Freeway Series 2020: Five things to watch for when Angels meet Dodgers

The 2020 edition of the Freeway Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels is finally upon us, and there are a few things to watch for in the series.

With records of 7-12 and 13-7 respectively, the Angels and Dodgers come into the 2020 Freeway Series under completely different circumstances. The Angels currently sit on the outside looking in on a playoff spot, while the Dodgers are tied for first place and have their sights set on the World Series.

Yet, while there are certainly differences between both teams, they both enter with the same goal. Both teams want to take the series and claim bragging rights before they meet again to close the season on September 25-27th.

For the Dodgers, that starts with avenging a series sweep by the Angels in 2019. That represented the first time the Halos have swept the season match-ups and the first time either team did so since the 1997 Dodgers went 4-0.

Overall, the Angels lead the series with a record of 70-54 and have gone 12-6 over the last four seasons. In fact, the Dodgers have only won the season series on five occasions over the 23-year history of the Freeway Series.

So while you get yourself amped up for the first pitch of the match-up at 6:40 pm PT, let’s take a look at a few things you should be watching for when the Angels meet the Dodgers on Friday night.

Free Way Series 2020 – Will Mike Trout stay hot?

Since returning from the paternity list on August 4th, Mike Trout has been a man on fire. Drawing strength from his new-found “Dad Power“, Trout has slashed .351/.390/.919 with seven home runs, 12 RBI, and 10 runs scored over his last nine games.

It’s no mystery that as Trout goes, so does the rest of the lineup. The Halos are averaging 4.8 runs per game through 11 games in August and have scored five or more runs in seven of those contests. Likewise, their 34 home runs are second in baseball, behind only the Dodgers.

While Trout is currently riding a hot streak, the Dodgers served as kryptonite for the Angels’ superman in 2019. While he did hit two home runs against the boys in blue last season, those were the only two hits he accounted for in 15 at bats. Over the course of his career, he owns a modest .246/.331/.492 slash line, eight home runs, and 19 RBI against the Dodgers.

The Angels have quite a few weapons at their disposal, but Trout having a good series will go a long way toward some much needed wins.

Freeway Series 2020 – Newcomer Mookie Betts adds a new wrinkle to Dodgers

When the Dodgers acquired, and then subsequently extended Mookie Betts, it added a new star to the Freeway Series for years to come. In the process, an already dangerous Dodgers’ lineup became lethal for opposing pitchers.

Like Trout, Betts is one of the hottest bats in the league right now. Fresh off a three-homer game against the Padres, Betts is hitting .394/.459/1.030 with six home runs and 10 RBI in August. He’s successfully put a rough start behind him and has changed the minds of short-sighted Dodgers fans who were already writing him off after a slow July.

A hot Mookie Betts is the last thing the Angels want to see this weekend. During his time in Boston, the right-fielder tortured the Halos to the tune of .294/.366/.580 with 10 home runs and 21 RBI. In fact, Betts has hit eight home runs, scored 16 runs, and driven in 11 over the last two seasons alone.

The Dodgers line-up will be a stiff challenge for the Angels in this series, and Mookie Betts simply makes them deeper, with no holes to work around.

Freeway Series 2020 – Who will start Sunday’s game for the Angels?

The Angels pitchers will have their work cut out for them against the Dodgers heavy-hitters. The Halos will get things started off with a pair of lefties, with Patrick Sandoval drawing the first straw and followed by Andrew Heaney.

But who will start the third game of the series?

At the present time, Julio Teheran is penciled in as the starter on Sunday, however if this series takes a turn for the worse, perhaps the Angels shuffle things up a bit. Teheran has allowed seven earned runs and has just a 3:4 K/BB ratio in 4.2 innings of work in 2020. That may not be the Angels best foot forward if they want to avoid a sweep on Sunday.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not looking to write off Teheran so quickly in his Angels tenure, but a match-up against the Dodgers is hardly the opportunity to reset a pitcher’s confidence after a rough start. For what it’s worth, Teheran owns a career record of 0-6 against Los Angeles with a 5.33 ERA and a .276/.330/.481 batting line surrendered.

On the other hand, Dylan Bundy last pitched on Tuesday, and with the off-day on Thursday, he could take a normal turn in the rotation after four days of rest. Given his performance in 2020 (3-1, 1.57 ERA, 0.628 WHIP, and 11.0 K/9), Bundy is the ace the Angels could turn to in a tough match-up against Dustin May.

It’s certainly something Joe Maddon should weigh with the team’s postseason hopes potentially on the line.

Freeway Series 2020 – This will be a make or break weekend for the Angels

At 7-12, the Angels are hardly off to the start they wish to begin the 2020 season. After Wednesday’s loss to the Athletics, Anaheim is now six games behind in the American League West. Additionally, they are two games behind the second-place Rangers for the division’s other playoff spot.

While those aren’t insurmountable odds, they still create a sense of urgency for a team that has seemingly been playing without one thus far. The first few weeks represented a unique opportunity for the Halos to take advantage of the Astros injuries and potentially put themselves into the playoff hunt. Instead, they sit just a half-game out of last place.

This weekend’s series with the Dodgers is the first in an 18-game stretch for the Angels, the longest streak of games they’ll play without a day off this season. Additionally, this run will take the team into the MLB trade deadline, meaning it is time for the Angels to determine if they are going to contend or not.

While the Angels offense can undoubtedly hang with the Dodgers, the weight will fall on the pitching staff to set the tone and get the team out of their funk. That may be a tall order for the staff as it exists today, but it what they have to work with and the team has to hope for some overachieving from someone else not named Dylan Bundy.

A strong series, and preferably a sweep against the Dodgers will set the team out on that journey on the right foot. In addition to a statement series against the A’s, it will also put the rest of the league on notice that this will be a dangerous team down the stretch.