The Los Angeles Angels are now on a three-game losing streak after winning the first two games of the season against the Houston Astros.
The excitement from the first two games of the season is starting to dissipate after the Los Angeles Angels dropped its third straight game and the series opener against the Chicago Cubs.
After the Angels got brilliant pitching performances from right-hander José Soriano, left-hander Yusei Kikuchi and the bullpen in those two wins against the Houston Astros, the Astros scored 20 runs during the final two games of the series to earn a split and the Cubs jumped reliever-turned-starter Ryan Johnson early for a big lead that wasn’t relinquished.
Johnson had trouble finding the strike zone in the first inning, walking the leadoff, third and cleanup hitters which set up second baseman Nico Hoerner to bring in the game’s first run on a sacrifice fly before catcher Carson Kelly knocked in two with a bloop single to right center as both defenders were playing too deep (the wind was blowing out to center, to be fair).
Johnson threw a clean second inning but ran into more trouble in the third, giving up a solo home run to left fielder Ian Happ and allowing two more runs to score on a single from designated hitter Moises Ballesteros. Those runs shouldn’t have scored, though; Kelly lined out to second base for the second out of the inning and center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong was far off the third base bag when the throw to double him off came to third baseman Yoan Moncada. But instead of getting the force-out by stepping on the base, Moncada opted to tag Crow-Armstrong and he was safe. On the very next pitch, Ballesteros hit the two-run single.
Johnson’s night was done after 3.1 innings. He allowed six earned runs on seven hits and four walks while striking out two. The bullpen allowed one run during the final 4.2 innings, but the lineup couldn’t generate any offense against Cubs right-hander Edward Cabrera over his six scoreless innings.
Moncada would get the Angels on the board in the seventh inning with a two-run blast to right field, but it wasn’t enough and the Cubs won 7-2.
If the weather forecast allows the game to be played today, it should be a lot easier for the Angels to get something going in the batter’s box.
Chicago’s probable starter is righty Jameson Taillon, who had an atrocious spring training – he allowed 26 earned runs and gave up 10 homers in 13.1 innings. Yes, spring training results don’t matter, but Cubs fans will be the first to tell you they think he’s an automatic loss despite having a solid 2025 season.
Los Angeles’ rotation turns over and Soriano will be tasked with ending the team’s three-game skid. He was sharp against the Astros, going six shutout innings with seven strikeouts and earning the win.
As aforementioned about the weather forecast, which is calling for lots of rain and some thunderstorms, it won’t be nearly as nice as it was for the opener. That could make it more difficult to generate offense for both teams, but the Cubs would have the slight advantage in that aspect as the club is used to it. Then again, if Taillon resembles the spring training version of himself, the Angels might be OK.