The Los Angeles Angels seek another victory to stretch their 1-0 series advantage when they host the Los Angeles Dodgers in Anaheim.
The Angels, currently fourth in the AL West with a 57-62 record, have enjoyed a solid head-to-head lead this season, winning all four meetings against their crosstown rivals.
The Dodgers, first in the NL West at 68-51, will try to bounce back in the second game of the series. They have been one of the league’s most powerful offensive teams, leading the National League with 177 home runs, averaging 1.5 per contest. On the road, the Dodgers hold a 30-27 record, while the Angels are 31-30 at home this season.
Pitching Matchup On the mound, the Dodgers will turn to right-hander Emmet Sheehan, who enters with a 3-2 record, a 3.00 ERA, a 1.20 WHIP, and 31 strikeouts. The Angels will counter with left-hander Tyler Anderson, carrying a 2-7 record, a 4.63 ERA, a 1.40 WHIP, and 97 strikeouts.
Offensive Leaders For the Angels, Zach Neto continues to be a standout performer, leading the team with a .272 batting average. His season totals include 24 doubles, one triple, and 19 home runs. Luis Rengifo has been in good form recently, going 11-for-34 with two homers and four RBIs in his last 10 games.
The Dodgers’ lineup remains dangerous, led by Shohei Ohtani, who is batting .284 with 16 doubles, seven triples, and 42 home runs. Max Muncy has been particularly hot over the past 10 games, hitting 8-for-19 with four home runs.
Recent Form Over their last 10 games, the Angels have gone 4-6, hitting .220 as a team with a 4.81 ERA, and have been narrowly outscored by a single run. The Dodgers are 5-5 in the same span, posting a .258 batting average, a 2.97 ERA, and outscoring opponents by 15 runs.
Injury Updates The Angels are dealing with several injuries, including Chris Taylor (hand) and Jorge Soler (back) on the 10-day injured list. Long-term absences include Robert Stephenson (biceps), Hunter Strickland (shoulder), Ben Joyce (shoulder), and Anthony Rendon (hip), all on the 60-day injured list.
The Dodgers’ injury list is even longer, with Michael Conforto (knee) listed as day-to-day. Several key players are sidelined, including Tommy Edman (ankle), Kirby Yates (back), Hyeseong Kim (shoulder), and Tanner Scott (elbow). Longer-term injuries affect Michael Kopech (knee), Kike Hernandez (elbow), Roki Sasaki (shoulder), Tony Gonsolin (elbow), Evan Phillips (forearm), Kyle Hurt (elbow), Michael Grove (shoulder), Brusdar Graterol (shoulder), River Ryan (elbow), and Gavin Stone (shoulder), all on the 60-day injured list.
Series Outlook With the Angels holding a 4-0 advantage in the season series, the Dodgers will need to break through in Game 2 to avoid a fifth straight defeat to their neighbors. The pitching duel between Sheehan and Anderson, combined with the power potential in both lineups, sets the stage for another intense clash in Southern California’s baseball rivalry.
