Page’s Weekly LA Angels Predictions: Week Five

The LA Angels were finally able to string together some wins last week. They swept the Oakland A’s in four games and won a weekend series against the Rangers. They will face their two other division foes in week five.

The LA Angels went on an absolutely awful stretch over the middle of April in which they only one three games over a two week period. The offense was nonexistent, averaging 2.83 runs per game. This past week, they averaged an improved 4.28 runs per game.

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The pitching has been generally solid throughout the month. Despite on the pitchers finding their way to the disabled list, the Angels are getting efficient pitching from those that have been called on to fill a role.

This week, the Angels are off Monday (after 20 games without a break) and then take on the Seattle Mariners in a three game series in Seattle. They then return home for a weekend series against the American League West leaders, the Houston Astros.

Player of the Week: Mike Trout

While I try not to give this award to Mike Trout every week, he sure does make it hard on me. This week, he performed at such an elite level he has to receive Player of the Week. Needless to say, Mike Trout is not only in early MVP contention, he is leading the way. He only improved his case this week, as he hit .400 on the week. Five of his ten hits went for extra bases (two doubles, a triple, and two big flies). He scored seven times himself while driving in four more runs. He walked and struck out five times each, and swiped a bag this past week.

Trout currently rides a 14-game hitting streak, which is the best current streak in the American League. Trout’s longest previous streak If he gets a hit on Tuesday against Seattle, he will tie his career-high of 15 straight games with a hit.

Pitcher of the Week: JC Ramirez

JC Ramirez started the season as a relief pitcher. However, he was thrown into the starting rotation when Garrett Richards was put on the disabled list. Ramirez has been more than just a serviceable pitcher. He was great in his two outings last week. He went seven innings, allowing only two hits in his best start of the season. Ramirez walked two batters and struck out seven. He was not able to earn his first win, however, until his next start.

In his second start of the week, he faced a Texas offense that averaged seven runs per game in the first series between the two teams. Ramirez threw 5.1 innings of solid baseball. He allowed two earned runs on four hits in this contest, but had some run support this time around and earned the win. He struck out a phenomenal nine batters on his way to the victory.

Tuesday, May 2 @ Seattle

Probables- Matt Shoemaker vs. James Paxton

The Angels open the week with a three game series against the Seattle Mariners. In their first series, the Angels swept the Mariners, including a 7-run comeback in their final meeting. In the first game of this series, the Angels will face the Mariners ace. No, not Felix Hernandez, but left-handed pitcher James Paxton. On the season, Paxton is 3-0 with a 1.39 ERA in five games. He is coming off another great start, where he threw seven shutout innings and struck out nine batters against the Detroit Tigers.

Of the Angels batters with more than five at-bats against Paxton, only Kole Calhoun has a good record against Paxton. Mike Trout (.100) and Albert Pujols (.200) have not had the best time against Paxton, but Calhoun hits .304 against him over his career. Trout will have to find out something, as this is the game in which he will try to tie his career-high hitting streak of 15 games.

The Angels will send out Matt Shoemaker, who has had his ups and downs this season. He has been exceptional in his last three starts, giving up two earned runs in each start while throwing at least five innings. However, before this stretch of good starts, he allowed six runs in 4.1 innings to the Mariners. Both of Seattle’s offensive stars, Nelson Cruz and Robinson Cano, have two home runs against Shoemaker in their career.

April is always a tough month for Shoemaker, as he owns a 7.08 ERA in the first month of the season in the past three seasons. However, that number goes down to a 3.86 ERA in May, and continues to improve throughout the season.

Another note for this game is that corner infielder Luis Valbuena is projected to make his return from the DL. The offseason signing has battled a hamstring injury and will most likely get the start at first base.

Prediction: Mariners 5, Angels 3

Wednesday, May 3 @ Mariners

Probables: Ricky Nolasco vs. Hisashi Iwakuma

In the second game of the series, Hisashi Iwakuma gets the call for the Mariners. He has been an extremely reliable pitcher for the Mariners over his career, only finishing the season with an ERA over 4.00 once. Iwakuma owns a 4.15 ERA on the season, but had a solid outing his last time out. He went 5.2 innings, and allowed only one unearned run. The only Angels batter with more than five at-bats a batting average above .300 against Iwakuma is Yunel Escobar. He owns a .348 average against Iwakuma. However, Escobar is going through an absolutely awful slump at the plate over the past couple weeks. Trout and Pujols, despite bad averages against Iwakuma, have both taken him deep before, as have four other Angels.

Local boy Ricky Nolasco will get the start for the Angels. He owns a 4.13 ERA on the season. However, he has earned his first two wins of the season in his last two starts. He has been extremely susceptible to the long ball this season. In his five starts, only his most recent one came without a home run for the opposing team. He has given up seven on the season, but last start could mean a change for Nolasco. He skipped a start to work on his mechanics beforehand, and had his best outing of the year.

