LOS ANGELES ANGELS NOTES:
LEADING OFF: Today, the Angels play the second (1-0) of seven games on a road trip against the Texas Rangers (1-0; 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).
JUST MET A GUY NAMED BARRIA: Jaime Barria is scheduled to make his fourth start of the season today (has also pitched in 11 games from Angels bullpen)… Since April 8, he leads the Majors (min. 30 IP) with a 1.02 ERA (35.1 IP – 4 ER).
ABOUT LAST NIGHT: Last night, the Angels plated four runs in the 12th inning to earn a 9-6 victory in the opening game of the road trip…Halos trailed 5-1 entering the 5th inning (matches largest comeback win of season; fourth four-run comeback of 2023).
SHO BUSINESS: Last night, 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).
HEATING UP: Angels have won seven of last eight games, including a five game win streak from June 4-9…The streak matched the longest win streak of season (also won five straight from April 30-May 5).
HIGH WATER MARK: At 37-31, Angels are a season-high six games over .500 (first time at six games over .500 since May 28, 2022 (27-21))…This is also the first time the Angels are six games over .500 this late in a season since having a 41-35 record on June 22, 2018… With a win today, would move to seven games over .500 for the first time since May 27, 2022 (27-20).
‘PEN PALS: Over the last eight games, Halos bullpen has worked 32.1 innings, allowing two earned runs (0.56 combined ERA leads the Majors in that span).
VS. TEXAS: Season series vs. Texas is tied 2-2…Rangers won two of three games at Angel Stadium from May 5-7….Halos have won five of last seven games vs. Texas, dating back to last season…Last year, Texas won season series 10-9.
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).
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 (35) and total bases (153), is second in the A.L. in slugging (.593), third in OPS (.955), tied for third in hits (75) and fifth in RBI (50).
SO EXTRA: Zach Neto tallied two doubles last night after recording his first career multi-HR game on Sunday…He’s the first Angels shortstop with multiple extra-base hits in consecutive games since Gary Disarcina on May 16-17, 1995 at Minnesota.
CATCHING ON: This season, Angels catchers are tied for third in the Majors with 11 home runs and rank second with a .801 OPS.
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.
ESTÉVEZ ENDING: This season, Carlos Estévez is pitching to a 1.53 ERA (29.1 IP – 5 ER) and has converted all 17 of his save opportunities (the 17 saves are a new career high)…He is the first Angels pitcher to convert his first 17 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 (65), for the American League lead in singles…Since May 5, Urshela ranks fourth 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).
MY SACRIFICE: Angels have not recorded a sacrifice hit since the penultimate game of the 2022 season (Max Stassi – Oct. 4, 2022 at Oakland)…Current streak of 69 games without a sacrifice hit is a new franchise record (had a 66-game streak from May 30 – Aug. 13, 2019).
THE MICK: Mickey Moniak is one of three players in the Majors with at least three leadoff HR this year, along with Mookie Betts (6) and Christian Yelich (3)… Halos have won 10 of his last 13 starts…On May 13 at Cleveland, became the first player in MLB history to make his season debut on his birthday and hit a leadoff home run.
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER – RHP JAIME BARRIA
2-2, 1.85 ERA
Since April 8, leads Majors (min. 30 IP) with a 1.02 ERA (35.1 IP – 4 ER)
- TODAY’S GAME: Making 15th appearance (fourth start) of the season and eighth road appearance (second road start) of the year…Second game (first start) vs. Texas in 2023…Is in sixth Major League season with Angels.
- HOT STRETCH: After allowing four earned runs in season debut on April 4 at Seattle (3.2 IP), has yielded four total earned runs since across last 13 appearances (three starts)…His 1.02 ERA (35.1 IP – 4 ER) in that span (since April 8) leads the Majors (min. 30 IP).
- AS A STARTER: In three games as a starter this season, is 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA (15 IP – 3 ER) and 15 strikeouts… Pitched 5.0 scoreless innings in first start of season on May 22 vs. Boston.
- FROM THE ‘PEN: Has made 11 relief appearances this season, going 1-2 with a 1.88 ERA (24 IP – 5 ER) and 22 strikeouts.
