“ShoTime” Gets Set To Take Flight In Texas

The Angels offense roared back with vengeance last night scoring 11 runs, which was the first time they scored double-digit runs in a game since June 30 on the road against the New York Yankees. As the Oakland A’s split their mini two-game series with the San Diego Padres over the past 24 hours, the Halos will begin action tonight seven games back of the AL Wild Card berth.

After splitting the first two of this four-game series versus Texas, the Angels look to continue their winning ways as two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani will take to the hill for his 16th start of the season and bat second in the lineup.

The AL MVP frontrunner currently is 5-1 with a 3.04 ERA and reached the 100 strikeout plateau for the first time in his career during his last start against the Colorado Rockies on June 26. This will be Ohtani’s third head-to-head matchup against the Rangers. He has found success against the AL West foe, allowing just four earned runs in nine innings and striking out 16 batters. His first win of the 2021 campaign came at Globe Life Field back on April 26.

On days when Ohtani the pitcher pitches, Ohtani the hitter bats .278 (10-for-36) with a home run, six runs batted in and five doubles. The Japanese star ranks first in all of baseball with 65 extra-base hits and 37 home runs, while second behind Toronto’s Valdimir Guerrero Jr. in runs batted in with 82.

Opposing the Angels will be southpaw Kolby Allard. The Anaheim, California native will be making his 12th start of the season after coming out of the bullpen through the first two months of the season (10 appearances). Allard enters the game 2-9 with a 5.23 ERA and a BAA of .248. He faced the Angels back on April 28 at Globe Life Field, shutting them out in 2.2 innings of relief, while yielding just a single hit to Jose Iglesias.

David Fletcher has feasted off left-handed pitching this year slashing .375/.419/.483 with 45 hits, two home runs and 12 runs batted in during the span of 120 at-bats. He currently leads the Angels offense amongst qualified batters with a .303 batting average, which also ranks 11th in all of Major League Baseball.

Angels News & Notes

• Max Stassi extended his season-best hitting streak to eight games last night with a single in his final at-bat in the 9th inning
• LHP Packy Naughton (Angels #23 Prospect) was called-up this afternoon after being scratched from his start in Triple-A Salt Lake last night. Naughton will go to a long-inning role in the bullpen
• RHP Chris Rodriguez is being optioned back to Triple-A Salt Lake. This move will be temporary since he will be listed on the Taxi Squad for next Tuesday’s doubleheader vs. Toronto where he will make a projected start
• 3B Anthony Rendon transferred to the 60-Day IL as he will undergo season ending surgery to repair a right hip impingement