LOS ANGELES ANGELS NOTES:
LEADING OFF: Today, the Angels play the second (0-1) of five road games on the final road trip of the first half against the Padres (0-1; July 3-5) and Dodgers July 7-8)…Halos went 3-4 on last homestand against the White Sox (2-2) and Diamondbacks (1-2).
TODAY’S TRANSACTIONS: Today the Angels recalled OF Jo Adell and RHP Gerardo Reyes from Triple-A Salt Lake…In a corresponding move, OF Mike Trout (left hamate fracture) has been placed on the 10-day injured list…Following last night’s game, RHP Victor Mederos was optioned to Double-A Rocket City.
THE INJURED LIST: Angels currently have 14 players on the injured list and have used the IL a total of 21 times this year for 20 different players.
ON THE AIR: In addition to the Angels home market broadcast on Bally Sports West, tonight’s game will air nationally on TBS, with Brian Anderson and Ron Darling on the call.
SHO OFF: Tonight, Shohei Ohtani is scheduled to make his 17th career pitching start (third this season) for the Angels while also leading the Majors in home runs as a batter…In 2021 he became the first player with multiple pitching starts in a season while leading Majors in homers since Babe Ruth in 1919.
LEAGUE LEADER: As a hitter, Shohei Ohtani leads the Majors in home runs (31), total bases (217), XBH (51), slugging percentage (.664) and OPS (1.054) and is tied
for the MLB lead in triples (5)…On the mound, he also leads the Majors in opponent batting average (.180), ranks third in strikeouts (127) and is sixth in WHIP
(1.04).
REID THIS: Sunday was the fifth straight game for Reid Detmers with 8+ strikeouts and two-or-fewer runs allowed…The only other player in Angels history with such a streak was Nolan Ryan (seven games; his final three games in 1972 and first four in 1973).
ESTÉVEZ ENDING: This season, Carlos Estévez is pitching to a 1.85 ERA (34 IP – 7 ER) and has converted all 21 of his save opportunities…He holds the franchise record for consecutive save chances converted to begin a season (previously Lee Smith converted his first 19 chances in 1995)…The only player in Angels history with a longer save streak without a blown save at any point in a season is Francisco Rodriguez (25 game streak in 2008 and a 22 game streak spanning 2005-06).
STARTING STRONG: Since June 13, the Angels rotation ranks fourth in the Majors with a combined 3.48 ERA (108.2 IP – 42 ER).
VS. SAN DIEGO: Today is the second (0-1) of three meetings this season between the Angels and Padres… The clubs are facing off for the first time since 2021 when the season series was split 2-2 (1-1 at each ballpark)…Angels lead the all-time series 21-19 (11-8 at Petco Park).
INTERLEAGUE PLAY: LAA owns a 272-236 (.536) all-time Interleague record (11-13 in 2023)…The 272 all-time Interleague wins are third most all time behind
Red Sox (299) and Yankees (294).
WINNING MONTHS: Angels secured a winning record for June (14-13), after going 15-13 in May and 15-14 in March/April (15-13 in April)…Halos have a record above .500 in three straight months for the first time since May – July 2019.
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER – RHP SHOHEI OHTANI
7-3, 3.02 ERA
Making 17th career pitching start while leading Majors in home runs
- SHO TIME: Making 17th pitching start of the year and eighth on the road…Is in sixth Major League season with LAA.
- 3x ALL-STAR: Was selected to the A.L. All-Star team as a pitcher in addition to starting nomination at DH…Third consecutive season being selected to the All-Star team as both a pitcher and position player.
- LEAGUE LEADER: Enters today’s start leading the Majors in opponent batting average (.180), ranks third in strikeouts (127) and is sixth in WHIP (1.04).
- UNDER ONE: Has allowed one-or-fewer earned runs in nine of 16 starts.
- LAST TIME ON THE MOUND: Earned the win in last start on Tuesday vs. White Sox after tossing 6.1 innings and allowing one earned run on four hits with two walks and 10 strikeouts; also homered twice in the game.
