Angels at Tigers
Rookie sensation Shohei Ohtani returns to the mound after an extended layoff on Wednesday when the Los Angeles Angels play the third contest of their four-game series against the host Detroit Tigers (24-30). The Angels (30-25) opted to take a bigger-picture view in pushing back Ohtani's scheduled start from Sunday, with the team calling it a "workload management" situation.
Luis Valbuena and former Tiger Ian Kinsler ended significant dry spells in Monday's 9-2 romp, as the former snapped an 0-for-21 drought with an RBI single and a pair of homers while the latter entered the tilt mired in a 2-for-31 stretch before launching a three-run shot. Valbuena and Kinsler joined Albert Pujols with three-hit performances and Martin Maldonado capped the power surge with a two-run homer in the eighth inning for Los Angeles, which evened its mark at 4-4 on its season-high 10-game road trip. Detroit's Jeimer Candelario also flexed his muscles with a solo homer to reach base for the 23rd straight game, accounting for the longest active streak in the majors. JaCoby Jones also went deep, improving to 4-for-10 with three extra-base hits and three runs scored in his last three games.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FS West (Los Angeles), FS Detroit
PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Shohei Ohtani (4-1, 3.35 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Mike Fiers (4-3, 4.78)
Ohtani worked a season-high 7 2/3 innings in his last outing on May 20, improving to 2-0 in his last three starts after allowing two runs while striking out nine in a 5-2 triumph versus Tampa Bay. "My performance is somewhat there. So I'm satisfied so far," the 23-year-old Japan native said through an interpreter. Ohtani has permitted five runs on 15 hits while striking out 26 batters over his last three starts.
Fiers surrendered four runs for the second straight outing on Friday but was fortunate to walk away with a no-decision despite permitting nine hits in 5 2/3 innings against the Chicago White Sox. The 32-year-old has struggled with the home run ball this season, as he was taken deep for the ninth time in his last six trips to the mound against the White Sox. Zack Cozart (5-for-12) and Mike Trout (5-for-15) each recorded four extra-base hits versus Fiers, but the right-hander posted a 2-1 mark against the Angels in 2017.
WALK-OFFS
1. Detroit DH Victor Martinez has answered an 0-for-16 stretch by going 13-for-37 in his last 11 contests.
2. Los Angeles' Matt Shoemaker underwent surgery on his forearm on Tuesday while fellow RHP Blake Wood will also go under the knife on Wednesday on the damaged ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.
3. Tigers RF Nicholas Castellanos is 14-for-39 with six runs scored and four RBIs in his last nine contests.