In the first of a two-game series between the Los Angeles Angels (17-22) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (21-19) at Angel Stadium, Nick Tropeano (1-2, 3.68 ERA) and Mike Bolsinger (0-0, 0.00 ERA) take the mound. The game gets underway at 10:05 p.m. ET on Wednesday, May. 18 and will air on SNLA and FSW.
In his last start, Tropeano pitched 5.0 innings, giving up two runs, striking out three and walking three in a 7-6 victory over the Mariners. This is the first opportunity for Bolsinger to take the mound this season. He pitched 109.1 innings last season, finishing 6-6 with a 3.62 ERA his most recent outing Joc Pederson (.250, 20 Rs, 8 HRs, 19 RBIs, 1 SB) has been hitting the ball well for the Dodgers, going 2 for 4 yesterday with two runs, two home runs, and three RBIs.
Oddsmakers have deemed this game an even matchup and the Over/Under (O/U) is unavailable at the moment. The Angels have a SU record of 17-16 against the National League. Over their past 10 games, Los Angeles’s offense has been playing lights out, averaging 0.0 runs per game, well over their season average of 0.0. Los Angeles’s pitching staff has put it all together in the past 10 games. Its average runs allowed per game dropped to 0.0 during that span, compared to its 0.0 season average. An area where the Angels are particularly strong is striking batters out, where they average 7.3 K’s per game.
When playing Interleague opponents, the Dodgers have a 15-14 record SU. The Dodgers rank third in the NL in road scoring, averaging five runs per game. The Dodgers average 3.7 walks per road game, making them one of the most disciplined teams in the NL when they travel. The last 10 games have really brought the best out of the Los Angeles pitchers. They’ve allowed 0.0 runs per game during that span, which is lower than their season average of 0.0. They have a WHIP of 1.112, second best in the MLB.
Predictions: SU Winner – LAD
Notes
Having scored one run in their last game, the Angels are going to have to step it up if they want to win this matchup. The Dodgers have a 10-0 record in games where opponents scored one run or less.
When they are outhit, the Angels are 2-19. The Dodgers have a 2-16 record when opponents outhit them.
Ranking 27th, the Angels are near the bottom of the league when it comes to home runs, hitting 33 this season. The Dodgers rank in the bottom half at 18th with 39.
Ranking 21st, the Dodgers are near the bottom of the league in hits, notching 8.13 per game. The Angels rank in the top half with 8.42.
The Angels and the Dodgers both rank near the bottom of the league for their on-base plus slugging percentage. The Angels sit at 25th with an OPS of .690 and the Dodgers rank 21st with an OPS of .704.
The Dodgers are 6-14 when they allow at least one home run. The Angels perform similarly when they allow one or more homers with a 12-18 record.