- 10 K: Since start of 2022 season, leads MLB with 16 games with 10+ strikeouts (has six this season – second-most in MLB)…Recorded 10+ strikeouts in 10 starts last season, which was the most such games in the A.L; joined Nolan Ryan as the only pitchers in franchise history with 10+ strikeouts in at least six consecutive games.
- UNFAMILIAR: This season, is holding opponents to an .106 (13/123) average the first time through the order, a .257 (29/113) average the second time through the order and a .181 (17/94) average the third time through.
- VS. SAN DIEGO/AT PETCO PARK: Today marks first career pitching appearance vs. Padres and first time pitching at Petco Park.
- HOME SWEET HOME: Has a career 2.10 ERA (253.1 IP – 59 ER) in home games, which is the second lowest total of the last 100 years (min. 40 GS)…Only Miami’s José Fernández (1.49 ERA; 272.1 IP – 45 ER) has a lower home ERA.
- 500K: Reached 500 total MLB strikeouts for career with a 13 strikeout performance on May 3 at St. Louis…Fourth game in MLB history where a pitcher recorded 13+ strikeouts in 5.0-or-fewer innings (also, Jacob deGrom in 2022, Alex Cobb in 2013 and Zack Greinke in 2012).
- HEY BABE: Babe Ruth and Ohtani are the only players with 500+ pitching strikeouts and 100+ home runs in a career… (according to ELIAS, Ruth had 501 career pitching strikeouts).
- OFF THE BOARDS: Had franchise record streak of 12 straight pitching starts allowing two-or-fewer runs snapped on April 27 vs. Oakland (Nolan Ryan had previous record with nine game streak across the 1972-73 seasons)… Overall, has yielded two-or-fewer runs in 21 of last 26 starts and one-or-fewer runs in 18 of last 26 starts.
- CAN’T HIT THIS: Had streak of 10 straight pitching starts allowing three-or-fewer hits from Sept. 17, 2022 – April 27, 2023…The streak was snapped May 3 at St. Louis and finished tied with Jacob deGrom (10 game streak for Mets in 2021) for the longest streak all-time (excluding Openers).
- SCORELESS AT THE BIG A: Had streak of 35.0 consecutive scoreless innings pitched at Angel Stadium snapped April 27 by A’s…Finished as second longest streak in ballpark history, behind a 36.2 IP streak by Mark Clear in 1979.
SAN DIEGO PADRES NOTES:
Xander Bogaerts doubles and homers, and Blake Snell goes 5.0 scoreless as Padres take Game 1 10-3 over the Angels
- Blake Snell, the National League’s June Pitcher of the Month for June, went 5.0 scoreless innings with 7 hits allowed and 7 strikeouts…he got the win, now 5-7, and in his 7 starts since May 31, he has the lowest ERA (0.64 ERA) and the most strikeouts (67) in all of baseball.
- Xander Bogaerts hit a 1st inning, 3-run home run, and he added a double…Fernando Tatis Jr. went 3-for-5 with a triple and 3 RBI (his team-leading 7th 3+ hit game), and Jake Cronenworth also had a 3-RBI game.
- The Friars had a season-high 8 hits with RISP last night (8- for-14), and Padres’ pitchers stranded 14 Angels runners.
- Last night, Petco Park welcomed 45,101 patrons, the 34th sellout of the season and their 3rd-largest crowd the Padres have seen this season…it was their 34th sellout of 2023. Padres roster moves:
- Today, the Padres recalled LHP José Castillo, RHP Matt Waldron, and INF Matthew Batten from Triple-A El Paso…in corresponding moves, they optioned RHP Domingo Tapia to El Paso, placed RHP Michael Wacha on the 15-Day IL (right shoulder inflammation, retro to July 2) and designated DH Nelson Cruz for assignment.
In San Diego wins vs. losses… - In their losses this year, the Padres have hit just .188 (28th lowest AVG in MLB) and scored just 2.30 runs per game (27th in MLB)…they’ve hit .286 in their wins with 65 homers, and their 6.87 runs per game in San Diego wins are the 5th most R/G in wins of any team in baseball.