- BACK TO START: Today marks 60th career start…Totaled 55 starts for Angels between 2018-22 seasons…Since start of 2018 season, only Andrew Heaney (78), Shohei Ohtani (76) and Patrick Sandoval (68) have made more starts for Angels.
- LONG RELIEF: Pitched 2+ innings in seven of 11 relief outings this year and 3+ innings in three of the 11…Since start of 2022 season, ranks second in Majors with 29 relief appearances of 2+ innings and is 10th in MLB with 98.2 IP as a reliever since 2022.
- LAST TIME OUT: Did not factor in decision in last start on June 7 vs. Chicago (N.L.) after tossing 5.0 innings and allowing two earned runs on three hits with one walk and three strikeouts…Both runs allowed came in 5th inning after beginning the outing with four scoreless frames.
- VS. TEXAS: In 17 career games (10 starts) vs. Rangers, is 6-3 with a 2.58 ERA (73.1 IP – 21 ER) and 62 strikeouts…The six wins are his most vs. any opponent…This season, has made one appearance in relief vs. Texas on May 5 at Angel Stadium (4 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO)…Pitched at least five innings and allowed two-or-fewer runs in seven of his 10 starts vs. Rangers…Made MLB debut on April 11, 2018 at Texas.
- AT GLOBE LIFE FIELD: Today marks first career start at Globe Life Field…In four career relief appearances is 0-0 with a 1.46 ERA (12.1 IP – 2 ER) and 10 strikeouts…Also made six additional starts in Arlington at Globe Life Park, going 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA (30 IP – 10 ER)…Overall, in 10 career games (six starts) in Arlington, is 3-1 with a 2.55 ERA (42.1 IP – 12 ER).
- GOOD DAY: Has pitched to a 2.59 ERA (121.2 IP – 35 ER) in 35 career day games (16 starts), compared with a 4.41 ERA (297.2 IP – 146 ER) in night games (79 games, 43 starts).
- CAREER HOME vs. ROAD: Has pitched to a 3.24 ERA (208.1 IP – 75 ER) in 57 career games (29 starts) at Angel Stadium, compared with a 4.52 ERA (211 IP – 106 ER) in 57 games (30 starts) on the road.
TEXAS RANGERS NOTES:
WINS AND LOSSES: Texas lost to the Angels, 9-6, in 12 innings last night to open 0-1 on this 7-game homestand vs. LAA (0-1 + 3 G) and TOR (3 G)…Rangers have dropped 4 of 5 for 1st time since a season-long 4-G losing skid from 4/24- 27…team’s back-to-back losses on Wed./Fri. and Sun./Mon. marked 1st losing streaks of multiple games since 0-2 span 5/3-5…club is still 6-4 in June and has won 8 of 13, 12 of 18, 15 of 22, 18 of 27, and 23 of last 34 games…TEX is an A.L.- best 27-13 (.675) in last 40 G beg. 4/28, tied with Arizona (also 27-13) for the best record in MLB over that span…TEX is 33-18 in last 51 G and 37-20 last 57 G beg. 4/9.
- At 41-24 (.631), TEX owns the T2nd-best record in MLB to only TB (48-21, .696)…club’s 41 wins rank T2nd in A.L. and MLB (48-TB, 41-TEX/ARI/BAL).
- The 41-24 start is the’ best 65-G start to a season in WSH/ TEX franchise history (see chart below), a game better than previous start (40-25 in 1996 and 2016).
- TEX is 17 G above .500, 3 shy of season high point at 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.
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 21-10 (.677) at home, 2nd-best home record in A.L. and MLB (TB-.816, 31-7)…T2nd-best home start in club history (see chart)…have won 8 of 10, 9 of 12, 13 of 18, 18 of last 26 at GLF beg. 4/5…TEX has a 107-116 all-time record at GLF (2020-23), 27-17 last 44 G here beg. 9/11/22.
- Texas leads MLB with 6.74 R/G at home in 2023, and 209 R are 2nd to TB (222), as Rays have played 7 more home games…last 16 home games (11-5 record) beg. 4/30: .310/.374/.536/.909, 28 HR, 117 R (7.3 R/G) with 11+ R on 5 occasions.
