December 12, 2018 10:08 PM PST
Two right-handers who hope to remain part of the starting
rotation next season will go head-to-head when the Los Angeles Angels host the
Texas Rangers on Monday in the opener of a three-game series at Angel
Stadium.Adrian Sampson is scheduled to make his fourth career start and third
with the Rangers. Felix Pena will make his 17th start for the Angels since being
converted from a reliever earlier this season.Sampson
(0-2 [url=http://www.raysfanproshop.com/authentic-brad-miller-jersey]http://www.raysfanproshop.com/authentic-brad-miller-jersey[/url] ,
4.09 ERA) made his starting debut with the Rangers on Sept. 11 at Angel Stadium.
He held Los Angeles (75-81) to one run and two hits in five innings, but eight
Angels relievers combined to shut out the Rangers 1-0 after holding them without
a hit for 7 1/3 innings.Article continues below ...Angels first baseman Jose
Fernandez hit his first major league home run in the second inning to account
for the only run.The Rangers (66-89) didn’t provide any run support in Sampson’s
second start either. He allowed two runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings of a 3-0
loss to the visiting Tampa Bay Rays on Monday. In the 10 2/3 innings that
Sampson has been in the game as a starter, Texas has combined for one
hit.Sampson told MLB.com after his last outing that he’s always been slotted as
a fastball pitcher but likes the way he has been executing all of his pitches
lately.“It has been good for two starts,” he said. “I am a workhorse and I can
go deep in games. I can help the team. I can give them innings as a starting
pitcher. I just want to show them that.”Before Texas manager Jeff Banister was
fired Friday, he said the last week of the season will be important for players
like Sampson.“These guys are still out here competing on a daily basis,”
Banister told MLB.com after Sampson’s last start. Pena (3-5, 4.20) made his only
appearance against the Rangers on Sept. 12 in Anaheim, throwing six shutout
innings in the 8-1 victory. Pena has performed a lot more like that lately than
he did in his last outing, when he gave up six runs and six hits in four innings
of a 10-0 loss to the Oakland A’s on Wednesday.Pena told MLB.com after the loss
that he planned to quickly put that appearance behind him.“Some days you’re
going to feel good, but you’re not going to be able to control what
happens [url=http://www.raysfanproshop.com/authentic-joey-wendle-jersey]Joey
Wendle Jersey[/url] ,” he said. “The only thing that I can control is to keep
working hard like I’ve been doing and prepare for my next start.”Angels
shortstop Andrelton Simmons left a 6-2 loss at the Houston Astros on Sunday with
a left knee injury but told reporters after the game that he hoped to play
Monday.Angels center fielder Mike Trout rested Sunday after hitting a home run
in five of the previous six games. He has 38 home runs this season, three shy of
his career high set in 2015. Jim McIsaac/Getty ImagesThe 2018MLB playoff field
is nearly set.All five American League teams and three of the five National
League teams have clinched a spot. That leaves the Colorado Rockies and Los
Angeles Dodgers fighting for the NL West title and the whoever loses out on the
division crown battling with the St. Louis Cardinals for the second NL wild-card
spot.Also still up for grabs is the right to host the AL Wild Card Game and the
NL Central title, as the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers are separated by
just a half game.Here's a look at how the playoff field would line up if the
season ended Wednesday, as well as some updated World Series odds:Current
Playoff MatchupsAmerican LeagueWild Card Game: (WC2) Oakland Athletics at (WC1)
New York YankeesALDS: (1) Boston Red Sox vs. (WC) New York Yankees/Oakland
AthleticsALDS: (2) Houston Astros vs. (3) Cleveland IndiansNational LeagueWild
Card Game: (WC2) Los Angeles Dodgers at (WC1) Milwaukee BrewersNLDS: (1) Chicago
Cubs vs. (WC) Los Angeles Dodgers/Milwaukee BrewersNLDS: (2) Atlanta Braves vs.
(3) Colorado RockiesOdds to Win 2018 World SeriesChris SaleAdam Glanzman/Getty
ImagesBoston Red Sox: 3-1Houston Astros: 7-2Los Angeles Dodgers: 11-2Chicago
Cubs: 15-2Cleveland Indians: 8-1New York Yankees: 12-1Atlanta Braves:
12-1Oakland Athletics: 15-1Milwaukee Brewers: 18-1Colorado Rockies: 30-1St.
Louis Cardinals: 30-1Odds courtesy of OddsSharkand last updated Tuesday.