- Manny Machado has hit .331 in San Diego’s win this year but just .170 in their losses, Juan Soto has hit .348 in their wins and .217 in losses, and Fernando Tatis Jr. has hit .328 in wins and .248 in losses. Padres and Angels: when team is behind
- So far this year, when the Padres are trailing in a game, they are hitting just .214 the 3rd lowest AVG in baseball ahead of just the Pirates’ .209 and the Brewers’ .200 when trailing…the Angels, however, lead all of baseball in average when behind in a game with a .281 clip.
- The Padres offense is hitting .249 when ahead in a count, which is the lowest average in the National League when ahead in a count (2nd lowest in MLB ahead of the Twins’ .243 clip).
Flashing the leather: Pads are best in the game
- The Padres 24 outs above average are by far the most of any team this year (Brewers rank 2nd with 17 OAA), and they have the most “runs prevented” of any team with 19…San Diego fielders have tied with the Cardinals for the 2nd fewest errors committed (32), more than just the D-Backs (30 errors).
- Padres outfielders have combined for 17 assists, the 4th most of any team, and Fernando Tatis Jr. has 9 of those 17…his 9 OF assists lead the National League, and he trails only TEX’s Adolis Garcia (10) for the most in MLB.
Padres pitchers have lowest opponent exit velo in baseball
- San Diego hurlers have induced a 87.9 opponent exit velocity this year, which is the lowest opponent exit velo of any team…their 756 pitches that have been “hard hit” (hit with an exit velo of 95+ mph) are also the lowest in baseball with the lowest hard-hit percentage of 35.6 %…Padres pitchers have been barreled up 157 times, tied with Mariners for 2nd fewest barreled balls behind just the Phillies (151 barrels).
STARTER – JOE MUSGROVE 44
Musgrove set for 4th career start vs. LAA
30-year-old Joe Musgrove looks to improve on his 2-1 record and 2.57 ERA in his 4th career start vs. the Angels today, having limited the Halos to a 1.00 WHIP and .225 AVG against…he is also scoreless in 3 of his 4 career relief outings vs. LAA (1-0, 4.50 ERA).
Musgrove tosses 4th consecutive quality outing vs. former club
The former Pirate left last Thurs’ contest @ PNC Park in position for his 4th consecutive win, which would have been a career high, with a 4-2 lead…but the Padres eventually fell to PIT 5-4…he did compile his 4th consecutive quality outing, and a quality start today would tie for the 2nd-longest quality start streak of his career (done so twice, last: April 5-17, 2019…he posted a career-high 12 consecutive quality outings to begin the 2022 season).
Since May 26
Musgrove is quality in 6 of his last 7 starts since May 26 @ NYY, going 5-0 with a 2.13 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and .250 AVG against…among all qualifying pitchers since May 26, he ranks 2nd in run support average (8.72), T-3rd in wins (5), 4th in HR/9 IP ratio (0.21) and 9th in ERA.
Petco Park’s finest
He’s made 34 road app. (33 starts) since joining SD compared to his 35 home app (all starts)…on the road, he is 15-9 with a 3.22 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and .223 AVG…he is 1 of 8 pitchers who have made at least 40 career starts in Petco history (including Postseason), and Joe ranks 3rd in ERA (2.85), trailing only Andrew Cashner (2.76) and Jake Peavy (2.80)…his 1.12 WHIP ranks T-2nd with Chris Young, trailing only Yu Darvish (0.96) and Peavy (1.09).
Breaking bad
Yu Darvish (2,758 rpm) and Joe Musgrove (2,725 rpm) have the 3rd and 4th-highest spin rates on breaking balls, respectively, among all NL pitchers since the start of last season (min. 1,250 pitches)…they trail only Charlie Morton (3,074 rpm) and Corbin Burnes (2,774).
Musgrove’s chase rate, avg exit velocity and hard hit% among best in Majors
Joe’s 36.4 chase % this season is a career high and ranks in the 97th percentile…it’s the highest chase rate among all NL hurlers (min. 250 PA), and trails only MIN’s Joe Ryan (37.0%)…his 86.5 mph avg exit velocity ranks in the 88th percentile, and his 30.5 hard hit% is a career best mark, ranks in the 92nd percentile and is the best percentage in the Majors – min. 250 PA.
