The Los Angeles Angels, a young team that has gotten younger in recent days, hosts the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday in Anaheim, Calif.
With the trade deadline looming, the Angels sent closer Carlos Estevez to the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday and shipped set-up man Luis Garcia to the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday. In return, the Angels landed a total of six minor leaguers.
Hard-throwing right-hander Ben Joyce, 23, will eventually slide into the closer’s role, joining a number of young Angels players who are regulars in the lineup.
They include shortstop Zach Neto, catcher Logan O’Hoppe, first baseman Nolan Schanuel and right fielder Jo Adell. all of whom are 25 or younger.
“The mood of our young players is our mood because we set the tone,” Angels manager Ron Washington said. “If we go around here moping like we lost this player or we’re going to lose this player, it gives them the right to do that.
“These young kids, this is the first time they’ve had to go through this. They know Estevez is gone, but they’re not making it an issue. It’s an issue because of what he’s done for us, but in the game of baseball, you need to have someone step up. That’s the mindset we’re trying to instill.”
Right-hander Davis Daniel (1-2, 5.82 ERA) will make his fourth start of the season Wednesday for the Angels. He shined in his season debut on June 27 when he shut out the Detroit Tigers for eight innings, but Daniel has struggled in his last two starts, allowing 12 runs (11 earned) in nine innings, getting tagged for two losses.
He has never faced the Rockies.
Left-hander Kyle Freeland (2-4, 6.23 ERA) will make his 11th start of the season for Colorado. He’s coming off a loss in his last start, giving up six runs in four innings last Friday against San Francisco.
That loss to the Giants, however, was in stark contrast to his previous five starts. From June 23-July 20, Freeland went 2-0 with a 1.95 ERA, 25 strikeouts and six walks in 32 1/3 innings.
“My mechanics (were) great,” Freeland said of the five-start stretch. “I (felt) very comfortable with my pitch mix, executing with all three of our catchers — my three battery-mates have been incredible.”
Freeland is 1-0 with a 3.18 ERA in three career starts against the Angels.
Rockies center fielder Brenton Doyle is expected to be back in the lineup Wednesday after not starting Tuesday’s 10-7 loss to the Angels.
Doyle sustained a finger contusion on his right (throwing) hand when he angrily threw a towel and hit his finger on the trainer’s kit during Sunday’s loss to the Giants. He entered Tuesday’s game as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning.
Sam Hilliard started Tuesday’s game in center field for Colorado.
–Field Level Media