Angels and Athletics Clash to Escape AL West Basement

The Los Angeles Angels and Oakland Athletics are set to face off in a crucial three-game series starting Friday night in Anaheim, California. Both teams are looking to avoid finishing at the bottom of the American League West standings. Currently, the Angels (66-74) sit in fourth place, holding a 2.5-game advantage over the last-place Athletics (64-77). Los Angeles leads the season series with an impressive 8-2 record against Oakland, having swept the Athletics in a previous matchup from June 9-11.

Making his second career start, Mason Barnett (0-1, 11.25 ERA), the Athletics’ No. 10 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, will take the mound on Friday. Barnett, acquired by Oakland from the Kansas City Royals at the trade deadline in 2024, made his major league debut last Saturday against the Texas Rangers, allowing five runs on eight hits across four innings in a 9-3 loss. He struck out one batter and did not issue any walks during that outing.

Athletics’ manager Mark Kotsay noted the challenges Barnett faced in his debut but expressed optimism. “He attacked the strike zone,” Kotsay said. “He got beat with pitches in the middle of the plate and up. Early on, it looked like the fastball had some life.” Barnett’s fastball reached up to 97 mph, and he started strong with a 1-2-3 first inning. However, he struggled in the following frames, giving up multiple runs due to timely hitting from the Rangers.

In contrast, the Angels will counter with right-hander Jose Soriano (10-9, 3.68 ERA), who has been on a roll lately. Soriano has won his last two starts, including a stellar performance in a 3-0 victory against the Houston Astros, where he allowed only one hit over seven innings while striking out eight. His success against the Athletics, however, has been inconsistent; he holds a record of 1-2 with a 7.09 ERA in seven career appearances against them.

Angels’ interim manager Ray Montgomery praised Soriano’s recent form. “He regrouped and came back in all those counts and really dialed it in after that,” Montgomery remarked about Soriano’s last outing. The Angels recently concluded a ten-game road trip, finishing with a balanced 5-5 record after a narrow 4-3 loss to the Kansas City Royals on Thursday, where a late home run by Bobby Witt Jr. proved decisive.

With only 22 games left in the season, this series carries significant weight for both teams as they look to improve their standings and avoid the ignominy of finishing last in the division. As the Angels aim to solidify their position and the Athletics strive to make a late-season push, the stage is set for an exciting battle in Anaheim.