The Angels head into this afternoon’s game in Pittsburgh trying to shake off another painful loss and get their offense moving before the series slips away.
After yesterday’s 1-0 defeat, Los Angeles wasted a strong outing from Ryan Johnson and the bullpen, a familiar frustration in a season where the bats and arms have rarely lined up at the same time. Now the Halos turn to veteran left-hander Yusei Kikuchi, who is still looking for his first official victory of the 2026 campaign and is set to be the second highest paid Angel in 2027. The Angels need him to provide length and take pressure off a bullpen that has already been leaned on heavily.
That won’t come easily against Braxton Ashcraft. The Pirates right-hander has been one of the National League’s breakout pitchers this year, with 14 wins that are tied for fifth-most in the Major Leagues. He also rolled through August with a 2.13 ERA, so Los Angeles will have to work him hard and try to force him into the strike zone early.
For the Angels, the formula is simple but hard to execute: score first, and do it before the game turns into another grind. Their young core has shown real upside, but consistency has stayed out of reach. If they want a shot at splitting the series before Sunday’s finale, they’ll need to create runs early and stay aggressive on the bases.
One name to watch is Pittsburgh rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin. He came back from the injured list last night and immediately changed the game, sprinting from first to score the only run on an RBI double. Keeping Griffin contained will be a major job for Kikuchi and the Angels’ defense.
First pitch is set for 3:40, with the game available on Angels Baseball Television and the MLB.TV app for Angels subscribers.
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