However, Nolasco does not have great success against the Mariners. Cano (.400 average, two home runs) and Cruz (three home runs, four RBI’s) have been successful against Nolasco. As a unit, the current Mariners spot a .296 average against Nolasco.

If the Angels want to win this game, they will have to rough up Iwakuma early and often.

Prediction- Mariners 7, Angels 6 in extras

Friday, May 5 vs. Houston

Probables: Jesse Chavez vs. Dallas Kuechel

The Angels will head home for a weekend series against the Houston Astros on Friday, and they will not have an easy first game. They will face Cy Young Award winning ace Dallas Kuechel. After a so-so 2016, Kuechel has reassured the world that he is truly an ace. In any Cy Young and MVP conversations this season, Kuechel is sure to be mentioned. Through six starts, he is 5-0 with a 1.21 ERA.

In a start against the Angels earlier this season, he earned the win after throwing seven innings and allowing only one run. If there is a positive sign from that game for Halo fans, it is that the Angels had eight hits against Kuechel. They just were not able to string them together to produce runs. The matchup to watch on Friday evening will be when Mike Trout steps up to the plate. He has a career .368 average against Kuechel, with two solo home runs. He has also walked six times while Kuechel has send him down on strikes 12 times. Albert Pujols is the only other Angel to have taken Kuechel deep, and he has done so twice.

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Taking the mound for the Angels will be Jesse Chavez. Chavez is 2-4 on the season with a 4.50 ERA. He was roughed up for four runs on eight hits over six innings in his last start. However, Chavez did have his best start of the year against the Astros in their first meeting. He threw seven innings, allowing two runs (one earned). He struck out five while walking two.

The only Astros player that has found success with more than five at-bats against Chavez is their superstar Jose Altuve. He has a .318 batting average off Chavez with two doubles and two RBI’s. Chavez, who has given up five long balls this season, has only allowed two home runs to current Astros batters.

The Angels will have to ride their superstars, but if they can score three runs off Kuechel, and Chavez can restrain the Astros offense like he has in the past, they can pull out the win. However, Kuechel has only allowed more than a run in a start once this season. He gave up two runs in a complete game victory last week.

Predicton- Astros 3, Angels 2

Saturday, May 6 vs. Astros

Probables: JC Ramirez vs. Lance McCullers Jr.

The Angels will face right-handed pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. in a much easier matchup than Friday’s game. In six games this season, McCullers Jr. owns a 2-1 record with a 4.08 ERA. He is coming off an exceptional outing. On Monday, he threw 6.1 innings and allowed two runs. He allowed two walks as well. McCullers Jr. struck out more than half of the hitters he faced, an amazing ten batters. No Angels with at least five at-bats have higher than a .250 average against McCullers Jr., who has absolutely owned Mike Trout thus far in his career. Trout is 1-15 (.067) against McCullers Jr. with eight strikeouts and three walks. While that one hit did come as a home run, Trout will need to figure out McCullers Jr. if the Angels want to stand a chance on Saturday.

JC Ramirez will get the call for the Angels. He has been a pleasant surprise this season, filling in for the injured Garrett Richards. In his first start, he allowed five runs over five innings, but has since hit a stride. In his three starts since, Ramirez is 2-0 and owns a 2.55 ERA and has arguably the best Angels starter. He has struck out 25 batters compared to five walks.

Ramirez has been reliable the past few weeks, and allowed three runs over six innings to this Houston offense when they last faced each other. If he can replicate that, the Angels offense should be able to do the rest and get the win.

Prediction- Angels 4, Astros 3 in extras

Sunday, May 7 vs. Astros

Probables: Matt Shoemaker vs. Matt Fiers

In the rubber match of this series, both teams send out pitchers who have been inconsistent this season. For the Astros, it will be right-handed pitcher Mike Fiers. Fiers has had a disappointing season, owning an 0-1 record and 5.21 ERA through four starts. His kryptonite has been the long ball, as he has given Jered Weaver a run for his money, allowing eight home runs in four starts. Fiers has yet to face the Angels this season, but it does not look good for him. In road games this year, his ERA skyrockets to 6.75. Against Angels hitters, he has allowed seven big flies to five different batters (CJ Cron and Albert Pujols have each struck twice). The Angels will have to ride the long ball to a victory, which they have shown capable of despite ranking 23rd in the MLB in homers.

Matt Shoemaker will get his second start of the week to round out this series. He has been inconsistent this far in the season, but did well in a start against the Astros earlier this season. Fiers threw seven innings of three hits baseball, allowing two home runs on two solo shots (another tribute to Jered Weaver). He struck out seven in that start while walking two batters. Jose Altuve has been a pest for Shoemaker, owning a .348 average against him with two homers

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In two home starts at home this season, Shoemaker has a 7.71 ERA, which could spell disaster. This could easily be the highest scoring game of the series, and could be another bullpen heavy game for the Halos.

Prediction- Angels 8, Astros 6