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After getting swept at home by the Miami Marlins over the weekend, the Los Angeles Angels are in need of some wins on their current seven-game road trip to hang around in the American League West race and will look to get back in the winner’s circle on Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox.
Los Angeles Angels vs. Chicago White Sox (-145, 9)
The White Sox have had a tough time generating runs this season with a lot of it being self-inflicted as the team is 21st in batting average, but entered the series 29th in on-base percentage because they have the league’s lowest walk rate.
This plays to the advantage of Angels starter Tyler Anderson, who after posting a 2.57 ERA with 1.7 walks per nine innings last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, has struggled with the Angels, posting a 4.83 ERA with 5.5 strikeouts and 4.3 walks per nine innings.
Though the season numbers for Anderson are ugly, he enters having allowed three runs or fewer in five straight starts with four of those starts coming against teams with a winning record.
The White Sox counter with Lucas Giolito, who it appeared was finding his stride with 1.7 walks per nine innings issued in his first 10 starts of the season but is coming off of allowing seven walks and four runs in 4 2/3 innings against the Tigers in his last start.
Overall the White Sox are 3-8 in Giolito’s starts this season with Giolito posting a 3.96 ERA. For his career he has had issues at home, posting a 4.80 ERA with over 1.5 home runs per nine innings allowed compared to a 3.81 road ERA with just under 1.2 home runs per nine innings allowed.
The bullpen behind Giolito has also struggled this year as the White Sox are one of just two teams with a bullpen ERA above 5.00, with the Oakland Athletics being the other.
While the White Sox bullpen should get a lift from the return of Liam Hendriks, it hasn’t performed to the same level as the Angels bullpen, which entered the series ninth in ERA.
With the Angels third among American League teams in road batting average, they will generate enough offense to win their fifth straight game in which Tyler Anderson starts and go to 7-3 overall in Anderson’s starts this season.
The Play: Angels +125