Los Angeles will try to bounce back from a 5-4 loss to Detroit when it travels to Houston for a series opener on Friday night. The Angels won the first two games of their series against Detroit before losing the finale on Wednesday. Houston has won three consecutive series, including a win over the Angels last weekend.
Los Angeles is looking for a strong finish to what has been a disappointing season. The Angels went through a massive losing stretch during the first half of the year, which led to the firing of manager Joe Maddon. That coaching change did not improve their fortunes to open the second half of the season, as they lost 20 of their first 33 games after the All-Star break. Los Angeles has started to play better over the last few weeks, winning eight of its last 13 contests. The Angels will have revenge on their mind after losing two out of three against Houston last weekend.
Congrats to our 2022 Roberto Clemente Award nominee, Jared Walsh!
The award is given annually to the player who best represents baseball through character, community, philanthropy, and positive contributions on and off the field. Vote at https://t.co/fiuRU25LRL! pic.twitter.com/L8XdSGAv1k
— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) September 8, 2022
Their offensive numbers have continued to dip as the season has gone on, and they are now No. 27 in team batting average (.228). Star pitcher/designated hitter Shohei Ohtani leads the way with 131 hits, including 33 home runs. He was once the favorite to win the American League MVP, but it appears as if he is going to come up short to Aaron Judge. The Angels are facing a Houston pitching staff that ranks second in the majors with an ERA of 2.94. Right-handed pitcher Michael Lorenzen is going to be on the mound for Los Angeles on Friday. He is being activated from the 60-day injured list to make this start after being sidelined by a right shoulder strain since early July. Lorenzen has a 4.94 ERA and 1.35 WHIP across 13 starts this season.