The Angels are 14-23, last in the AL West, and have lost 3 of their last 5. The White Sox have been the better team in this series and have controlled the head-to-head matchup with the Angels this year, per the on-site previews of the set. Now they get the matinee at Angel Stadium with the home side trying to scratch out a win before the team buses leave town.
The bigger issue for the Angels is who is actually available to throw a baseball. Kikuchi is shut down for 3 to 4 weeks with a shoulder. Grayson Rodriguez is still building back up in the complex league. Ryan Johnson is on a rehab assignment at Single-A. Alek Manoah is also rehabbing — and his last rehab outing went 4.1 innings, 6 runs, 7 hits. That's not exactly a green light. The starting depth is whoever can throw strikes and stand up the next morning.
- 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-DayTravis d'Arnaud C — D'Arnaud is not in the lineup Tuesday versus the White Sox.
- 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 during a rehab start in the rookie-level 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-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.
- 60-Day-ILAnthony Rendon 3B — The Angels placed Rendon (hip) on the 60-day injured list Tuesday.
On top of the rotation problems, the lineup is short Logan O'Hoppe (wrist) and Anthony Rendon is on the 60-day IL again. Rendon being shelved is its own running joke at this point, but the O'Hoppe absence is the one that actually moves the needle. He is the guy you want hitting in the middle of the order against a Chicago staff that is, frankly, beatable.
The market does not believe in the Angels here even at home. Pinnacle has the moneyline pick'em-ish at -107/-101, and DraftKings is shading the White Sox to -112. The total sits at 9, which is a fair number given how shaky both pitching staffs have looked. The DK splits are the part that stands out — 83% of moneyline handle is on Chicago. The public and the sharps are on the same side, which doesn't happen every day.
First pitch is 3:07 PM local. The White Sox have shown a pulse with Colson Montgomery, Andrew Benintendi, and Gavin Sheets carrying the offense, and they walked in here with a clear edge in starting pitching health. Until the Angels prove they can stack at-bats against a non-elite arm, it is hard to talk yourself into the home side. Mike Trout is going to have to do something heroic, again.