Hot-hitting Shohei Ohtani will be looking to extend his 13-game hitting streak as the Los Angeles Angels (40-32) face off against the Kansas City Royals (18-51) at Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium on Saturday.
The Angels took Friday’s series opener 3-0, their third head-to-head victory in four games this season. Patrick Sandoval threw seven scoreless innings for the win, and Sam Bachman pitched two scoreless innings to pick up his first save of the season. Brandon Drury was 2 for 4 with a double and two RBIs in the win. Matt Duffy went 1 for 2 with a walk for the Royals.
ON THE MOUND
Griffin Canning (5-2, 4.56 ERA) is slated for the start for Los Angeles. The right-hander allowed four runs (three earned) over five innings in his last start, a 9-4 road win over the Mariners on Sunday. He got the win, yielding seven hits while striking out seven.
AT THE PLATE
Over the last five games, Los Angeles has averaged 5.4 runs a game, a small gain compared to their season average of 4.9. Kansas City is averaging only 3.0 runs per game in the last five, down slightly from 3.7 for the season.
The Royals have a .664 OPS against right-handers in 2023, the third lowest in the league. With a .910 OPS over 173 at-bats, Salvador Perez has been their best hitter against right-handers.
HOME AND AWAY
Los Angeles is 20-18 away from Angel Stadium of Anaheim in 2023, scoring 4.8 runs per game while allowing 4.4 runs. Kansas City has lost four in a row in front of their home fans.
The Royals are 9-27 at home this season, averaging 4.1 runs per game while surrendering 5.6. In the last 10 games between the teams at Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium, Los Angeles is 6-4 with an average scoreline of 4.2-3.2.
STANDINGS UPDATE
The Angels are third in the AL West, three games behind the division-leading Rangers. The Royals are fifth in the AL Central, 16 games behind the Twins.
SportsTips’ MLB Pick:
LA Angels (-165)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
