Los Angeles @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 1, 2018 ) LA Angels 3, Houston 7

The Houston Astros are engaged in a battle for supremacy in the American League West with the Oakland Athletics while Los Angeles sits well out of the race, but the Angels are the headliners on Sunday. Los Angeles will welcome phenom Shohei Ohtani back to the mound when it visits the Astros in the finale of a four-game series on Sunday.

Ohtani generated a slew of interest when he signed with Los Angeles as a two-way player out of Japan over the winter but has not pitched since June 6 after being diagnosed with a Grade 2 sprain of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right arm. "I always wanted to get back on the mound as soon as I can, especially with all our starting pitchers getting hurt and going on the DL," Ohtani told reporters through interpreter Ippei Mizuhara. "That made me want to get back out there even more. Hopefully, I can finish the year strong with no setbacks or injuries." The Astros dropped the first two games of the series before picking up a 7-3 victory on Saturday and sit 2 1/2 games in front of the Athletics in the division. Houston will send All-Star right-hander Gerrit Cole to the mound to challenge Ohtani on Sunday.

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, ESPN

PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Shohei Ohtani (4-1, 3.10 ERA) vs. Astros RH Gerrit Cole (12-5, 2.85)

Ohtani owns 15 home runs in 80 games but has been limited to hitting since going down in early June. The 24-year-old allowed two or fewer earned runs in each of his last five outings and owns 61 strikeouts in 49 1/3 total innings. Ohtani started against the Astros on April 24 and endured one of his worst outings, allowing a season-high four runs on six hits and five walks in 5 1/3 innings.

Cole got some help from his offense and pulled out a win over Oakland on Monday despite allowing four runs on four hits and a pair of walks. The UCLA product's 234 strikeouts rank second only to teammate Justin Verlander in the AL. Cole matched his shortest outing of the season at Los Angeles on May 15 when he allowed three runs in five innings and did not factor in the decision.

WALK-OFFS

1. Angels LF Justin Upton (concussion) left Saturday's game and is day-to-day.

2. Houston 2B Jose Altuve is 0-for-8 with four strikeouts in the last two games, dipping his batting average to .323.

3. Los Angeles CF Mike Trout is 1-for-12 over his last four games.

PREDICTION: Astros 6, Angels 2