The Angels arrive in Texas with a clear chance to keep stirring things up in the AL West, and they open their three-game set against the Rangers tonight with a starter who has been dealing.
Left-hander Reid Detmers gets the ball for Los Angeles, and he’s been locked in since nearly being moved at the deadline. Detmers nearly put Texas away on Aug. 10 in Anaheim, when he worked six innings of one-run ball, allowed three hits, walked four and struck out six. The Angels ended up losing that game anyway, 7-6 in 10 innings, after the bullpen unraveled late.
Detmers followed that outing with one of his best performances of the season against the Kansas City Royals in Anaheim. He allowed just two hits over eight innings and struck out 11, and he also got support from a bullpen that has looked much steadier lately, with Ben Joyce earning the save.
Texas counters with McKenzie Gore, who already has a win over the Angels from the Rangers’ recent road trip. Gore held Los Angeles to one run in 5-1/3 innings in a 4-1 Texas win in 10 innings.
At the plate, Mike Trout is the name to circle. His numbers against the Rangers are excellent across the board, and he has a habit of showing up big in this matchup.
The Angels will also be without Wade Meckler, at least for the moment. Meckler was hit in the head by a rising sinker from Houston Astros reliever Bryan King last night in a frightening scene, remaining on the ground for an extended stretch before getting up and walking off under his own power. He was still being evaluated for a concussion after the game and could be headed for the IL.
Texas enters the night one game behind Houston in the AL West, and the Angels have already helped shape that race by taking two of three in Houston. Now they get another chance to make noise in the division.
In Other News...
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Zach Neto Just Gave The Angels A Reason To Believe Again
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For an Angels club that has spent too much of the summer searching for traction away from home, the result carried more weight than the score alone. It marked a much-needed break in their road frustration and offered a reminder that when their lineup is rolling and Neto is in the middle of it, this team can still look dangerous for a night. [Read more 🡒]