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

Freeway Series 2020 – Dodgers pitchers will be challenging for Angels

At any normal time, the Dodgers have the obvious pitching advantage over the Angels and their staff. However, the way Los Angeles has lined things up, the Halos will have their work cut out for them against the best the Dodgers have to offer.

The series kicks off with Clayton Kershaw toeing the rubber for the Dodgers. After handcuffing the Diamondbacks during his first outing, Kershaw was knocked around by the rival Giants on August 8th. In that match-up he surrendered three home runs and seven hits.

Following Kershaw, the Angels will be forced to face-off against Walker Buehler. After going 14-4 with a 3.26 ERA, a 3.01 FIP, and 215 strikeouts in 2019, Buehler has followed that tough start in 2020. In three starts, he is winless with a 4.40 ERA, a 6.92 FIP, and a rough 5.0 BB/9 over 14.1 innings of work. However, he’s coming off his strongest performance of the season, when he tossed 5.2 innings of two-run ball and struck out six against the Giants.

While Kershaw has been the ace of the staff over the last 12-plus seasons and Buehler appears to be the heir-apparent to the throne, the best starter for the Dodgers this season has been Dustin May. The 6’6″ right-hander has been keeping hitters baffled with his 98 MPH fastball, curve ball, change-up combo, sporting a 2.75 ERA thus far on the season.

Starting a three-game set against this group of starters, and followed by the vaunted bullpen of the Dodgers, gives a postseason feel in the middle of August.