OverviewBob Levey/Getty ImagesThe Red Sox have won a franchise-record 107 games,
so it's no surprise to see them listed as the World Series favorite.Paced by a
high-powered offense that leads the majors in batting average (.268), OPS
(.791), runs (855) and runs per game (5.38), the Red Sox also have a dangerous
starting staff and one of the best closers in baseball.Chris Sale (12-4, 2.11
ERA) and David Price (16-7, 3.58 ERA) form a lethal one-two punch atop the
rotation [url=http://www.raysfanproshop.com/authentic-christian-arroyo-jersey]http://www.raysfanproshop.com/authentic-christian-arroyo-jersey[/url] ,
while Craig Kimbrel (42/47 SV, 2.79 ERA, 13.7 K/9) can slam the door with the
best of them.Of course, the defending champion Astros will have something to say
about the AL side of things.Houston leads the majors in starters' ERA (3.20) and
team ERA (3.13), and a playoff rotation of Justin Verlander (16-9, 2.60 ERA),
Gerrit Cole (15-5 2.92 ERA), Charlie Morton (15-3, 3.18 ERA) and Dallas Keuchel
(12-11, 3.75 ERA) is going to be awfully tough.The Yankees lead the majors in
home runs
(256) [url=http://www.raysfanproshop.com/authentic-nathan-eovaldi-jersey]http://www.raysfanproshop.com/authentic-nathan-eovaldi-jersey[/url] ,
the Indians are the first team in MLB history to have four pitchers reach 200
strikeouts in a season, and the A's have the best record in baseball (41-21)
since the All-Star break.In other words, don't count anyone out in the American
League.The Dodgers are still trying to win their division, yet they're pegged as
the favorites on the NL side.Walker Buehler could be a huge X-factor for the
Dodgers this postseason.Rob Leiter/Getty ImagesA 10-4 record in their last 14
games gives them some welcome momentum, and with the starting staff of Clayton
Kershaw, Walker Buehler, Rich Hill and Hyun-Jin Ryu all pitching well right now,
there's no question they're dangerous.Likewise, the Cubs are still trying to
lock down a division title over the streaking Brewers.With a 3-4 record in their
last seven games and a bullpen that's leaking like a sieve, this isn't the same
Cubs team we've seen in recent
seasons [url=http://www.raysfanproshop.com/authentic-daniel-robertson-jersey]http://www.raysfanproshop.com/authentic-daniel-robertson-jersey[/url] ,
but their combination of talent and experience could be enough to flip the
switch in October.This is uncharted territory for the upstart Braves, but
they've had the luxury of clinching their spot well in advance, which has given
them time to rest up and properly line up their playoff rotation. They'll go as
far as Mike Foltynewicz and Kevin Gausman atop the staffcan carry them.The
Rockies and Cardinals are still duking it out for the final wild-card spot, and
both teams have been playing extremely well since the All-Star break.It looks
like whoever captures the NL pennant this year is going to have their work cut
out for them against whichever club emerges from the AL race, but anything can
happen in October.All stats courtesy of Baseball Referenceand accurate through
Wednesday.
Two right-handers who hope to remain part of the starting
rotation next season will go head-to-head when the Los Angeles Angels host the
Texas Rangers on Monday in the opener of a three-game series at Angel
Stadium.Adrian Sampson is scheduled to make his fourth career start and third
with the Rangers. Felix Pena will make his 17th start for the Angels since being
converted from a reliever earlier this season.Sampson
(0-2 [url=http://www.raysfanproshop.com/authentic-brad-miller-jersey]http://www.raysfanproshop.com/authentic-brad-miller-jersey[/url] ,
4.09 ERA) made his starting debut with the Rangers on Sept. 11 at Angel Stadium.
He held Los Angeles (75-81) to one run and two hits in five innings, but eight
Angels relievers combined to shut out the Rangers 1-0 after holding them without
a hit for 7 1/3 innings.Article continues below ...Angels first baseman Jose
Fernandez hit his first major league home run in the second inning to account
for the only run.The Rangers (66-89) didn’t provide any run support in Sampson’s
second start either. He allowed two runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings of a 3-0
loss to the visiting Tampa Bay Rays on Monday. In the 10 2/3 innings that
Sampson has been in the game as a starter, Texas has combined for one
hit.Sampson told MLB.com after his last outing that he’s always been slotted as
a fastball pitcher but likes the way he has been executing all of his pitches
lately.“It has been good for two starts,” he said. “I am a workhorse and I can
go deep in games. I can help the team. I can give them innings as a starting
pitcher. I just want to show them that.”Before Texas manager Jeff Banister was
fired Friday, he said the last week of the season will be important for players
like Sampson.“These guys are still out here competing on a daily basis,”
Banister told MLB.com after Sampson’s last start. Pena (3-5, 4.20) made his only
appearance against the Rangers on Sept. 12 in Anaheim, throwing six shutout
innings in the 8-1 victory. Pena has performed a lot more like that lately than
he did in his last outing, when he gave up six runs and six hits in four innings
of a 10-0 loss to the Oakland A’s on Wednesday.Pena told MLB.com after the loss
that he planned to quickly put that appearance behind him.“Some days you’re
going to feel good, but you’re not going to be able to control what
happens [url=http://www.raysfanproshop.com/authentic-joey-wendle-jersey]Joey
Wendle Jersey[/url] ,” he said. “The only thing that I can control is to keep
working hard like I’ve been doing and prepare for my next start.”Angels
shortstop Andrelton Simmons left a 6-2 loss at the Houston Astros on Sunday with
a left knee injury but told reporters after the game that he hoped to play
Monday.Angels center fielder Mike Trout rested Sunday after hitting a home run
in five of the previous six games. He has 38 home runs this season, three shy of
his career high set in 2015. Jim McIsaac/Getty ImagesThe 2018MLB playoff field
is nearly set.All five American League teams and three of the five National
League teams have clinched a spot. That leaves the Colorado Rockies and Los
Angeles Dodgers fighting for the NL West title and the whoever loses out on the
division crown battling with the St. Louis Cardinals for the second NL wild-card
spot.Also still up for grabs is the right to host the AL Wild Card Game and the
NL Central title, as the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers are separated by
just a half game.Here's a look at how the playoff field would line up if the
season ended Wednesday, as well as some updated World Series odds:Current
Playoff MatchupsAmerican LeagueWild Card Game: (WC2) Oakland Athletics at (WC1)
New York YankeesALDS: (1) Boston Red Sox vs. (WC) New York Yankees/Oakland
AthleticsALDS: (2) Houston Astros vs. (3) Cleveland IndiansNational LeagueWild
Card Game: (WC2) Los Angeles Dodgers at (WC1) Milwaukee BrewersNLDS: (1) Chicago
Cubs vs. (WC) Los Angeles Dodgers/Milwaukee BrewersNLDS: (2) Atlanta Braves vs.
