Beginning on Friday, the Oakland Athletics will welcome the Los Angeles Angels to the O.Co Coliseum for a marquee three-game set between the A.L. West's top two teams.
Although the A's have scuffled as of late, losing six of their last eight, they remain atop both the A.L. West and the American League in their quest for a third straight division championship.
The Angels had won eleven of fourteen before alternating wins and losses in their past six games. The Halos currently sit in the first A.L. Wild Card slot heading into the middle of the 2014 MLB season.
Snapshot:
Home: Oakland Athletics
Record: (32-22, 14-12 home, 1st A.L. West)
Away: Los Angeles Angels
Record: (30-23, 15-10 road, 2nd A.L. West)
Season Series: Oakland leads 2-1
Key stat:
The Oakland Athletics +100 run differential is good for the best in all of baseball, with their closest competition sitting more than 50 runs behind.
A's outlook:
Josh Donaldson sits atop the American League All-Star balloting at third base, just under 60,000 votes ahead of the Rays' Evan Longoria.
This shouldn't come as a surprise for those who have watched the encore of Donaldson's brilliant 2013 season closely, with the Athletics' spark plug currently on pace to hit 40 home runs and drive in 120 RBIs.
Donaldson also leads the A.L. in WAR (4.1), ahead of perennial MVP candidate Mike Trout (3.2) by almost a full game.
Is it enough to lock him into a starting spot in July's Midsummer Classic? We'll have to wait and see.
Angels outlook:
Another classic season from Mike Trout and timely pitching has vaulted the Angels back into the conversation as contenders in the American League.
The question is whether or not their bullpen can continue to do just enough to keep the momentum going through the final four months of the season.
The bullpen sits 22nd in the MLB with a 4.02 ERA, yet they are still limiting opposing hitters to a very solid .229 batting average.
If the oft-maligned relief corps can keep damage at a minimum, the Angels have all the firepower necessary to go head-to-head with the A's until the bitter end.
What to watch for:
Get your DVRs ready.
Sunday's pitching matchup between the A's young ace Sonny Gray (5-1, 2.31) and proven Angels #1 Jered Weaver (6-3, 2.99) promises to be one of the best pitching duels of this weekend (or perhaps any weekend this season).
If you haven't seen Gray's masterful "Uncle Charlie" curveball yet, be sure to check it out here.
What they are saying about the A's:
Ryan Cook may only need one rehab appearance (Official Site of the A's)
Doolittle comes to Johnson's defense regarding boos (CSN Bay Area)
What they are saying about the Angels:
Bullpen loses Aaron Burnett for season with UCL tear (TwinCities.com)
Angels erupt with Pujols-less lineup to earn split (Official Site of the Angels)
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