Los Angeles has dropped 12 of its last 14 after starting 11-10, and the wheels aren't just wobbling — they're rolling down the freeway. Now they get a White Sox club that came in at 16-18 and already pushed them around earlier in the homestand, with Erick Fedde on the bump opposite lefty Sam Aldegheri.
The injury sheet is the real horror show. Yusei Kikuchi just hit the IL with shoulder inflammation, Grayson Rodriguez and Alek Manoah are still working back, Ryan Johnson is on a rehab assignment at Rancho Cucamonga, and Logan O'Hoppe is playing catch with a bad wrist. The bullpen has been gutted too — Ben Joyce, Kirby Yates, and Robert Stephenson (out for the year after elbow surgery) are all unavailable. That is a rotation and a pen running on fumes.
- Day-To-DayMason Adams RP — The White Sox announced that Adams underwent successful Tommy John surgery Wednesday, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILKyle Teel C — Teel (hamstring) will run the bases this weekend before beginning a rehab assignment next week if all goes well, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILAustin Hays LF — The White Sox placed Hays on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Saturday, due to a left calf strain.
- 10-Day-ILEverson Pereira RF — The White Sox placed Pereira on the 10-day injured list Wednesday due to a right pectoral strain.
- 60-Day-ILMike Vasil RP — The White Sox transferred Vasil (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Tuesday.
- 60-Day-ILTanner Murray LF — The White Sox transferred Murray (shoulder) to the 60-day injured list Monday.
- 60-Day-ILBrooks Baldwin LF — The White Sox transferred Baldwin (elbow) from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday.
- 60-Day-ILKy Bush SP — The White Sox placed Bush (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Feb. 10.
- Day-To-DayWalbert Urena SP — Urena (0-3) took the loss Saturday against the Royals after allowing four runs on six hits and five walks across 3.2 innings. He struck out three.
- 10-Day-ILLogan O'Hoppe C — O'Hoppe (wrist) played catch Saturday, per MLB.com.
- 15-Day-ILGrayson Rodriguez SP — Rodriguez (shoulder) is scheduled to throw up to five innings in the Arizona Complex League on Tuesday, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILYusei Kikuchi SP — Kikuchi (shoulder) will be shut down from throwing for 3-to-4 weeks, Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILAlek Manoah SP — Manoah (finger) tossed 4.1 innings in a rehab start with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga on Saturday, allowing six runs (five earned) on seven hits and two walks while striking out two batters.
- 15-Day-ILRyan Johnson SP — Johnson (hamstring/illness) will begin a rehab assignment at Single-A Rancho Cucamonga on Sunday, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILBen Joyce RP — Joyce (shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment at Single-A Rancho Cucamonga on Wednesday, Taylor Blake Ward of TheSportingTribune.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILRobert Stephenson RP — The Angels announced that Stephenson underwent ligament and flexor repair surgery on his right elbow Wednesday and is likely to miss the remainder of the season, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.
Aldegheri (1-0, 5.40 ERA) is the kind of arm you start when half your staff is in the trainer's room. Fedde counters at 0-3 with a 3.24 ERA — better than the record suggests, but the White Sox haven't exactly been hanging crooked numbers behind him. The Angels lineup still has Mike Trout, Zach Neto, and some real thump, so the path to a Halos win is the same as always: hope the stars carry the night before the bullpen has to.
The market makes the Angels a -110 home favorite with the run line at -1.5/+1.5 and the total parked at 9. None of it screams value — every EV figure is negative — but the DK handle is leaning Sox on the moneyline (66%) while the bet count is split, which usually means sharper money is taking the dog. Track that if you're playing.
Bottom line: an Angels team riding 10 straight losing seasons and the longest active playoff drought in baseball is trying to stop the bleeding against a rebuilding White Sox club that just punked them. If Anaheim can't take this one at home with the run line in their favor, the temperature on this season jumps another few degrees.