Angels at Indians
Both Cleveland and Los Angeles have bucked expectations in the early going. The Indians, who were supposed to be an afterthought in a Detroit-dominated American League Central, are just ahead of the Tigers in second place despite back-to-back losses. The disappointing Angels, meanwhile, were expected by many to challenge Texas for the AL West title after signing three-time National League MVP Albert Pujols during the offseason, but the team is buried in the cellar nine games back of first-place Texas.
Los Angeles, which has lost its last four games, has struggled to get quality pitching from its bullpen and the back end of the starting rotation, with closer Jordan Walden blowing a save in a 4-3 setback to Tampa Bay on Thursday. Pujols has not held up his end of the bargain, batting .224 without a home run. The Indians, coming off back-to-back home losses against Kansas City, have been riding a patient lineup that leads the majors in walks by a wide margin with 93 in just 17 games.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports West (Los Angeles), SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Jered Weaver (3-0, ERA 2.43) vs. Indians Justin Masterson (0-2, ERA 6.65)
Weaver again looks like one of the best hurlers in the American League, holding his opponent scoreless in two of his first four starts and ranking second in the major leagues in strikeout-to-walk ratio (28 to 2). He allowed three runs in his last outing, a complete-game win over Baltimore on Apr. 21. Weaver has a 5-2 lifetime record and a 3.41 ERA against the Indians.
Masterson has struggled since an outstanding opening-day start against Toronto, allowing 17 runs (15 earned) in his last 13 2/3 innings. A lack of control has been largely to blame - he has 10 walks and three strikeouts in his last two starts. A game against the Angels might be the cure for Masterson, who is 2-0 with a 2.43 ERA in eight career games (five starts) against Los Angeles.
WALK-OFFS:
1. Pujols broke an 0-for-22 slump Thursday with a sixth-inning single, but he was thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a double. The former St. Louis superstar has just four runs batted in through 19 games.
2. Angels reserve OF Bobby Abreu is 7-for-15 (.467) all-time against Masterson, while CF Torii Hunter is 3-for-11 with a pair of home runs.
3. Current Indians are a combined 56-for-250 (.224) against Weaver. OF Shin-Soo Choo (11-for-25, 5 2B) is one of the few who has solved him.