LA Angels Series Preview: The cycle continues vs the Tigers

The LA Angels have been cycling through climbing close to the wild-card and losing ground over and over again all season. They have not been able to break the cycle and it’s frustrated many, especially after it seemed the cycle may be broken with a four-game home stand versus the Orioles.

After losing 3 of 4 at home to the Orioles the LA Angels are back to struggling to win games and make a jump in the wild-card standings. They may not be able to break this continuing cycle, but with a good series they may be able to gain a game or two in the wild-card standings.

The Angels are only 5 games back from the wild-card, so things haven’t changed that much since they bombed against the Orioles this weekend. The Angels only lost one game in the standings which isn’t that worst deal, but it is also pretty bad that they couldn’t pick up a single game against the worst team in baseball. Things looked pretty bad all around, the starting pitching could not carry the Angels through any games, the overworked bullpen blew inning after inning and the offense struggled in high leverage situations throughout the series.

It doesn’t seem to make much sense that the Angels will go toe-to-toe with the Dodgers, one of the best teams in baseball, and then take 16 innings to lose to the worst team in baseball the very next day. It is a bit sad that the Angels are thankful to see the Orioles leave after this ugly weekend, but as it is in baseball it’s time to turn the page and look at the series ahead.

The Tigers are just as bad as the Orioles and it seems the Angels have one more God-given chance to add a game or two in the Wild Card standings by mid-week. The Angels aren’t in the worst position to finish off July/start August, but all it takes is a few games to get the Angels back into fighting form.

Plus, if they trade for a starting pitcher (or two??) the outlook for the Angels wild-card chances improve, even if it isn’t as drastic as we would like there is still opportunity for the Angels to upgrade the squad and continue competing until the last day of the season.

Angels vs Tigers

(7/29) 7:07 PM PT @ YouTube: Jordan Zimmerman (0-8, 7.57 ERA) vs Jaime Barria (4-3, 6.63 ERA)

(7/30) 7:07 PM PT @ FS-W: Drew VerHagen (1-1, 14.40 ERA) vs Griffin Canning (3-6, 5.15 ERA)

(7/31) 1:07 PM PT @  FS-W: Daniel Norris (2-8, 4.49 ERA) vs Jose Suarez (2-1, 5.35 ERA )