitching appearance.
  • HALO DEBUT: Earned the win in Angels debut on April 2 at Oakland after working 6.0 shutout frames, allowing four hits and two walks with four strikeouts.
  • GOOD DAY: Last year, made six starts in day games for Dodgers and pitched to a 2.70 ERA (33.1 IP – 10 ER) and 31 strikeouts.
  • THE CHANGE: Last season, held opponents to a .179 (41/229) average against his changeup.

CLEVELAND GUARDIANS NOTES:

GUARDS DROP SECOND SERIES TO DETROIT
Prior to yesterday’s scheduled team off day, the Clevelanders were shut out for the fifth time this season on Wednesday afternoon at Progressive Field, dropping a rubber match to the Detroit Tigers by a 5-0 margin…4 of the 6 games on current homestand have been shutouts (2 for, 2 against)…Guardians have won 3 of their last 5 at home, but are 7-11 at home overall (10-9 on the road).

For the second time this season against Cleveland, Eduardo Rodríguez was the story of the game, as the Tigers southpaw carved out 8 strikeouts across his 7.0 scoreless frames for the victory (7.0IP, 4H, 0R, 2BB, 8SO, 99 pitches)…paired with his effort in G2 of a DH on April 18 at Detroit, Rodríguez has now logged 15.0 scoreless innings and 18 K’s against the Guardians this season… TYLER FREEMAN had 2 of the club’s 4 hits, which included DAVID FRY’s first career MLB hit, a two-out single in the 6th…Cleveland starter PEYTON BATTENFIELD (6.0IP, 7H, 5R-4ER, 0BB, 4SO, 90 pitches) was able to complete 6.0 full frames, but Detroit’s offense touched the right-hander for a pair of runs in the 1st and 3 more in the 3rd.

The Guardians are 3-3 on this 9-game, 10-day homestand vs. Minnesota (2-1), Detroit (1-2) & Los Angeles-AL (3 games)… Cleveland has dropped 14 of last 22 overall following a 9-6 start… Guardians (17-20) hold sole possession of 3rd place in AL Central, 3.5 games behind 1st-place Minnesota (21-17) and one half-game behind 2nd-place Detroit (17-19)…last season, club went 9-12 in April and 12-12 in May.

ANAHEIM ADVERSARIES
Tonight’s affair marks the first of 7 meetings between the Guardians and Angels this season…the Angels won 4 of the 7 matchups in 2022, giving them their first season series victory over Cleveland since 2014 when they won 5 of 7…Los Angeles-AL swept Cleveland in a 4-game set from April 25-28 in Anaheim, then the Guards swept the Halos in a 3-game set from September 12-14 in Cleveland…Cleveland trails in the all-time series 331-333 (.498).

The Guardians enter today on an 11-game home winning streak against the Angels, the longest home win streak against LAA since a 10-game run from 8/28/15-7/27/17…since 2015, Cleveland holds a 21-1 (.955) record at Progressive Field against Los Angeles-AL, completing three-game sweeps in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2021-22, a four-game sweep in 2016, and winning 2 of 3 in 2018…during that span, the Guards have outscored the Angels 141-57 (+84) at home…the last time the Angels won a series in Cleveland was a 3-game set from June 16-19, 2014 where they won 2 of 3 games… since 2015, Cleveland’s 33-11 (.750) record against the Angels is the 2nd-best record of any MLB team (min. 24 GP) against a single opponent behind Oakland vs. Detroit (36-11, .766).

BEST WIN PCT. VS. OPPONENT SINCE 2015 (min. 24 GP)
TEAM vs. OPP RECORD WIN %
OAK vs. DET 36-11 .766
CLE vs. LAA 33-11 .750
TEX vs. KC 39-14 .736
TB vs. MIA 29-11 .725
NYY vs. KC 34-13 .723

Since TERRY FRANCONA took over in 2013, Cleveland owns a 39-18 (.684) record against the Angels, the 5th-best mark of any MLB team against a single opponent since 2013…the .684 win percentage is also the club’s best W-L record against any MLB opponent during that span, just ahead of Texas (39-19, .672).

