Mookie Betts and the Boston Red Sox get set to take on Mike Trout and the Los Angeles Angels in a battle of the top two MVP vote getters in the AL in 2016. Trout won the award and is the best player in baseball, but its Betts who is looking for back-to-back playoff appearances while Trout does his best to help the Angels avoid falling out of the race entirely before the trade deadline.
This series will be contested from Friday, July 21, 2017 through Sunday, July 23, 2017 at Angels Stadium in Anaheim.
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Pitching Matchups
The pitching matchup for this series lines up just as Dave Dombrowski drew things up this offseason after giving up Yoan Moncada and Michael Kopech for Chris Sale.
Sale start for the Red Sox on Friday and is followed by David Price on Saturday and Rick Porcello on Sunday. Of those three starters, Sale is the only one without a Cy Young Award and there’s no question he’s the cream of the crop.
Sale struck out 13 batters in a 7.2 innings performance against the Yankees. He didn’t allow a run in that game to lower his ERA to 2.59. He’s now 11-4 with a 0.887 WHIP. He’s still a strikeout machine, but he also provides depth each time out, setting up the bullpen well for the rest of the series.
The ace southpaw leads the AL in most key categories including ERA and WHIP. He’s also first in innings pitched at 135.1, strikeout to walk ratio at 7.96, and FIP at 1.99.
Price is the second to get the ball in this series and while he’s been a bit of a disappointment in Boston after a lackluster first year and injuries to delay his 2017, he’s pitching much better right now.
In 10 starts this year, Price is 5-2 with a 3.39 ERA. In his last three starts, he’s allowed two total runs in 20 innings.
Price faced the Angels back in June and was simply okay. He went six innings, allowing three runs—two earned—on six hits. In his last start, he went eight scoreless against the Yankees. His recent streak is encouraging for Sox fans.
As each game progresses, the matchup for the Angels’ offense gets easier and easier, culminating in the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner.
Porcello has been a below replacement level pitcher through 20 starts per rWAR, He’s pitched better in his last two starts, allowing four runs—two earned—in 14 innings. Sadly, the team lost both of those games to drop Porcello to 4-12. Boston is 8-12 with him on the hill.
Given the strengths of Sale and Price, the only matchup that the Sox come close on is Sunday’s with Parker Bridwell pitching for the Angels.
Bridwell is a former Orioles farmhand has been good in his brief big league stint with a 3-1 record and 3.18 ERA in seven games. He’s not a top prospect, but he’s gotten the job done.
As for the other two starters for the Angels: Ricky Nolasco and JC Ramirez start Friday and Saturday respectively for the Angels.
Nolasco is the grizzled vet at this point. He’s struggled in his career against Boston, pitching to a 5.68 ERA in seven starts.
Ramirez has been much better than Nolasco against the Sox, but has only 10 career innings pitched, but has allowed just one run in that time.
Overall, both pitchers have been nothing more than No.5 type starters this year with Nolasco pitching to a 4.82 ERA and Ramirez going 8-8 with a 4.54 mark.
Who's Hot?
Dustin Pedroia is the heart and soul of this team in the absence of David Ortiz. It’s been a strong season for the second baseman when he’s been on the field. He’s hitting .310 and has a .800 OPS.
In the month of July, Pedroia has been raking. He’s batting .384 with a .444 OBP while leading the team with four homers—tied with Betts and Hanley Ramirez—and in RBIs with 23. His 1.047 OPS is also first on the squad.
Speaking of Ramirez, the designated hitter’s picking up his game lately, too. Having an extra threat in the heart of the order has been helpful for a team lacking power.
Boston’s lineup is full of strong hitters, but now that Pedroia, Betts, Ramirez and even Andrew Benintendi are providing a bit more pop, the team is finally starting to separate in the AL East.
In the pen, Heath Hembree, Fernando Abad and Matt Barnes have allowed four runs in 22.2 combined frames.
As for the Angels, Bud Norris has continued to get the job done in the closer role. Each time it looks like he may fade, he continues knocking down the saves. He’s perfect so far in July.
Los Angeles’s bats have been generally cold, but there are a few hitters swinging well. Mike Trout—as always—is one such player. He’s 6-for-19 with two homers since coming off the DL. Andrelton Simmons also continues swinging his hot bat. Has he finally found the stick to go along with his lockdown glove?
Who's Not?
It’s not fair to include Craig Kimbrel in the not list given his great season. He’s been as big a reason as any that the Sox have the second-best record in the AL. Kimbrel has locked down the ninth and allowed the rest of the pen to line up behind him. That said, he’s saved just one of his last three opportunities and has allowed two homers over his last five appearances.
At the dish, Xander Bogaerts and Mitch Moreland are ice cold. Bogaerts is batting .163 in his last dozen games with 13 strikeouts. Moreland is 7-for-49 in July with just one extra base hit—a double—and one RBI.
After a nice run in Trout’s absence, Cameron Maybin has gone cold. He’s just 5-for-39 in July. Danny Espinosa was even worse, but he’s been designated for assignment after his struggles. The offense has a whole has been down.
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