Two years and one other MVP later, the overwhelming intrigue with regards to the Los Angeles Dodgers going through the freeway-adjacent Los Angeles Angels nonetheless is Shohei Ohtani taking over his former crew.
The golf equipment open a three-game collection on Friday at Dodger Stadium.
Ohtani signed with the Dodgers earlier than final season, following six seasons with the Angels, and he ticked off some main gadgets on his guidelines, together with his first playoff look and first championship.
On the way in which to the title, Ohtani confronted his former crew 4 instances and hit two dwelling runs when going 4-for-14 (.286) with 4 walks and 5 RBIs.
Getting into the weekend collection, Ohtani is tied for the most important league lead with 15 dwelling runs, having hit two in a 19-2 victory in opposition to the Athletics on Thursday. He has eight homers in his previous 12 video games.
Max Muncy, Andy Pages and James Outman additionally hit went deep for the Dodgers on Thursday. In his main league debut, Dodgers high prospect Dalton Speeding had two hits, a stroll and three runs.
“(It) was fairly the exhibition offensively and everybody contributed,” Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts stated. “Max has been working arduous to unlock some issues and homered in consecutive video games. … So going into this Angels collection, we’re locked and loaded.”
Hoping to get one other flood of offense will likely be Dodgers right-hander Dustin Might (1-4, 4.08 ERA), who’s making his eighth begin since getting back from Tommy John surgical procedure and a life-threatening esophagus harm.
After pitching to a 7.88 ERA in his earlier three begins, Might was a lot improved Saturday in opposition to the Arizona Diamondbacks, permitting two runs in 6 2/3 innings. He’s 1-0 with a 2.16 ERA in two appearances (one begin) in opposition to the Angels, with each outings occurring in 2020.
The Angels, who’ve misplaced 5 of their previous seven video games, will counter with Jack Kochanowicz (2-5, 5.32 ERA). The fitting-hander has by no means confronted the Dodgers.
The Angels are 5-8 to begin a stretch of 26 consecutive video games in California.
After a tough 10-game stretch by way of Might 4 wherein he went 2-for-34 with one RBI, the Angels’ Taylor Ward now has 4 dwelling runs and 12 RBIs over his previous 9 video games.
Whereas Ohtani’s matchup in opposition to the Angels will get a lot of the eye, the return of Angels nearer Kenley Jansen to Dodger Stadium additionally will maintain significance.
Jansen has seven saves however a 6.55 ERA in 13 appearances for the Angels this season. He delivered 350 saves with a 2.37 ERA in his first 12 main league seasons with the Dodgers earlier than spending the previous three years with the Atlanta Braves (2022) and the Boston Crimson Sox (2023-24).
Jansen, 37, feels as if a good portion of the Dodgers’ fan base give up on him throughout his ultimate seasons with the membership, however he says he holds no animosity. He has registered 104 saves since he departed.
“Everybody who thought that I used to be completed was a motivation for me,” Jansen stated, per the Orange County Register. “So I’ve to thank all of them for making me who I’m at the moment. ‘Oh, he is completed. He is washed.’
“On the finish of the day, I am nonetheless who I’m. And I recognize them, and I really like these doubters. So I will proceed to work arduous, and I feel I’ve a number of extra years left within the tank, and I need to accomplish nice issues.”
–Discipline Stage Media