Walbert Ureña gets one last shot to put a bow on a breakout season tonight, and the Los Angeles Angels are counting on his right arm to keep their misery from getting any worse.
The 22-year-old has been one of the few real bright spots in a difficult year for Anaheim, and he takes the mound against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park with a chance to reach 10 wins and push his ERA below 2.70. Ureña comes in at 9-10 with a 2.74 ERA after a dominant September 17 outing against the Twins, when he struck out a career-high nine. Over his last four starts, his command has taken a major step forward, turning him into a far more efficient front-line starter down the stretch.
That late surge gives the Angels something to cling to as they sit at 60-97 and try to avoid a 100-loss season, a mark the franchise has never hit. With five games left, every start matters, and Kurt Suzuki is leaning on Ureña as the best chance to keep that nightmare off the books for at least another day.
The matchup also sets up a favorable offensive opportunity for Los Angeles against A’s left-hander Jeffrey Springs. Springs has had a rough year at 4-14 with a 6.18 ERA, and the damage has piled up in the form of home runs: 33 allowed, third-most in the majors. That leaves the Angels looking to attack early, especially hitters like Zach Neto, who can do real damage if Springs leaves something over the middle of the plate.
The Angels’ shortstop has the power to exploit Springs’ habit of leaving pitches over the heart of the plate. If Neto can jump on a fastball early, it could set the tone for the entire evening.
Guzman has homered in four straight games in Sutter Health Ballpark. Can he make it five in a row.
On the other side, Lawrence Butler and the A’s outfield group have been swinging with plenty of punch this month, so Ureña’s job won’t be simple. Keeping the ball down and limiting extra-base damage will be key if he’s going to stay on the mound deep into the game.
First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. PDT, with the game airing on Angels Baseball Television.
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