The Dodgers’ bid to sweep the Angels fizzled in a 5-4 loss, snapping a chance to complete a three-game sweep against the AL West leader. Blake Treinen and Alex Vesia allowed three solo homers in the final two innings, but the series overall was still a positive for Los Angeles, whose offense came to life at times and pitching held up for most of the stretch. They still captured two of three in the set, though their grip on the division lead tightened to two games as the Padres took two of three from Boston.
The schedule doesn’t slow down: after the Anaheim tilt, the Dodgers head home for a big weekend series with San Diego. The Angels entered the series 56-62, three games under .500 at the trade deadline and having gone 3-6 since then after a couple of win-now moves. It’s notable that Anaheim swept Los Angeles in the May meeting in LA, outscoring the Dodgers 23-15. The Angels’ most prominent storyline this year has been Shohei Ohtani’s presence as the designated hitter, with Mike Trout and company aiming to bounce back against a club that’s chasing a postseason spot.
For the mound, Yoshinobu Yamamoto takes the ball for the Dodgers after a strong performance in Tampa Bay. He worked 5 2/3 shutout innings with six strikeouts and no walks on 88 pitches in that start, and he’ll be working with a bit of rest this time around. Since his rough outing against Milwaukee, Yamamoto has allowed four runs and 18 hits across 24 1/3 innings in four starts, striking out 30 and walking five. With Thursday’s off day and the rotation getting healthier, this is his first six-day layoff since early May. In the five prior six-day rests this season, he logged a 1.97 ERA over 30 innings with 16 hits allowed and a low walk total. Yamamoto has never faced the Angels, and he’s only seen one current Angel in his career, Oswald Peraza, whom he faced in June when Peraza went 0-for-2 with a strikeout against the Yankees.
Jose Soriano will start for the Angels in his 25th appearance of the season as a starter. He owns a 4.01 ERA and 3.55 FIP over 137 innings, showing flashes of dominance with six starts of six or more innings while allowing two or fewer runs in 13 of his 24 starts. He’s also had some rough outings, including a six-run, four-inning clunker last Tuesday against Tampa Bay. Soriano is a heavy ground-ball pitcher—66.7% this season among qualified starters—and if he maintains that pace, it could set a historic mark for a pitcher in the modern era. His sinker is his primary offering, used about 51% of the time and sitting around 97.1 mph, supplemented by a knuckle curve 26.4% of the time and a few other pitches at lower rates.
Dodgers notes include Alex Call getting the start in right field with Teoscar Hernández off for a day, and Alex Freeland drawing another start at second base as the club pieces together its lineup.
Relief and rehab news also trickled out today: Michael Kopech faced hitters in live batting practice and could begin a rehab assignment soon. Kirby Yates is expected to face hitters this week, with Tanner Scott possibly next week, as both work back toward game action.
First pitch is set for 6:38 PM and will be carried on SportsNet LA.
What to watch:
– Yamamoto vs. Soriano’s ground-ball tendencies vs the Angels’ infield defense. Soriano’s high ground-ball rate is compelling, but the Angels’ defense has struggled, which could influence the late-inning options for both clubs.
– Los Angeles’ recent bullpen usage and potential reinforcements as Kopech, Yates, and Scott work back toward full health.
– The Dodgers’ offense finding more consistency with runners in scoring position, aiming to convert late opportunities into a more comfortable lead in the West.
Bottom line: a challenging but winnable matchup for the Dodgers to keep pressure on San Diego, while the Angels look to slow Los Angeles’ momentum and stabilize their own late-season push. A positive, resilient performance from Yamamoto could set the tone for a pivotal three-game series in Anaheim.