LA Angels Series Preview: Taming the Green Monster

Bronx Bombers

The Red Sox pitchers have not had the friendliest season this year; none of the four pitchers the Angels are facing in this series are sporting an ERA under 4, and while that isn’t the worst thing in the world it is a far cry from their season last year. Chris Sale is looking very unlike himself as he’s posted the first season with an ERA over 4 in his entire nine-year career.

We’re seeing Chris Sale put up his worst year at the age of 30, which is something you never want to see, as he’s complied a 4.68 ERA in 132.2 IP. It isn’t all downhill for Sale however as he has posted 193 Ks  on the season thus far, but outside of that it has been a season of struggle after struggle. His latest start saw him stumble through 3.2 innings and allow 8 runs on 9 hits against the New York Yankees. He isn’t all that better at home either, in eleven home starts this year Sale has posted a 1-4 record with an overall 4.76 ERA.

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David Price hasn’t had much luck this season and is coming off of his worst start of the season, a start against the Yankees which saw him throw just 2.2 innings and allow 7 runs off of 9 hits. Things may not be so easy against David Price however as he has a knack for both pitching at home and pitching against the Angels. Price holds a 7-7 record against the Angels with an overall 3.34 ERA against the squad while also maintaining an ERA of 3.12 in Fenway. On the season Price has compiled a 4.36 ERA with 126 Ks.

The last two games of the series should be fruitful for the Angels as Andrew Cashner and Rick Porcello are both slogging through season long struggles. As is with the Angels luck, however, they’ll be facing a Rick Porcello that is coming off a six inning start against the Royals in which he allowed just one run.

Cashner, on the other hand, has struggled mightily since joining the Red Sox in a trade earlier this season. Cashner has produced a 7.53 ERA in 28.2 IP with 7 HRs since his trade from Baltimore to Boston back in July. He isn’t striking guys out at a great rate either, as evidenced by his 6.2 K/9 rate on the season, and when you couple that with his severe HR struggles you get a pitcher who is all too reminiscent of the Angels own Trevor Cahill.

The starting pitching hasn’t been all that hot for the Red Sox, but will the Angels offense be able to take advantage and pull in some much needed wins?