Tags
American League, Anaheim, Angel Stadium, Angels, baseball, Chavez Ravine, Dodger Stadium, Dodgers, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Major League Baseball, MLB, National League, Orange County, World Series
![](https://socalsportschronicles.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/usatsi_23598822-e1719088242170.webp?w=1000)
The Angels’ Zach Neto (left) fielding a throw to try and keep the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani (right) from stealing second base. Photo courtesy of sportsbookwire.usatoday.com
LOS ANGELES DODGERS
Current Record: 51-31, first place in the National League West
- Eight and a half games ahead of the San Diego Padres
Last Game: Beat the Chicago White Sox, 4-0, on June 26th
Next Series: vs the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park, June 28th – June 30th
Leading Hitters:
- Shohei Ohtani, DH – .322 average, 25 HR, 61 RBI
- Freddie Freeman, 1B – .299 average, 12 HR, 50 RBI
- Mookie Betts, SS (injured) – .304 average, 10 HR, 40 RBI
- Teoscar Hernandez, LF – .252 average, 18 HR, 55 RBI
- Will Smith, C – .264 average, 11 HR, 46 RBI
Leading Pitchers:
- Gavin Stone: 9-2, 2.73 ERA
- Tyler Glasnow: 8-5, 2.88 ERA, 135 strikeouts
- James Paxton: 7-1, 3.39 ERA
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto (injured): 6-2, 2.92 ERA
- Evan Phillips (closer): 0-0.1.39 ERA, 13 saves
LOS ANGELES ANGELS
Current Record: 33-46, fourth place in the American League West
- Eleven games behind the Seattle Mariners
Last Game: Beat the Oakland A’s, 5-2, on June 26th
Next Series: vs the Detroit Tigers at Angel Stadium, June 27th – June 30th
Leading Hitters:
- Taylor Ward, LF – .245 average, 14 HR, 41 RBI
- Luis Rengifo, 3B – .308 average, 4 HR, 20 RBI
- Logan O’Hoppe, C – .269 average, 10 HR, 34 RBI
- Zach Neto, SS – .256 average, 10 HR, 35 RBI
Leading Pitchers:
- Tyler Anderson: 7-7, 2.63 ERA
- Carlos Estevez (closer): 1-3, 3.24 ERA, 15 saves
![](https://socalsportschronicles.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/id5673815-dodgers-ohtani-angels-ohoppe-6-22-24-1080x720-1.jpg?w=1024)
Comments and Thoughts:
THE FIRST THING THAT CAME TO MY MIND REGARDING SO CAL’S TWO MLB TEAMS AT THIS HALFWAY POINT IN THE SEASON:
That things have been and are going as expected.
The Dodgers – despite one of their key stars, Mookie Betts, out until next month due to a broken hand suffered when he was recently hit by a pitch – have one of the best records in baseball, are a full eight games ahead in first place in the N.L. West, and are on pace for another 100-win season;
Which would set an MLB record for most consecutive 100-win seasons; it would be the Dodgers’ 4th straight if they can get that done.
Which of course means absolutely nothing if they don’t win the World Series.
Meanwhile in Anaheim…
Particularly with their two best players, Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon, having been injured and out for pretty much all year,
Those Angels are just about where pretty much everyone thought they would be, ahead only of an Athletics team that will be playing in Sacramento next season and in their new stadium on the Las Vegas Strip three years after that.
They’ve had to play the young kids who haven’t been in “The Show” that long, which in the long run I think will pay off in a positive way down the road but for now leaves Ron Washington’s team with some further growing pains to go through as they’ve been through some of that already this season.
If they finish at 81-81 or better, Washington should get some serious consideration for Manager of the Year if not outright win it.
As such,
I don’t expect anything shocking to happen during this second half of the season for either of So Cal’s two big league clubs;
I will be quite surprised if those Halos contend for a playoff spot, let alone a division title.
And I will be absolutely shocked if the Dodgers do any collapsing over these next eighty or so games,
Particularly when they get Betts back.
As always, we’ll see what happens;
I hope I get to go to Dodger Stadium for a game this summer.
Though I’ll do my best to make sure it’s a late afternoon or night game as I’m tired of the ninety-something degree heat during day games at Chavez Ravine.
![](https://socalsportschronicles.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/77ad34601e024f4f871f02399d7ebe43.webp?w=512)
Dodger Stadium looking very nice during sunset as the Freeway Series was played, this Angel hitting a home run. Photo courtesy of localsyr.com