

Are we really going to develop visceral attachments to these Los Angeles Angels, who are still employers of Mike Trout and are suddenly winners of three opening series? May we finally banish the ghosts of “Tungsten Arm” O’Doyle? It’s early — so, so very early — but the Angels are looking like a team worth watching thus far. They’ll look to claim their fourth straight series with a Tuesday-to-Thursday tussle against the Tampa Bay Rays.
How to watch Los Angeles Angels at Tampa Bay Rays
- Venue: George M. Steinbrenner Field — Tampa, Fla.
- Dates: April 8-10
- Watching in-person? Get tickets on StubHub.
Viewing guide
Time (ET) | TV | Stream | Probables |
---|---|---|---|
Tues. 7:05 p.m. |
Kyle Hendricks |
||
Wed. 7:05 p.m. |
Yusei Kikuchi |
||
Thurs. 1:10 p.m. |
Jose Soriano |
Logan O’Hoppe is scorching behind the backstop, entering Tuesday with home runs in four consecutive tries. He went yard and had multiple hits in all three games versus Cleveland, tormenting a good pitching opponent and galvanizing the long-tested Anaheim crowd. Trout had a three-game homer streak of his own that was snapped on Sunday. He’s moved to right field to maximize health and availability, as Jo Adell (a 20-HR bat in 2024) now mans center. Newcomer Jorge Soler also logged two-run dingers on both Saturday and Sunday. This squad needs all the muscle it can get with a paltry .234 batting average to start the year.
Advertisement
Right-hander Kyle Hendricks (Tuesday’s starter) was brought over after his years as a Cubs bellwether, and he allowed two runs to seven baserunners in last week’s Angels debut at St. Louis. Hendricks is far from a hard thrower, but he leans on his changeup and sinker to slowly accrue outs. Fellow new signee Yusei Kikuchi goes on Wednesday, after back-to-back six-inning, three-earned-run starts against the White Sox and Cardinals. The Japanese lefty is a style switch-up after Hendricks, with six strikeouts but five walks last time out. Dominican RHP José Soriano is scheduled for Thursday. He was brilliant in his South Side Chicago opener (just two hits allowed on seven shutout innings) but labored through Cleveland on Friday.
Tampa starts this series as losers of four in a row. They took a walk-off L in Texas Sunday. It’s an inherently strange campaign for the Rays, who are playing as temps in the Yankees’ minor league park after Tropicana Field was damaged in a hurricane. And the team is second-to-last in active MLB payroll.
Mainstay Brandon Lowe is back, healthy and has 20 total bases in his first nine games; he’s played 110 or fewer in each of the past three seasons. Speedy outfielders Jonny DeLuca and Jake Mangum each have four steals in the early going, and José Caballero led the AL in swipes last year. Twenty-one-year-old prospect Junior Caminero hits in the Nos. 3 and 4 spots and starts this series seeking his first long ball of 2025.
Righty Shane Baz takes Tuesday’s hill. He was spectacular last Tuesday versus Pittsburgh, striking out 10 across six shutout frames. His fastball was coming in at 100 mph, and his curve embarrassed unsuspecting Pirates all night:
Shane Baz’s curve ball is filthy pic.twitter.com/ACib5giEIJ
— Ryan Bass (@Ry_Bass) April 2, 2025
Righy Ryan Pepiot is Wednesday’s probable. He struck out eight Colorado Rockies on March 28 but struggled with Pittsburgh last time out (three walks and just six swinging strikes in 88 pitches). A third righty, Zack Littell, is set for Thursday. The Rangers roughed him up in the third inning of Friday’s loss. He had a 3.60 ERA in 10 innings versus the Angels last season, striking out 11 but surrendering 14 hits.
Most home runs in both jerseys:
- C.J. Cron (60 LAA, 30 TB)
- Matt Joyce (76 TB, 5 LAA)
- Ji-man Choi (52 TB, 5 LAA)
American League winner odds
Betting/odds, ticketing and streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
(Photo of Logan O’Hoppe: Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images)
This news was originally published on this post .
Be the first to leave a comment