It’s east meets west later tonight, as the Los Angeles Angels pay the New York Yankees a visit for the start of a three-game series at Yankees Stadium. With ace Jered Weaver on the mound, can the Angels tame the Yankees? Or will New York play the part of rude host and crush the Halos?
Meanwhile, another LA team in the Dodgers are set to play the second of their four-game set against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals. You can read a preview of that game here.
[sc:MLBArticles ]Los Angeles Angels vs. New York Yankees Preview
Where: Yankee Stadium, New York
When: Friday, June 5, 2015, 7:05 PM ET
Line: Los Angeles Angels (EVEN) vs. New York Yankees (-110); total: 8.0 – view all MLB lines
Betting on the Los Angeles Angels
Maybe a trip to the Bronx will turn the fortunes of Los Angeles. The Angels, second in the American League West with a 28-26 record, have lost their last two games at the hands of Tampa Bay and will be looking to stop the bleeding when they face the Bronx Bombers later tonight.
[sc:MLB240banner ]Taking the hill for the Angels in the series opener is the resurgent Jered Weaver, who’s been steadily climbing back to top form. Weaver (4-4, 4.08 ERA) had an ugly April, wherein he went 0-3 with an ERA of 5.83 in five starts. But the following month was a completely different story for the 32 year old, as he finished May with a 4-1 record and a 2.83 ERA in six starts.
Weaver didn’t look sharp in his most recent outing, though, as he pitched for six plus innings and gave up three earned runs on nine hits in the Halos’ 8-6 win on May 30. Weaver will have to bring his A-game against a Yankees team that’s one of the best offensive teams this season.
Behind Weaver is the Angels offense which is getting tons of power from Albert Pujols of late. Pujols has hit .385 with five home runs and nine RBIs over his last six games. Cleanup hitter Kole Calhoun, meanwhile, must break out of his slump. Calhoun has hit just .136 (3-for-22) with only one RBI over his last six games.
With Pujols and Mike Trout owning good numbers against Yankees starter Nathan Eovaldi, Calhoun can make a big difference if he hit better behind those two players. Pujols and Trout are both .667 career hitters against Eovaldi.
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Betting on the New York Yankees
The Yankees (29-25) are going streaking. Currently on a three-game win streak, the Yankees look to continue their winning ways when they play their first home game in over a week later tonight. The last time they played a series at the Bronx, the Yankees swept the then-AL leading Kansas City Royals. New York is 6-4 in its last 10 home games.
Much of the Yankees’ early season success can be attributed to their stout offense that is fifth in the majors in runs (244), third in home runs (67), and fourth in RBIs (233). Were it not for their offense, starter Nathan Eovaldi likely wouldn’t have a 4-1 record, as he has mediocre numbers of 4.40 ERA and 4.08 FIP.
In fact, Eovaldi receives an average of 6.75 run support per nine innings, eighth highest among starters with at least 50 innings pitched this season. With Weaver facing them tonight, the Yankees aim to give the Angels starter another unpleasant memory at Yankee Stadium.
Weaver is just 1-2 with an 8.17 ERA in four career starts at the new Yankee Stadium. He may be in for a rough outing later tonight against the Yankees power hitters, as his 1.27 HR/9 average is among the highest in the majors. In addition, Weaver has given up 11 total homers to current Yankees hitters. That includes Alex Rodriguez’s five home runs off Weaver.
Rodriguez, who is hitting .270/.364/.517 with nine homers this season, is 9-for-26 (.346) in his career against Weaver. Mark Teixeira, meanwhile is 7-for-34 (.289) with two homers against the righty.
Writer’s Prediction
New York (-110) wins, 6.4.
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