Dodgers head to Anaheim for two-game series

The Dodgers are coming off of a couple of incredible comebacks and two sweeps in their last three series as they head down the road for two games against the Angels.

When the two teams last faced each other, Tony Gonsolin threw seven shutout innings in his start, while Tyler Anderson was two outs away from a no-hitter in his own. The Dodgers won both games.

Clayton Kershaw and Julio Urías are up next in the rotation, though they haven’t officially been announced as starters for the upcoming series. Kershaw struck out 10 in six innings in his last start, while Urías had a harder time against the Cubs, allowing five runs—including a grand slam—in the first inning.

The Angels, meanwhile, have been on the receiving end of a couple of sweeps recently thanks to the Astros (July 1-3) and Orioles (July 7-10). More recently, the team has been working around Mike Trout’s back spasms. Trout, who is expected to be ready to go for the All-Star Game, sat out on Wednesday’s game after reporting symptoms during the Angels’ series against the Marlins last week. He’s currently listed as day-to-day.

What about the Angels’ other superstar, Shohei Ohtani? He struck out 12 batters on 105 pitches and six innings on Wednesday, his fourth straight start with double-digit strikeouts. The multi-talented star also tripled, so it’s safe to say he’ll be a real threat this weekend in Anaheim.

The home team will likely send Patrick Sandoval to the mound on Friday followed by José Suarez on Saturday. Sandoval has a 2.95 ERA and 3-4 record on the season, allowing just five hits and striking out 10 in his last start. FanGraphs calls Sandoval the Halos’ best pitcher behind Ohtani, though his fastball leaves something to be desired.

Suarez, meanwhile, is 1-3 with a 4.79 ERA. He allowed four runs on three hits with just one strikeout in 3.2 innings during his last start.

Schedule and Matchups

Friday, July 15

6:38 p.m. (SportsNet LA, Bally Sports West)

Clayton Kershaw (6-2) vs. Patrick Sandoval (3-4)

Friday, July 15

7:07 p.m. (SportsNet LA, Bally Sports West, MLB Network)

Julio Urías (7-6) vs. José Suarez (1-3)