The Los Angeles Angels open a three game series against the New York Yankees tonight at Angels Stadium.
The Angels are coming off their third consecutive series loss and have lost seven in a row. The Yankees, on the other hand, took three of four against the Boston Red Sox and have won 10 of their last 14.
New York is 4.5 games back of the American League East leading Tampa Bay Rays.
Two rookies are projected to take the mound to kickoff the series opener. Elmer Rodrgiuez of the Yankees will face off against Walbert Ureña of the Angels.
Rodriguez is 0-2 with a 4.70 ERA. After spending a few months in AAA, Rodriguez was called upon to pitch against the Houston Astros last week due to a few injury holes in the Yankees’ rotation. Rodriguez gave up three runs in six innings, striking out six in the process.
Ureña has carved out a nice spot in the Angels’ rotation as a reliable starter. He is 8-9 with a 2.94 ERA in 116.1 innings. However, in three of his last four starts he gave up three or more runs, lasting just 11 innings combined.
Back in early April, the Angels split a four game series with the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. The Angels scored 32 runs on 40 hits throughout those four games – including 13 home runs in the series.
Oswald Peraza went 5-for-10 with two home runs and four RBI for the Angels against his former team. Mike Trout led the way for the Angels with five home runs in the series. Trout finished 6-for-16 with nine RBI as well.
Yankees’ captain and MVP Aaron Judge went 5-for-17 with four home runs in the series. However, Judge is sidelined until September with broken ribs.
First Pick: Los Angeles Angels over 3.5 runs
Rundown: Rodriguez has given up three runs in three of his five starts and has only lasted past five innings once. The Yankees are only using Rodriguez to ease the burden of a doubleheader for their five-man rotation.
The Angels are not the same offense that dominated the Yankees in April though. Jo Adell, who went 6-for-17 in that series with two home runs, was traded last month. Third baseman Yoan Moncada delivered a strong series against the Yankees as well, but is currently on the 60-day IL.
However, the Angels still have top-end talent in Trout and Zach Neto. It's a weak offense playing battling a plug-in pitcher.
Second Pick: Zach Neto over 0.5 hits
Rundown: Neto is 18 for his last 47 (.382) and has hits in 10 of his last 11 games dating back to August 18 against the Astros. Neto also has three home runs in that stretch. Neto went 3-for-16 back in April against the Yankees, with hits in three out of four games.