Game: Los Angeles Angels @ San Diego Padres
Time: 6:40 p.m.
Odds: Angels +118, Padres -128
Total: 7.5
Forgive the Los Angeles Angels and their supporters for worrying about Mike Trout’s health. The Angels’ three-time AL MVP is also concerned about his health. The Los Angeles center fielder, an 11-time All-Star, left Monday’s game against the San Diego Padres after hurting his wrist on a swing at a foul ball. His condition going into Tuesday’s second game of the series, and possibly well beyond, was unknown pending test results. He left the field holding his wrist in the eighth inning, clearly in pain.
The Angels’ other star will get double duty today against San Diego. Due to a cracked middle fingernail on his right hand, Shohei Ohtani’s next pitching start was delayed by two days. Nevertheless, the right-hander will start the second game of this series against the Padres.
Ohtani’s fingernail issue, which occurred during his start against the Chicago White Sox last Tuesday, hasn’t prevented him from batting. In the six games since, he is 6-for-21 (.286) with three home runs and six walks.
Angels manager Bob Melvin said that if you’re going to watch one player in an MLB game make sure it’s Ohtani. He has a 1.000 OPS against right-handed pitching and a 1.000 OPS against lefties. As a pitcher, Ohtani is 7-3 with a 3.02 ERA, and a 1.038 WHIP. Opposing hitters bat just .180 against Ohtani and he’s averaging an American League-leading 12 strikeouts per nine innings (in 16 starts). At the plate, Ohtani the hitter is batting .303 batting average, with an MLB-best 31 home runs and 68 RBIs. His season OPS is 1.054.
This will be Ohtani’s first career start against San Diego. In his previous three starts of the season, Ohtani has a 2-1 record and a 1.86 ERA.
Opposite Ohtani will be San Diego ace Joe Musgrove (6-2, 3.80 ERA). The right-hander has a 2.37 ERA and a 2-0 record in his last three starts. Since May 26, Musgrove has made seven starts and is 5-0 with a 2.13 ERA. In seven appearances (three starts), Musgrove has a 3-1 career record against the Angels and a 2.88 ERA. The only time he faced Los Angeles since 2017 was on August 27, 2021, when he pitched a three-hit shutout.
Xander Bogaerts, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Jake Cronenworth each had three RBIs as the Padres defeated the Angels 10-3 in the first game of the series last night. After going on a six-game losing streak, San Diego has won two of its last three games.
Five of the Angels’ last six games have ended in losses. However, the Angels are 8-4 SU in their last 12 games against San Diego overall. In games played in San Diego, the Angels are 6-2 SU in the last eight. The Padres are just 2-7 SU in their last nine games.
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