Series Preview: Angels at Guardians
Back to playing teams that should finish below .500
Michael (Trout), Gabriel (Arias), the Guardian-Angels series has arrived.
Ok, sadly, Mike Trout is out. But, the Angels are still here for a three-game series against the Guardians. Let’s take a look at the respective teams.
The Guardians are 20-11, +40 run differential, 10th in MLB with a team wRC+ of 107, fifth in MLB with 5.2 Defensive WAR, 23rd in MLB with a 4.26 starting pitcher FIP and first in MLB in relief pitcher FIP at 2.70. The best hitters on the Guardians currently are David Fry at 165 wRC+, Steven Kwan at 160 wRC+, Josh Naylor at 140 wRC+ and Andres Gimenez at 121 wRC+.
The Angels are 11-20, -38 run differential, 16th in MLB with a team wRC+ of 98, 27th in MLB with -14.6 Defensive WAR, 19th in MLB with a 4.12 starting pitcher FIP and 27th in MLB in relief pitcher FIP at 4.88. Both teams have been about equally bad at baserunning, with Cleveland -1.6 runs below average as a team and LAA -2 in the same category. The best hitters on the Angels currently are Luis Rengifo at 142 wRC+ and Taylor Ward at 126 wRC+. They should be seen as worse than that 98 wRC+ because Mike Trout’s 142 wRC+ is no longer in the lineup.
As this article was being finalized, the Guardians announced that Tyler Beede is being designated for assignment and Peter Strzelecki will take his spot on the 26-man. This is good, in my humble opinion. Beede seemed like a good person but not a particularly good pitcher.
Matchups:
Game One: Jose Soriano, RHP (5.21 FIP) vs. Tanner Bibee, RHP (3.81 FIP)
Analysis: I think Soriano is a good reliever. I do not think he is a good starter. Hopefully, Bibee can build on his excellent last start vs. the Braves against a much weaker lineup.
Game Two: Reid Detmers, RHP (2.52 FIP) vs. Ben Lively, RHP (2.95 FIP)
Analysis: My goal is for Ben Lively to pitch into the seventh. The Guardians need to try to get Detmers out of the game as early as possible and get to that soft underbelly of the Angels pen.
Game Three: Griffin Canning, RHP (5.88 FIP) vs. Carlos Carrasco, RHP (5.81)
Analysis: These are both bad pitchers. I wonder if this will be Cookie’s last start for the Guardians. If so, I hope he goes out with one last great performance.