Angels vs A's Preview: Young Arms Face Off

The Angels roll into Oakland (0-0 on the road) trying to bounce back after losing two straight. Their lineup is banged up—Mike Trout's out with a hamstring injury, and Jorge Soler just started light activity. Jose Soriano gets the ball for LA, and he's been sharp this season with a 1.57 ERA and 18 strikeouts. The problem? Oakland just torched the Angels 5-0 yesterday. Shea Langeliers, Sonny Gray, and Nick Kurtz went wild—three home runs in the first inning alone. The Angels need their bats to wake up fast.

You saw it yesterday—the Athletics came out swinging like they had something to prove. The very first inning was a clinic in power hitting. Shea Langeliers launched a 430-foot bomb to center. Then Nick Kurtz and another run scored. Sonny Gray belted one 402 feet to left-center. By the time the dust settled, Oakland led 5-0 before the Angels could even blink. Now Jeffrey Springs takes the mound for the A's. His ERA sits at 8.3, so Oakland's bats will need to keep swinging hot to win this one.

Jeffrey Springs starts for Oakland, and here's the thing—his numbers aren't great. An 8.3 ERA means runs are flying off bats against him. The Angels' pitching is their strength right now. Jose Soriano has been lights-out with a 1.09 WHIP. But Oakland's offense just showed they can explode any inning. The Angels are desperate to get a win and stop the bleeding. Will the A's bats stay hot, or does LA finally find their swing? Saturday's matchup at Sutter Health Park could go either way.