Angels at Tigers
The Los Angeles Angels should be happy to return to the United States after a tough two-game trip to Mexico over the weekend ended a recent hot streak. The Angels will try to find a winning formula again when they visit the Detroit Tigers for the opener of a three-game series Tuesday.
Los Angeles was marching toward .500 with wins in four straight and six of seven before serving up a total of 24 runs in two losses to the Houston Astros in Mexico. "I think we gotta do everything better," catcher Jonathan Lucroy, who homered twice for the Angels in Sunday's 10-4 setback, told reporters. "We gotta pitch better, play defense better, hit better. I think it's all encompassing from every aspect of our game. We've gotta be better to beat them. We gotta figure it out. We gotta get it done." The Tigers enter the series with some momentum after earning a 5-2 walk-off win in 10 innings Sunday when Brandon Dixon hit a three-run homer to turn away the Kansas City Royals and give Detroit a series win. Left-hander Daniel Norris will get things started for the Tigers on Tuesday while righty Griffin Canning makes his second career start for Los Angeles.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FS West (Los Angeles), FS Detroit
PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Griffin Canning (0-0, 6.23 ERA) vs. Tigers LH Daniel Norris (1-0, 3.47)
Canning made his major league debut last Tuesday against the Toronto Blue Jays and was reached for three runs on four hits - one homer - in 4 1/3 innings without factoring in the decision. The 22-year-old struck out six and issued one walk while reaching 82 pitches. Canning allowed one earned run in 16 innings for Triple-A Salt Lake before being recalled.
Norris scattered one run and five hits across five innings at Philadelphia on Wednesday but did not stick around long enough to factor in the decision. The 26-year-old began the season in long relief and has yet to throw more than 87 pitches in an outing. Norris is 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA in two career starts against Los Angeles and surrendered a home run to Angels right fielder Kole Calhoun.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Angels are expected to activate RHP Cody Allen (back) from the injured list Tuesday.
2. Detroit RF Nick Castellanos has hit safely in each of the last nine games and scored nine runs in that span.
3. Angels P/DH Shohei Ohtani (elbow) could make his season debut on the road trip.