Los Angeles Angels right-hander Grayson Rodriguez has one primary goal heading into his final home start of the 2026 season on Friday night against the Minnesota Twins in Anaheim, Calif.
“Finish the season healthy I think is the big thing,” Rodriguez said. “Obviously want to go in the offseason healthy. Keep stacking up innings. I know we’re coming down to the end (of the season), but pitching as much as I can.”
It will be the 19th start of the year for Rodriguez (4-7, 6.10 ERA), who missed all of last season because of right elbow and right shoulder injuries following a 20-start campaign with the Baltimore Orioles in 2024.
Rodriguez is just 1-5 in 11 starts since the All-Star break, including 0-2 with a 6.46 ERA in three September starts. But his four-seam fastball has consistently clocked in the upper 90s, and the 26-year-old has shown flashes of being the pitcher he was when he compiled a 13-4 record with a 3.86 ERA in 2024 before getting hit with a rash of injuries.
“Consistency is the biggest issue,” Rodriguez said after coming away with a no-decision in a 6-5 loss at Washington on Sunday. “That’s been the hardest thing to figure out. There have been some good outings and some bad ones. But try and build off of it and look forward to the next one.”
Rodriguez gave up two runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings with one walk and four strikeouts against the Nationals. He is 2-0 with a 3.97 ERA in two career starts against Minnesota (71-82), including a 4-3 victory on July 10 in Minneapolis when he gave up three runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Rookie left-hander Connor Prielipp (5-7, 5.24 ERA) will make his first career start against the Angels (59-94). A second-round pick out of Alabama in the 2022 MLB Draft who also has battled injuries during much of his career, Prielipp will make his 21st start (in 23 games) this season. He is 2-0 with a 3.14 ERA in three September appearances and comes in off a 4-3 victory over Cleveland on Saturday, when he allowed three runs on five hits in 5 1/3 innings, with one strikeout.
The Twins have lost four of their past five games, including Thursday night’s series opener vs. the Angels, 5-4, in 10 innings.
Los Angeles will finish the season with six road games after the Minnesota series.
On Thursday, Angels starter Walbert Urena held Minnesota to four singles over seven shutout innings while striking out a career-high nine batters. But Minnesota rookie center fielder Walker Jenkins hit a two-out, two-run homer off the Angels’ Ben Joyce to tie the game at 3-3 and send it into extra innings.
The Twins took a 4-3 lead in the top of the 10th on an RBI single by Brooks Lee, but the Angels answered with two runs in the bottom half, including a walk-off RBI single by Wade Meckler.
Jenkins, who entered the contest in a 1-for-33 slump, went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs.
“I think this group all year long (has) been extremely resilient,” Minnesota manager Derek Shelton said. “They continue to battle for 27 outs. We did that today. Unfortunately, we just weren’t able to capitalize in extra innings.”
–Field Level Media
