The Los Angeles Angels have fared relatively well on their lengthy East Coast road trip thus far. They are 3-4, dropping two of three to the Boston Red Sox and splitting a four-game set with the Tampa Bay Rays. The Angels have played 13 of their 19 games against those two opponents. But they finally get a new challenge in the young and exciting Cincinnati Reds to close out the road trip.
Both the Reds and Angels have hovered at .500 to begin the 2024 season. But the Reds have a positive plus-10 run differential while the Angels sit at minus-six. And the Reds are flooded with young talent that can carry them into the future. Even with Matt McLain on the 60-day IL, they still have Elly De La Cruz, Spencer Steer, Will Benson and Jonathan India leading the way with the bats.
And with the acquisition of Frankie Montas to lead their starting rotation, there is definitely more reason for hope in Cincinnati than Anaheim. But the Angels have not been an easy out thus far this season, and that is in large part thanks to Mike Trout’s efforts.
The Angels superstar is tied for the Major League home run lead with Marcell Ozuna of the Atlanta Braves. Both have hit eight home runs so far this season. Trout’s 1.019 OPS ranks ninth in MLB and third in the American League behind Houston Astros star Jose Altuve (1.137) and New York Yankees blockbuster trade acquisition Juan Soto (1.055).
But the Reds also have someone near the top of the leaderboard in Steer. His .992 OPS is 12th in the Majors and eighth in the National League. De La Cruz is having a remarkable early season of his own, posting a .956 OPS with seven stolen bases, two away from the MLB lead.
The Angels and Reds have three games in Cincinnati, and the hope for the Angels is that their starting pitching continues to hold up the way it has thus far. L.A.’s starters have a combined 4.10 ERA, ranking 14th in the Majors. This puts them in a similar tier as the Reds, who rank 12th with a 3.95 starter ERA.
Los Angeles Angels (9-10) vs. Cincinnati Reds (9-9)
Game 1:
Friday, April 19, 3:40 p.m. PST (ESPN+)
Tyler Anderson (1.47) vs. Nick Lodolo (0.00)
Game 2:
Saturday, April 20, 3:40 p.m. PST
Patrick Sandoval (4.67) vs. Graham Ashcraft (4.15)
Game 3:
Sunday, April 21, 10:40 a.m. PST
Jose Soriano (4.80) vs. Frankie Montas (4.34)
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