VS. LOS ANGELES-AL: TEX took 2 of 3 from 5/5-7 at LAA… TEX finished 10-9 vs. LAA in 2022, securing a season series win vs. Halos for 3rd time in last 4 years…TEX is 2-5 in last 7 vs. LAA, but has won 8 of 15 and 11 of last 19 G vs. Halos… Rangers are 15-12 vs. LAA all-time at GLF, winning 5 of last 7 after a 5-10 span.
- TEX is 14-6 (.700) vs. A.L. West in ’23, winning 5 of 6, 7 of 9, and 10 of last 13 G…have won all 6 series vs. division foes in ’23…current win pct. vs. A.L. West would be 2nd-highest in club history to only a 40-17 (.702) mark in 2011.
ROSTER MOVES: The Rangers announced the following roster moves prior to tonight’s game in Arlington:
- LHP Cody Bradford (#61) recalled from Round Rock (AAA)
- RHP Owen White (#43) recalled from Frisco (AA)
- RHP Yerry Rodríguez optioned to Round Rock (AAA)
- LHP Cole Ragans optioned to Round Rock (AAA)
Bradford is expected to start for the Rangers this evening, and has gone 0-1, 7.20 ERA (8 ER/10.0 IP) in 2 G/GS spanning 2 previous stints with Texas in 2023 (also 5/15, 5/27-28)…please see separate press release for additional details.
WHITE KNIGHT: Owen White will be seeking his MLB debut after compiling a 2-3 record and 3.54 ERA (21 ER/53.1 IP) in 11 G/GS for Frisco this season…he entered 2023 rated among the top-100 prospects in the sport by both Baseball America (no. 59) and MLB Pipeline (no. 66), and was recently named Texas League Pitcher of the Week for 6/5-11 after tossing 7.0 shutout frames in his last start on Wed. at Corpus Christi (W, 7.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 SO, 84 pitches/51 strikes).
- Research indicates that White will be the first Rangers pitching prospect ranked on Baseball America’s pre-season top-100 list to make his ML debut with Texas since RHP Chi Chi Gonzalez – who entered 2015 at no. 89 on the BA top-100 – on 5/30/15 vs. BOS…the last Rangers pitching prospect rated as highly on BA’s pre-season top-100 to debut with TEX was LHP Martín Pérez (no. 31 in 2012) on 6/27/12 vs. DET.
WHAT’S YA NAME?: Ezequiel Duran opened the scoring in last night’s 12-inning marathon with a 3-run home run in the 2nd inning, continuing a torrid stretch over which he has hit .364 (8-22) with one HR, 2 2B, 5 RBI, and 4 BB/5 SO in 7 G since returning from the 10-day Injured List on 6/3…over his last 30 G (beg. 4/27), he has slashed .324/.375/.577/.952 (36-111) with 7 HR, 7 2B, and 22 RBI…Duran, who turned 24 years old on 5/22, ranks among ML batters in their age 24-or-younger seasons this year (min. 150 PA) in BA (2nd, .310), OPS (2nd, .884), and SLG (3rd, .525).
WIDE WORLD OF SBORZ: After retiring 4 of 5 batters faced last night, Josh Sborz has now been scoreless in his last 5 appearances (7.2 SHO IP)…it is the longest active scoreless span among Rangers pitchers, and has lowered his season ERA from 5.06 to 3.42…Sborz has held opponents 1-for-23 (.043) with 12 SO/1 BB over the course of the streak.
MLB JungBOY: With a run-scoring single in the 3rd inning last night, Josh Jung raised his season RBI total to 40, highest among MLB rookies…he is just the 5th rookie in Washington/Texas franchise history (beg. 1961) to drive in 40+ RBI prior to the Major League All-Star break, joining Adolis García in 2021 (62), David Murphy in 2008 (60), Pete Incaviglia in 1986 (49), and Mark Teixeira in 2003 (43).
- According to an All-Star balloting update provided by MLB yesterday, Jung (470,836 votes) narrowly trails TOR’s Matt Chapman (475,322 votes) for the highest vote total among A.L. third basemen…entering today’s slate, Jung leads A.L. 3B in hits (71), total bases (125), and runs (47).
SCORING CHANGE: Following review, Major League Baseball has changed one of 3 runs allowed by RHP Dane Dunning in the 5th inn. of last night’s game from earned to unearned…the correction dropped Dunning’s season ERA from 2.91 to 2.76, and TEX’s team ERA from 3.76 to 3.74.