(3) Colorado RockiesOdds to Win 2018 World SeriesChris SaleAdam Glanzman/Getty
ImagesBoston Red Sox: 3-1Houston Astros: 7-2Los Angeles Dodgers: 11-2Chicago
Cubs: 15-2Cleveland Indians: 8-1New York Yankees: 12-1Atlanta Braves:
12-1Oakland Athletics: 15-1Milwaukee Brewers: 18-1Colorado Rockies: 30-1St.
Louis Cardinals: 30-1Odds courtesy of OddsSharkand last updated Tuesday.
OverviewBob Levey/Getty ImagesThe Red Sox have won a franchise-record 107 games,
so it's no surprise to see them listed as the World Series favorite.Paced by a
high-powered offense that leads the majors in batting average (.268), OPS
(.791), runs (855) and runs per game (5.38), the Red Sox also have a dangerous
starting staff and one of the best closers in baseball.Chris Sale (12-4, 2.11
ERA) and David Price (16-7, 3.58 ERA) form a lethal one-two punch atop the
rotation [url=http://www.raysfanproshop.com/authentic-christian-arroyo-jersey]http://www.raysfanproshop.com/authentic-christian-arroyo-jersey[/url] ,
while Craig Kimbrel (42/47 SV, 2.79 ERA, 13.7 K/9) can slam the door with the
best of them.Of course, the defending champion Astros will have something to say
about the AL side of things.Houston leads the majors in starters' ERA (3.20) and
team ERA (3.13), and a playoff rotation of Justin Verlander (16-9, 2.60 ERA),
Gerrit Cole (15-5 2.92 ERA), Charlie Morton (15-3, 3.18 ERA) and Dallas Keuchel
(12-11, 3.75 ERA) is going to be awfully tough.The Yankees lead the majors in
home runs
(256) [url=http://www.raysfanproshop.com/authentic-nathan-eovaldi-jersey]http://www.raysfanproshop.com/authentic-nathan-eovaldi-jersey[/url] ,
the Indians are the first team in MLB history to have four pitchers reach 200
strikeouts in a season, and the A's have the best record in baseball (41-21)
since the All-Star break.In other words, don't count anyone out in the American
League.The Dodgers are still trying to win their division, yet they're pegged as
the favorites on the NL side.Walker Buehler could be a huge X-factor for the
Dodgers this postseason.Rob Leiter/Getty ImagesA 10-4 record in their last 14
games gives them some welcome momentum, and with the starting staff of Clayton
Kershaw, Walker Buehler, Rich Hill and Hyun-Jin Ryu all pitching well right now,
there's no question they're dangerous.Likewise, the Cubs are still trying to
lock down a division title over the streaking Brewers.With a 3-4 record in their
last seven games and a bullpen that's leaking like a sieve, this isn't the same
Cubs team we've seen in recent
seasons [url=http://www.raysfanproshop.com/authentic-daniel-robertson-jersey]http://www.raysfanproshop.com/authentic-daniel-robertson-jersey[/url] ,
but their combination of talent and experience could be enough to flip the
switch in October.This is uncharted territory for the upstart Braves, but
they've had the luxury of clinching their spot well in advance, which has given
them time to rest up and properly line up their playoff rotation. They'll go as
far as Mike Foltynewicz and Kevin Gausman atop the staffcan carry them.The
Rockies and Cardinals are still duking it out for the final wild-card spot, and
both teams have been playing extremely well since the All-Star break.It looks
like whoever captures the NL pennant this year is going to have their work cut
out for them against whichever club emerges from the AL race, but anything can
happen in October.All stats courtesy of Baseball Referenceand accurate through
Wednesday.