CLEVELAND WIN PCT. VS. OPPONENT SINCE 2013
OPPONENT RECORD WIN %
LAA 39-18 .684
TEX 39-19 .672
CIN 29-17 .630
COL 8-5 .615
MIA 8-5 .615

LET’S GET IT STARTED
Guardians starters have tossed 5.0-or-more innings with 2-orfewer runs in eight of their last ten starts…before April 30, the starting staff owned a 4.65 ERA (73ER/141.1IP), T17th in MLB, since then, the rotation boasts a 2.95 ERA (20ER/61.0IP), which is good for 4th in MLB…since April 30, Cleveland’s starting pitching ranks 3rd in OPS (.603), BABIP (.251), and SLG (.336)…the rotation also ranks 4th in innings (61.0IP) and 5th in WHIP (1.05), AVG (.218), OBP (.266), H/9 (7.38) and BR/9 (9.59).

MLB TEAM SP LEADERS SINCE APRIL 30
INNINGS ERA OPS BABIP SLG
SF – 66.2 TB – 1.92 TB – .569 DET – .218 TB – .303
CWS – 63.2 SD – 2.41 MIN – .597 SD – .237 MIN – .327
WAS – 61.1 MIN – 2.55 CLE – .603 CLE – .251 CLE – .336
CLE – 61.0 CLE – 2.95 SEA – .616 TEX – .251 TEX – .353
TEX – 61.0 DET – 3.15 DET – .628 TB – .254 SEA – .355

Among AL starters since April 30th, CAL QUANTRILL ranks 3rd in the AL with a .146 BABIP, 6th with a 1.26 ERA and 13.4 P/IP, and 7th with a 0.77 WHIP.

LEADING THE LAND
Among 2023 MLB hitters, JOSÉ RAMÍREZ ranks 1st with 7 intentional walks, T1st with 6 game-winning RBI, T3rd with 9 go-ahead RBI, 4th with 11.64 plate appearances-per-strikeout and T4th with 3 sacrifice flies…STEVEN KWAN ranks 2nd with 721 pitches faced, 3rd with a 10.9% swing-and-miss-rate and T3rd with 169 plate appearances…as a team, Cleveland ranks in the top 5 of MLB clubs with 12 intentional walks (1st), 283 strikeouts (2nd-fewest), a 23.2% swing-and-miss rate (3rd-lowest), 38 stolen bases (T3rd), 4.89 plate appearances-per-strikeout (5th), and 34 infield hits (T5th).

Among 2023 MLB pitchers, EMMANUEL CLASE leads all pitchers with 13 saves, 17 games finished, and ranks T1st with 20 appearances…SHANE BIEBER is tied for the league lead with 7 quality starts and ranks top 10 among all pitchers with 51.2 innings pitched (T4th) and 14.7 pitches-per-inning (7th)…as a team, Cleveland’s 15 saves lead MLB, and their 2.80 BB/9 (3rd), 104 walks (4th-fewest) and 16.1 pitches-per-inning (6th).

PUT 4 ON THE BOARD
In 2023, Cleveland is 11-2 when scoring 4-or-more runs…since the start of last season the Guardians are 89-15 (.857) when scoring 4+ runs, the 5th-best win percentage in MLB.

Cleveland is 698-182 (.793) when scoring 4+ during the TERRY FRANCONA era (since 2013), the 2nd-best win percentage in MLB behind Los Angeles-NL. WIN % WHEN SCORING 4+ RUNS, SINCE 2013

TEAM WIN% RECORD
Los Angeles-NL .831 759-154
Cleveland .793 698-182
New York-AL .783 725-201
St. Louis .779 696-197
Houston .776 691-200

TONIGHT’S STARTER – 41 LOGAN ALLEN LHP
ALLEN AT HOME
W-L ERA G GS IP H R ER BB SO
2023 1-0 2.31 2 2 6.0 12 3 3 3 11
Career 1-0 2.31 2 2 6.0 12 3 3 3 11

