Detroit @ Los Angeles preview
Angel Stadium
Last Meeting ( Apr 19, 2010 ) Detroit 0, LA Angels 2
Over the winter, the Los Angeles Angels signed a pair of highly-productive free-agents in the form of outfielder Hideki Matsui and starter Joel Pineiro.
While both of the newbies have proven to be great pickups to this point, it is another more unheralded signing that perhaps is paying bigger dividends. Enter Fernando Rodney, a reliever whose value has skyrocketed due to an injury to closer Brian Fuentes.
With Fuentes on the 15-day disabled list because of a back strain, Rodney has assumed the role as closer and provided nothing but strong performances. The right-hander is a perfect 4-for-4 in save opportunities, including locking down Tuesday’s 2-0 win over his former squad, the Detroit Tigers, in what may be his last opportunity for a while.
With Fuentes, who has pitched just one inning this season, scheduled to be activated at some point during the week, Rodney will slide back to his role as one of the league’s top setup men and fortify the team’s strong bullpen.
Taking the mound for the Angels on Tuesday against the Tigers will be Scott Kazmir, who wants to erase an ineffective first start of the season as he comes back from a shoulder injury. Kazmir allowed four runs on six hits over four innings against the New York Yankees.
The left-hander, who was acquired in a midseason trade with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2009, will be eying his first win at Angel Stadium. He is currently 0-2 with a 3.16 ERA in four starts at the friendly confines.
In eight career starts against the Tigers, Kazmir is 2-4 with a 4.69 ERA.
Trying to stop the Angels current four-game winning streak is the young Rick Porcello. The 21-year-old right-hander is 1-0 with a 4.09 ERA and has given up 15 hits in 11 innings through two starts on the season.
Porcello is hoping to re-discover his 2009 form when he won 14 games with a 3.96 ERA as a rookie. He took a no-decision in one start against the Angels.
Detroit has struggled of late, losing four of its last five, but not because the efforts of Miguel Cabrera. The Tigers slugger has carried the offense and leads the team with a .370 average and 14 RBIs.
The Angels have gotten a boost from Matsui, who leads the squad with three home runs and eight RBIs.