Two pitchers who earned spots on the American League All-Star team will square off Monday night when the Texas Rangers open a four-game series with the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif.
Right-hander Jacob deGrom (9-2, 2.13 ERA), who on Sunday earned his fifth career All-Star invitation and his first with the Rangers, will oppose left-hander Yusei Kikuchi (3-6, 2.81), who made his second All-Star squad and his first with the Angels after signing a three-year, $63 million, free-agent contract last November.
The 37-year-old deGrom, playing in his first full season after undergoing his second Tommy John surgery in June 2023, has won five consecutive decisions and is in the midst of a franchise-record streak of 14 starts in which he has pitched at least five innings while allowing two runs or less.
“It means a lot,” deGrom said after learning of his All-Star Game selection on Sunday afternoon in San Diego before the Rangers lost to the Padres 4-1 in the rubber game of a three-game series. “Any time you go to the All-Star Game and represent your team, especially coming off my second Tommy John surgery … is a huge accomplishment for me. So excited to go and be in Atlanta (for the game on July 15).”
deGrom enters Monday’s game off a 10-2 victory over Baltimore on Tuesday in a game in which he allowed two runs on five hits over six innings while striking out six.
“Jacob was Jacob,” Texas manager Bruce Bochy said. “Just another terrific job. This guy is special. Talk about a feeling of confidence with the team. I’ll keep saying it — I love watching him.”
This will be deGrom’s third career start against the Angels. He is 1-0 with an 0.82 ERA against them. His lone start at Angel Stadium came last Sept. 27, his most recent of three starts last season. He allowed one run on four hits over four innings while striking out five in that game.
Kikuchi, 34, is 4-2 with a 4.75 ERA in nine career appearances (eight starts) against Texas, including a 4-0 loss in Arlington on April 15 when he allowed one run on three hits in six innings while striking out six.
“He’s been as good as advertised, maybe better,” Angels interim manager Ray Montgomery said. “Any time you bring a free agent in, there’s always that trepidation they’re going to put too much pressure on themselves. Obviously, we haven’t seen that with Yusei.”
The Angels, 4 1/2 games behind Seattle for the final AL wild-card spot, will begin a key seven-game homestand that will end with three games against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Angels return home after getting swept in three games at Toronto. All three losses were by one run, including 3-2 on Sunday afternoon.
Lack of timely hitting played a key role in the losses. Los Angeles finished just 4-for-30 (.133) with runners in scoring position, including 1-for-8 in Sunday’s loss.
Montgomery blamed “bad luck” for part of his team’s struggles. Mike Trout, who hit his 14th home run of the season in the first inning, and Jo Adell both hit hard line drives that third baseman Addison Barger made diving catches on in the ninth.
“Mike hit the ball like that, and Jo followed it up,” Montgomery said. “I’ll take those ABs (at-bats) all the time. Unfortunately, bad aim.”
–Field Level Media
