Los Angeles Angels (23-31) vs. San Diego Padres (34-20)
For the first time in 14 years, the San Diego Padres find themselves in the post-season. It took a pandemic and a 60-game schedule to help San Diego, but they now find themselves as the No. 2 seed in the National League West, securing a playoff spot this past week.
Now the real work comes. San Diego has proven their worth by keeping within four games of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Major League Baseball’s top team. On Tuesday, the Padres begin a two-game set against the other team from Los Angeles when they take on the Angels.
The Angels are all but eliminated from the post-season. With six games left in the season, Los Angeles is 4.5 games out in the wildcard chase. It will take a miracle for the Halos to jump into the playoff picture.
These two teams have faced each other twice this season, splitting a two-game set at the beginning of September.
Angels Rally Comes Too Late
Entering Monday’s matinee against the Texas Rangers, Los Angeles had won three of their last four games. The Angels are 11-7 in August, but the late-season kick looks like it will not be enough for them to continue their season past this Sunday.
The Angels proved their worth offensively this season, scoring 267 runs heading into Monday’s ballgame. That ranks seventh in the majors and their .762 OPS is 11th overall. It has been a lineup that has produced 76 home runs this season that has led the way, as they boast a slugging percentage of .432.
Behind every bright spot for Los Angeles, there has been a dark cloud, and that was the pitching staff this season, ranked 24th with a 5.10 ERA. While the offense was hitting home runs, the pitching staff was giving them up, allowing 70 home runs, 14th most allowed this season.
Griffin Canning will start on Tuesday, and he has been one who has been known to give up the long ball. Canning has allowed eight home runs in his 10 starts, a span of 50.1 innings pitched. The right-hander had been rocked in August, allowing six home runs in the month, but has settled down in September, allowing just one long ball in 14.2 innings pitched. He was struggling early on this month but allowed just one earned run in his last start.
Lofty Goals for Padres
San Diego has been building a quality minor-league system for years, and that finally paid off this season. The team enters this contest with an off day and will have Thursday off as well, meaning it’s an all hands-on deck series because of the extra off day.
San Diego enters this series winners of seven of their last 10. That included taking two of three from the Mariners over the weekend. The pitching staff continues to be the highlight in San Diego, posting a 3.80 ERA, seventh-best in baseball.
The interesting matchup in the series will be the ability of the Padres pitchers to keep the ball in the park. San Diego has allowed the fifth least amount of home runs this season at 58, which could severely negate the Angels offense.
Zach Davies gets the start for San Diego. He has been nothing short of pure heaven for the Padres, posting a 7-3 record with a 2.69 ERA in 10 starts. His seven victories is tied for the second-most in the league.
Davies has allowed three runs in each of his last two starts, including against the Dodgers on September 15. In that start, he allowed eight hits in six innings of work. While only allowing seven home runs this season, the right-hander has allowed three combined in his last two starts. Coupled with his 0.75 ground outs per fly out ratio in September, Los Angeles may have their opportunities to hit some home runs in this game.
Notable Trends
San Diego Padres:
- 4-0 in their last four games following a day off.
- 7-2 in their last nine interleague games at home.
- 14-4 and their last 18 home games.
Los Angeles Angels:
- 16-37 in their last 53 games on the road.
- 2-5 in their last 7 Interleague games on the road.
- 1-4 and their last five games on a Tuesday.
