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After taking three of the four game series against the Rangers, capped by their third shutout win of the year, the Angels head up the I-5 (or fly in from Dallas) to start a three game set with the Dodgers. The Angels now sit a game over .500 at 55-54 and look to keep their momentum rolling against the 65-44 Dodgers. The teams have only faced each other once during the regular season where the Angels took two of three at Angel Stadium. This series win is part of a trend of dominance for the Halos against the Dodgers.
#Angels swept 2019 season series and lead 2021 season series 2-1.
— Matt Birch (@MattBirch12) August 6, 2021
Since 2016, Angels lead head-to-head series 14-13.
Since 2007, Angels lead head-to-head series 42-35.
Angels lead all-time series 72-61.
Dodgers .459 win% vs. LAA is their lowest vs. any opponent (min. 150 G) https://t.co/CQw2RkHNSk
The Angels currently sit six games back of a Wild Card spot and look to starters Patrick Sandoval, Jaime Barría, and Reid Detmers to help keep their postseason hopes alive. Sandoval enters tonight’s game with a 3-5 record, 10.13 K/9, and a 3.38 ERA after going 5.2 IP and allowing just 4 H and 1 ER in his last start against Oakland.
Sandoval faced the Dodgers earlier this season but was credited with a save, as he pitched 3.1 innings in relief and allowed just one run, getting a win for then starter Griffin Canning.
While the Angels are already without Trout, Rendon, and Walsh for this series, they will also be largely without Shohei Ohtani. With the series being in a National League park, Ohtani will mostly be confined to pinch hitting. The team also isn’t planning on him playing full games in the outfield.
Angels starting lineup:
Weekend series against the Dodgers starts tonight!
— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) August 7, 2021
@BallySportWest
@AngelsRadioKLAA
#WeBelieve pic.twitter.com/ZHDhG7Zzz4
The Dodgers will counter Sandoval tonight with David Price (4-1, 3.55 ERA), a bullpen pitcher who has been converted to a starter as the Dodgers, who began the season with some of the best pitching depth in the majors, have seen it decimated by injury and criminal behavior. Julio Urías (13-3, 3.40 ERA) and Walker Buehler (11-2, 2.16 ERA) round out the Dodgers rotation for the weekend series.
The Angels have scored 22 runs against the Dodgers this year while Angel pitching has given up 17 runs to Dodger batters. The Dodgers lead all of Major League Baseball with a team ERA of 3.20 and their batters average 5.20 runs per game; whereas, the Angels average both scoring and giving up 4.67 runs per game.
Angels News and Notes:
- The Angels have activated Andrew Wantz and put Steve Cishek on the bereavement list
- Jared Walsh is also progressing well with no setbacks and a weekend activation is “not impossible”
- Noted Angel killer Ramon Laureano has been suspended for 80 games after testing positive for Nandrolone, a performance enhancing substance