Orioles-Angels series preview: O’s continue road trip in Southern California

If a team loses three of four games in a series, and no one is there to see it, did it really happen?

Yes, unfortunately. Hardly anyone showed up to watch, but the O’s did have a tough series in Oakland with three losses, the last two of which came by a total of three runs.

Now Baltimore heads to Anaheim for a series with the Angels, who sit in first place in the AL West at 8-5. The Angels’ stars need no introduction, even if they’ve been scuffling; Mike Trout is batting .267 (.972 OPS) with two homers and three RBI, defending MVP Shohei Ohtani is at .236 (.743 OPS) with three homers and nine RBI, and Anthony Rendon is at .200 with one homer and four RBI.

Los Angeles has gotten good performances from elsewhere in the lineup, though. First baseman Jared Walsh is hitting .282, second baseman Tyler Wade is batting .321 and outfielder Brandon Marsh is hitting .323. The Angels are eighth in the majors with a team average of .253, but they rank 23rd with a team ERA of 4.15.

Game 1: Friday, April 22nd, 9:38 p.m., MASN 2

Bruce Zimmermann (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Reid Detmers (0-0, 8.59 ERA)

Can Zimmermann keep the hot start going? He started off with four shutout innings against the Brewers in the home opener, and then blanked the Yankees through five in what became a 5-0 victory. This will be his first night start, though, for whatever that’s worth.

It’s been a different story for Detmers, who was solid while allowing two runs in four innings to the Astros in his first start, but who was then hit hard by Texas to the tune of five runs in 3.1 innings. He went 1-3 with a 7.40 ERA last year.

Game 2: Saturday, April 23rd, 9:07 p.m., MASN

Spenser Watkins (0-0, 2.25 ERA) vs. Noah Syndergaard (2-0, 1.59 ERA)

That same question with Zimmermann, you can ask with Watkins. It remains to be seen whether Watkins is doing what he did last year, when he started out with a 1.65 ERA through his first three starts before ending up with an ERA over 8, or if he really has taken a step forward. He struggled with four runs allowed in three innings against the Brewers, but bounced back to allow one run in five against the A’s.

Syndergaard’s return to full strength from injury has been impressive. The former All-Star and Cy Young candidate has looked great in both starts with the Angels this season, going 5.1 shutout innings against Houston, and then allowing two runs in six frames against Texas.

Game 3: Sunday, April 24th, 4:07 p.m., MASN 2

Chris Ellis (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Jose Suarez (0-1, 5.19 ERA)

After pitching to a 2.49 ERA across six appearances last year, Ellis had a solid debut this season, allowing four hits across 4.1 scoreless innings in an outing against the Athletics.

The Angels this season have done better the worse Suarez has pitched. He gave up two runs on two hits in 4.1 innings in a 4-1 loss to Houston, then gave up three runs on five hits in 4.1 innings to Texas in a game the Angels went on to win 8-3.