The Los Angeles Angels (54-49) will be trying to pick up their second consecutive road series win when they face the Toronto Blue Jays (57-46) in the second game of their three-game series on Saturday afternoon.
Reid Detmers, 2-7, 4.38 ERA, will get the start for the Angeles. The Blue Jays will counter with Alek Manoah, 2-8, 6.10 ERA.
Toronto is 6-4 in its last 10 games against Los Angeles.
**This preview was written before Friday’s game was played**
The Angels have been on a roll since the All-Star break and they’ve won eight of their last nine games. They are now six games behind the AL West-leading Rangers and will try to cut into Texas’ lead with a win over the Blue Jays, which will give them their ninth win in their last 10 games.
Los Angeles is averaging 5.09 runs per game. Their .257 batting average is ninth in the league. Their .333 on base percentage is fifth, while their .452 slugging percentage is fourth.
Shohei Ohtani has been the big bat for the Angels. He leads the team with a .298 batting average, 38 home runs, and 80 RBI.
Los Angeles’ pitching hasn’t been good, with the team giving up 4.78 runs per game. Opponents have a .246 batting average against the Angels, which is 19th in the league. Their 4.39 ERA is also 19th, while their 1.36 WHIP is 22nd.
In his last start, Detmers gave up six hits and two runs in five innings, leading to a 3-0 loss to Pittsburgh. They will need a similar effort from him and more runs if they want to get the win.