Series Preview: Series 26 vs. Angels
Photo Via: Getty ImagesThe season hangs in the balance for the Yankees. Will they be sellers? Will they be buyers? This 4-game series against the Angels will bring the Yankees to the halfway point of 2021. At this point, there is not much hope for a turnaround. The rotation is fractured, the lineup is inconsistent at best, and winning streaks are short-lived. Even against a team like the Angels, who have been ravaged with their own injuries and sub-par starting pitching, the Yankees do not have any clearly favorable matchups.
Yankees Record: 40-37
Angels Record: 37-40
Season Series: 0-0
Lifetime Record: 366-298 (Yankees leading)
Game 1
Monday, June 28 — 7:05 pm — YES Network, MLB Network
Probable Pitchers: Dylan Bundy - RHP (LAA) vs. Michael King - RHP (NYY)
Game Notes: The series starts tonight with Michael King facing Dylan Bundy. King has been a huge disappointment ever since his move to the rotation. He has yet to earn a win as a starter and his ERA has now jumped above 4 to 4.05. On the other hand, Dylan Bundy has been atrocious in 2021 after putting together a stellar 2020 season. This year, he has a 6.68 ERA and only 1 win. However, that has not stopped pitchers from shutting down the Yankees this season, as we saw yesterday with Eduardo Rodriguez on the Red Sox.
Game 2
Tuesday, June 29 — 7:05 pm — YES Network, MLB Network
Probable Pitchers: Andrew Heaney - LHP (LAA) vs. Jameson Taillon - RHP (NYY)
Game Notes: Jameson Taillon had his best outing of the season against the Royals. He pitched into the 7th inning and only allowed 1 run. However, the season as a whole has not been pretty. He owns a 5.18 ERA this year.
Left-hander Andrew Heaney has a 4.72 ERA himself, but has racked up 85 strikeouts. With a lineup full on right-handed hitters, the Yankees may fare well against Heaney, but time will tell.
Game 3
Wednesday, June 30 — 7:05 pm — YES Network
Probable Pitchers: Shohei Ohtani - RHP (LAA) vs. Domingo Germán - RHP (NYY)
Game Notes: This is the matchup that will attract the biggest crowd and the most attention. Shohei Ohtani will make his first appearance in Yankee Stadium since signing with the Angels. The two-way phenom has been nothing short of spectacular this season. His time on the mound has been limited due to blister problems early in the season combined with rest management throughout the year. However, he has been extremely effective, besides the high walk rate. He has a 2.58 ERA and strikes out hitters at an alarming rate. His fastball often reaches 100 mph, so he will be ready to throw gas on Wednesday.
Domingo Germán has seen his ERA skyrocket in the month of June. He now has a 4.32 ERA in 2021 and has been putrid over his last three starts. In Yankee Stadium, he has major problems with the home run ball, so Ohtani has a good chance to take him deep as a pitcher.
Game 4
Thursday, July 1 — 1:05 pm — YES Network
Probable Pitchers: Griffin Canning - RHP (LAA) vs. Jordan Montgomery - LHP (NYY)
Game Notes: To cap off the series, Jordan Montgomery will take the mound. He has been basically the only Yankees pitcher to not have a recent blow-up, although he is not exactly Cy Young out there. Montgomery’s respectable 4.06 ERA is a reflection of the type of pitcher he is, which is a game managing middle-starter who occasionally flashes excellent stuff.
Angels’ Griffin Canning has never truly developed into what the Angels hoped. He does have a winning record of 5-4, but with a 4.95 ERA.
Sluggers to Watch
Gary Sánchez did not really cool down or get hotter in the weekend at Boston. His at bats still look good and it appears that he is seeing the ball well, as evidenced by his great pinch-hit walk yesterday. Another big series from Gary can really change the narrative from “hot streak” to “good season.”
D.J. LeMahieu had an excellent weekend at Fenway Park. He went 7 for 14 (.500) and hit a long home run to the opposite field. The expectation for LeMahieu is to hit over .300, so he needs to keep his hot streak going and get well above where he is now (.274). The Angels are not exactly sending four shutdown pitchers to the rubber, so LeMahieu should have no problems doing what he does best.
Shohei Ohtani is not only a starting pitcher to watch in this series, but he is also, with ease, the most polarizing hitter. He has 25 home runs and leads the AL with 4 triples and 46 extra-base hits. In fact, the season he is having is one of the most impressive things I have ever seen. His eye is improving, as his .363 OBP is the highest of his career. At this point, he is just scary to face on either side of the field. His OPS is north of 1.000 against both left-handed and right-handed pitching, so good luck managing a way to get him out.
Jared Walsh is quietly having such a remarkable season for the Angels. He has 18 homers, 52 RBI, and 38 extra-base hits. Unlike Ohtani, the lefty first baseman crushes right-handed pitching, but does not do so well against lefties. In 2021, he is slashing .337/.411/.663 with 14 homers against righties and .167/.194/.333 with 4 homers against southpaws. With the Yankees starting right-handers in each of the first three games, expect Walsh to do damage early in this series.
Injury Report
LHP Zack Britton exited the game on Friday night against the Red Sox and was placed on the 10-day injured list this weekend with a strained hamstring.
LHP Wandy Peralta was also placed on the 10-day injured list this weekend with a back injury.
RHP Luis Severino strained his groin (grade 2) while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. He is now doing sprints and playing light catch and could return in late July or early August.
RHP Clarke Schmidt (elbow strain), RHP Corey Kluber (right shoulder strain), and CF Aaron Hicks (wrist surgery - out for season) are all out for the series.
RHP Darren O’Day (strained rotator cuff) and LHP Justin Wilson (strained hamstring) each began rehab assignments at Triple-A Scranton on Tuesday. It is possible that one or both pitchers can return before or during this series.
Schmidt recently threw all of his pitches in a bullpen session, but has not progressed to a rehab assignment yet. That could occur this week.
Kluber recently threw from 60 feet, but has not progressed to the point of mound work.
Notably, CF Mike Trout (strained calf) is on the 10-day injured list and has yet to resume baseball activites.
The Angels have the following players on the 10-day injured list who will not play this series:
OF Mike Trout (strained calf)
OF Justin Upton (strained lower back)
The Angels have the following players on the 60-day injured list who will not play in this series:
INF Franklin Barreto (Tommy John surgery)
OF Dexter Fowler (torn ACL)
RHP Luke Bard (hip surgery)