Cal Quantrill makes his second start back from coming off of the IL on Thursday. In his first start, he got the no-decision going six strong giving up two runs.
There’s no question the trades in July have affected this club in regards to the 2023 season, and Jose Ramirez has been affected more than most. Since the beginning of August, Ramirez’s average has dropped from .292 to .270 with three home runs and nine RBIs.
With the pickup of Lucas Giolito and Cal Quantrill back from the IL, the Guardians do not have Xzavion Curry listed as a possible starter in the next rotation so for right now, it is back to the bullpen for Curry.
Cleveland started Wednesday seven games behind the AL Central-leading Twins. Over the past few weeks and 474 at-bats, the Guardians have posted a mediocre .243/.303/.399 batting line with 27 extra-base hits and 15 home runs. On the pitching side, they have struggled with a dismal 5.93 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, and .280 batting average against over 124 innings pitched.
On Thursday at Angel Stadium, Cal Quantrill will be on the mound. The 28-year-old right-hander has had a tough season, sporting a 2-6 record with a high 6.16 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, and a 40/25 K/BB ratio in 14 starts covering 73 innings. Quantrill returned to the Guardians’ rotation in early September after a nearly two-month stint on the injured list. He performed well in his comeback game against the Tampa Bay Rays, allowing just two earned runs on a couple of hits and three walks in six innings.
This will be Quantrill’s second encounter with the Halos in 2023. On May 13, he pitched six innings, allowing three runs on six hits in a game that ended in a no-decision (Cleveland eventually won 8-6). The current Angels lineup has had some success against Quantrill, going 15-for-43 with four doubles and two home runs.
On Wednesday night, the Los Angeles Angels faced off against the Baltimore Orioles, with their hopes set on avoiding a clean sweep in a three-game series at home. The preceding Tuesday witnessed the Angels enduring a grueling 10-inning clash, resulting in a 5-4 loss that extended their losing streak to five consecutive games. The Angels, currently in a slump, have only managed to secure victory in three of their last 15 games overall. By Wednesday morning, they found themselves trailing by a daunting 13 games in the race for the final wild-card spot in the American League.
Over the past two weeks and 450 at-bats, the Angels’ batting performance has been marked by a .247 batting average, a .332 on-base percentage, and a .407 slugging percentage, accompanied by 29 extra-base hits and 13 home runs. Conversely, their pitching staff has struggled, posting a discouraging 5.95 ERA, a 1.57 WHIP, and a .277 batting average during this same period.
Taking the mound on Thursday will be Griffin Canning, a 27-year-old right-handed pitcher who boasts a record of 7 wins and 5 losses, with a 4.30 ERA, a 1.19 WHIP, and a remarkable 117 strikeouts to 28 walks ratio in 18 starts and a couple of relief appearances, totaling 104.2 innings pitched in the 2023 season. Canning has been in excellent form over his last three outings, spanning 16.1 innings of work, during which he allowed only four earned runs on 11 hits and two walks while striking out 21 batters. He is set to face Cleveland for the first time this season, and the current Guardians lineup has a history of 7 hits in 21 at-bats against him, including three doubles and three home runs.
Shohei Ohtani’s absence from the first two games of the Orioles Series due to an oblique injury has put him in a day-to-day status. Additionally, Mike Trout is on the IL with a wrist issue. Despite these setbacks, I still favor the Angels in this matchup. Griffin Canning, the Angels’ right-handed pitcher, has been performing at a high level over the past couple of weeks, although the Guardians have a decent track record against him.
Looking at recent performance, the Guardians have posted a .690 OPS and an 88 wRC+ against right-handed pitchers in the last ten days. In contrast, the Angels have excelled with a .778 OPS and a 109 wRC+ when facing right-handed pitchers during the same period. However, I do have some concerns about the Angels’ bullpen. Over the last ten days, their relief pitchers have struggled, accumulating a troubling 9.79 ERA and a 6.52 FIP in 26.2 innings of work. On the flip side, the Guardians’ bullpen has been more reliable, pitching 46.2 innings in that timeframe and posting a more modest 5.40 ERA and a 5.27 FIP.
Our Pick: Take Angels and the Money Line
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