On Friday in Arlington, Texas, the Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels will face off against two rookie pitchers making just their second career starts.
For the Rangers (68-73), Gerson Garavito (0-1, 2.55 ERA) will take the mound.
The 29-year-old right-hander is scheduled to make his first start since his major league debut on May 26. In that game against the Minnesota Twins, Garavito gave up one run over 3 2/3 innings in a no-win situation. In 10 relief appearances since, Garavito has allowed four runs in 14 innings (2.57 ERA).
Friday will be his first time pitching against the Angels.
Samuel Aldeguelli (0-1, 3.60 ERA) will be the starter for the Angels (58-82) after making his major league debut on August 30. The 22-year-old left-hander gave up seven runs (two earned) over five innings against the Seattle Mariners, becoming the first Italian-born pitcher to make a major league appearance.
With neither team in contention for the postseason, Friday will be a showcase for the young pitchers who will be ready for next year. Texas is 7.5 games out of first place in the AL West and eight games back in the AL wild card race, while the Angels are 17 and 17.5 games back, respectively.
The Rangers won the first game of a four-game series on Thursday. Adoris Garcia’s 22nd home run of the year scored all the runs in a 3-1 victory for Texas. Cody Bradford pitched six innings for the Rangers, who have now won eight of 10 games to extend their winning streak to 10 games this season.
“Winning makes things easier. It definitely always does,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. “When you win, it creates a good vibe and confidence and makes you feel like you can go out there and win. When you can’t, obviously, you’ve got to fight and power through.”
The reigning World Series champions have not won more than .500 since May 18 and are in danger of becoming the first team since the Washington Nationals in 2020 to miss the playoffs the year after winning the championship.
With Thursday’s loss, the Angels sealed their ninth consecutive losing season and their .414 winning percentage is on track to be their worst since going 47-68 in the strike-shortened 1994 season.
One bright spot for the Angels, who haven’t played in the postseason since 2014, has been shortstop Zach Neto. The second-year player, who went 3-for-4 on Thursday, is batting .257 with 20 home runs and 27 stolen bases. The 23-year-old looks set to be a staple in the Angels’ lineup for years to come.
“This is his first year at the major league level,” Los Angeles manager Ron Washington said. “It’s all about development. He’s going to be a great player and a long-time member of the Angels.”
Texas has won four of seven games against the Angels this season with six games remaining between the two teams.
–Field Level Media
