The Angels have a series loss and a series split on their 2016 bingo card, but are still on the lookout for their first series win. Their first opportunity to get it this week will be in Oakland against the division-leading A’s (4-3), whose horrid misfortune in one-run games might finally have hit a turning point.
The club lost its first two games of the season by one run, pushing their record in such games to an absurd 25-52 (.325) since the 2014 trade deadline, but have since emerged victorious in one-run contests thrice in a row. The last time they could say that? A full two months before the Yoenis Cespedes trade.
A big part of the early turnaround has been a lights-out performance from Oakland’s bullpen. The seven-man relief corps owns a 1.71 ERA in 26.1 IP, with just two walks to 21 strikeouts. The only two guys to let in any runs at all are Sean Doolittle (1) and Liam Hendriks (4), and none has allowed a runner to cross the plate in the last 10⅔ innings of work. If the Angels want to get to the A’s, they’re probably going to have to do so against whomever’s starting.
Speaking of…
Game 1: Nick Tropeano vs. Sonny Gray
Tropeano will make his 2016 debut Monday night in place of the injured Andrew Heaney. Tropeano has long been an under-the-radar favorite of many scouts, so this should be a great opportunity for him to establish himself as a legitimate MLB starter. Of course, Tropeano didn’t get the easiest of assignments out the gate. The A’s offense isn’t all that fearsome, but the opposing starter definitely is. Gray was a little more erratic than usual in his ’16 debut, but he still made it through seven with just one run and three hits on the board. The Angels managed to get to Gray a little bit last year, but that doesn’t mean he can’t still rip their heart out. His proclivity for grounders could mean even more GIDP problems for the Halos.
Game 2: Hector Santiago vs. Kendall Graveman
Santiago was strong at home last Thursday, giving the Halos their first quality start of 2016, and should have a good opportunity to do much the same in the pitcher-friendly Coliseum on Tuesday. As long as the left-hander can stay away from the dreaded two-out walk and the big outfield keeps his fly-ball tendencies from biting him, he should be OK. Oakland isn’t stocking up on fly-ball hitters like they used to, so the long ball shouldn’t be a persistent existential threat.
Graveman skyrocketed to through the minors in two seasons despite mediocre strikeout and walk rates, making his debut in 2015 at age 24. His first season with the A’s (4.05 ERA in 21 starts) was solid considering the so-so peripherals and lack of experience (62.2 IP) above Double-A, and gives the impression that he could make some big strides forward this year as he gets more comfortable facing big-league hitters.
Game 3: Matt Shoemaker vs. Eric Surkamp
If Shoemaker wants to stay at the big-league level, he’s going to have to figure out how to make his splitter a weapon again. The biggest weapon of Shoemaker’s 2014 returned more hits (2) than swings-and-misses (2) in his 2016 debut, effectively leaving the right-hander with zero plus offerings. Should Shoemaker struggle yet again Wednesday, maybe a return to the elevation of Salt Lake City would help him rediscover what he’s seemingly lost?
Surkamp wasn’t supposed to be anywhere near Oakland’s rotation, but injuries to Jarrod Parker and Felix Doubront, and an apparent lack of confidence in Jesse Hahn, pushed him into the A’s opening week rotation. Prior to his Thursday start against the Mariners, in which he allowed two runs in 4⅓ innings, the left-hander hadn’t started in the big leagues since 2012. He owns a 6.95 ERA in eight career starts.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