SHORTS: Umpire Doug Eddings is slated to work his 3000th career game tonight…the veteran began calling MLB games in 1998 and he is scheduled to work 1st base for tonight’s contest…Will Smith has recorded at least one strikeout in 12 straight relief app. (beg. 5/18)…Leody Taveras leads A.L. qualifiers with a .344 BA (43-125) since the start of May… Shohei Ohtani’s 3 career multi-HR games vs. TEX are the most by any player since the beg. of 2018…the Rangers had season-high 21 AB’s with RISP last night, going 4-for-21
TONIGHT’S STARTING PITCHER – #61 Cody Bradford, LHP
(0-1, 7.20)
TONIGHT: The 25-year-old left-hander was recalled today and is expected to make the 3rd start/appearance of his MLB career in the 2nd game of this 4-G set against the Angels…has had 2 MLB stints with Texas in 2023: 5/15 and 5/27-28… was added to Rangers’ taxi squad yesterday ahead of his activation today…last outing with Rangers was start on 5/28 at BAL (ND, 5.0 IP, 2 R-ER)…will make tonight’s start on 3 days’ rest after earning win for Round Rock on Fri. at Salt Lake (8.0 IP, 3 R-ER, 99 pitches/75 strikes)…this will be his 2nd outing at Globe Life Field, as he took the loss in his ML debut on 5/15 vs. ATL (5.0 IP, 6 R-ER)… entered this season ranked among the top prospects in the Texas farm system by both Baseball America (no. 22) and MLB Pipeline (no. 26)…was named a 2021 Texas Organization All-Star by MiLB.com in his 1st professional action…missed the 2019 and 2020 campaigns due to injury and the pandemic respectively… owns a lifetime 22-12 record, 3.98 ERA (115 ER/260.1 IP), and 294 strikeouts over 54 starts in the minor leagues, and has spent all 3 seasons (2021-23) of his professional career in the Rangers organization…he was originally selected by Texas in the 6th round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of Baylor University, where he went 12-11, 3.86 (76 ER/177.1 IP) in 32 G/31 GS from 2017-19…the native Texan prepped at Aledo (Tex.) High School and grew up as a Rangers fan idolizing Derek Holland.
LAST OUTING: Just pitched for Round Rock on Friday at Salt Lake (W, 8.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R-ER, 0 BB, 5 SO, 1 HR, 99 pitches/75 strikes)…set season highs for innings and pitches in a 9-3 Express win over the Angels’ Triple-A affiliate.
FIRST MLB START: Bradford took the loss in his Major League debut on 5/15 vs. ATL against a tough Braves lineup (5.0 IP, 7 H, 6 R-ER, 2 BB, 3 SO, 2 HR, 90 pitches/56 strikes)…became just the 2nd Texas pitcher to make a ML debut with a start since the beginning of 2022 (also Cole Ragans on 8/4/22 vs. CWS: ND, 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R-0 ER, 4 BB, 3 SO)…it marked the 10th time since the start of 2016 for a Ranger to have a ML debut in a start with Texas, and only one of the 10 in that span have earned a win: A.J. Alexy on 8/30/21 vs. COL (W, 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 SO)…additionally, Bradford became the 4th native Texan ever to make his ML debut as a starting pitcher for the Rangers in Arlington: Glenn Otto on 8/27/21 vs. HOU (ND, 5.0 IP, 0 R), current Rangers Executive Vice President & General Manager Chris Young Chris Young on 8/24/04 vs. MIN (ND, 5.2 IP, 3 R-ER), and Jim Gideon on 9/14/75 vs. CWS (W, 5.2 IP, 6 R-5 ER).
LAST MLB START: Took no decision in Rangers’ 3-2 last at-bat loss on 5/28 at BAL (ND, 5.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R-ER, 1 BB, 5 SO, 0 HR, 78 pitches/56 strikes)…TEX offense was held down by O’s starter Kyle Bradish (6.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R-ER), but club tied the game at 2-2 with a run in top of the 8th…Joe Barlow allowed an inherited runner to score in the 8th as Cole Ragans was charged with the relief loss, and club was unable to finish a potential sweep at Camden Yards.
