The Los Angeles Angels have already been having issues scoring enough runs and are now without Mike Trout due to a hamstring injury.
The Los Angeles Angels were down and out after just the first inning of Thursday night’s series opener against the Athletics, getting shut out 5-0 to fall 16 games under .500.
Angels ace right-hander Jose Soriano was supposed to get the nod but was scratched from the start due to a chest injury he suffered in his last outing when a comebacker struck him in the first inning.
Soriano completed four more innings and earned the win in that start against the Tampa Bay Rays but was removed after his chest tightened up. The Halos recalled right-hander Ryan Johnson to start instead, but it didn’t go well for the 23-year-old, who allowed five runs on eight hits and one walk while striking out two over five innings.
Johnson entered play with an ERA of 15.12 in 8.1 innings of work and while he lowered it, it still sits at a rough 12.83. The A’s did all of its damage on a mammoth three-run home run off the bat of catcher Shea Langeliers, a solo blast by left fielder Tyler Soderstrom and a sacrifice fly from center fielder Henry Bolte.
Athletics rookie left-hander Gage Jump threw seven scoreless innings of one-hit, three-walk ball with seven strikeouts to earn his third win of the season.
As if the team didn’t have enough problems, the team’s worst nightmare happened: star center fielder Mike Trout sustained a hamstring injury and was placed on the injured list.
Trout was in the middle of his healthiest season in a long time and was racking up tons of votes for the All-Star Game. The 34-year-old has 17 home runs and 36 RBI while slashing .233/.394/.472 (.866 OPS) in 74 games.
Los Angeles has to navigate life without its franchise cornerstone, but it has had to do that a lot over the last several years. That doesn’t make it any easier, as he is the biggest producer in the lineup.
The offense will try to get back on track against Athletics lefty Jeffrey Springs while Soriano will try to start this time around.
Springs is 3-7 with a 5.13 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 68 strikeouts to 23 walks while allowing 19 homers through 15 starts (79 innings). He last pitched in the wild 23-9 loss to the Colorado Rockies, when he allowed eight runs (six earned) on seven hits with five strikeouts across four innings.
Soriano is 8-4 with a 2.79 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 92 strikeouts to 42 walks through 14 starts (87 innings). In the win against the Rays, he allowed just three hits and walked two while fanning five in a scoreless outing.
First pitch is at 6:40 p.m. PDT on MLB.TV and regional sports networks.