ALLEN’S MLB CAREER
W-L ERA G GS IP H R ER BB SO
2023 1-1 2.70 3 3 16.2 16 5 5 5 19
Career 1-1 2.70 3 3 16.2 16 5 5 5 19

TONIGHT’S START
The 24-year-old left-hander is making his fourth career MLB start, third at home, in the opener of this 3-game set with the Los Angeles Angels…he became the third of 4 Guardians pitchers to make their Major League debut this season, after PEYTON BATTENFIELD on April 12 against New York-AL and TIM HERRIN on April 2 against Seattle…Allen was originally selected by Cleveland in the 2nd Round (56th overall) of the 2020 MLB Draft out of Florida International University…entered the season as Cleveland’s #8 prospect according to MLB.com…he is starting on extended five days of rest.

LAST TIME OUT
He last toed the rubber on Saturday in a 4-3 win over the Minnesota Twins…he did not factor into the decision after allowing 2R/ER on 7 hits while striking out 3 and walking 2 over 5.2 innings… the lefty worked through the first 5.0 innings without giving up a run…his only mark on the day was a 2-run home run from Max Kepler with 1 out in the 6th inning…his day came to an end after giving up a single two batters later… became the 6th pitcher in club history to begin their career with 3 consecutive starts of 5.0-ormore innings pitched and 2-or-fewer earned runs allowed…ZACH PLESAC and AARON CIVALE both accomplished the feat in 2019.

THE ALLEN WRENCH
After striking out 8 in his start on April 30 at Boston, he became the 2nd pitcher in franchise history to record 8+ strikeouts in their first
starts, last done by Herb Score in 1955…he is the 16th pitcher in MLB history to begin a career with 2 consecutive starts of 8+ strikeouts, last accomplished by Tampa Bay’s Taj Bradley earlier this season

In his first career start, a 7-4 victory against the Marlins on April 23, Allen’s 8 strikeouts were the 4th-most in Cleveland franchise history for a Major League debut…the left-hander also became the third pitcher in franchise history to throw 6.0-or-more innings, record 8-ormore strikeouts and hold an opponent to one-or-zero runs in an MLB debut, the first since TRISTON MCKENZIE on August 22, 2020… Luis Tiant first accomplished the feat on July 19, 1964, in a complete game shutout.

ROAD TO THE SHOW
2022: Split the season between AA Akron and AAA Columbus, leading the system in strikeouts (177) and was T2nd in wins (9) and innings (132.2IP)…his 177 punchouts were the 3rd-most in all of Minor League Baseball…at the time of his promotion he was 5-3 with a 3.33 ERA (27ER/73.0IP) with 104 strikeouts, 22 walks and .216 opposing batting average (58-for-174) across 13 starts… at the time of his promotion, he was leading the Eastern League in strikeouts (104), 2nd in ERA (3.33) and 2nd in opposing batting average (.216).

The left-hander struck out 73 batters in 59.2 innings at AAA (11.0SO/9), finishing the 2022 season with a 12.0 SO/9 (177SO/132.2IP)…made 3 starts at AAA of 5.0-or-more innings with 0 ER allowed, including his final start of the season on September 27 vs. Indianapolis (5.0IP, 1H, 1R/0ER, 2BB, 6SO).

2021: Entered the 2022 season ranked as the #8 prospect in the Cleveland system according to MLB.com…Named Best Changeup in Cleveland system by Baseball America…was an MiLB.com Organizational All-Star in 2021, finishing 2nd in the system in wins (9), 2nd in strikeouts (143) and 3rd in innings (111.1IP)…was promoted to Akron on July 2…had an 0.83 ERA (2ER/21.2IP) in 4 April starts to begin the season.

LIMITING LEFTIES
During his time in the Minor Leagues, left-handed batters had trouble with Allen, hitting .188 (53-for-282) with 109 strikeouts across his 51G/49GS…through his first 3 starts at AAA this season, lefties were 3-for-25 against him (.120)…through 3 starts at the Major League level this season, lefties are hitting .235 (4-for-17) with 5 strikeouts when facing him.

ScoreBig - Get Tickets for Less

Related Articles

5-Hour Energy

Latest Articles

ScoreBig - Get Tickets for Less