Cleveland Indians at Los Angeles Angels Preview

The Cleveland Indians are in Los Angeles this week for a matchup with the Angels, and the week got off to a bad start. Cleveland suffered a 7-4 defeat in the series opener, but they look to get some revenge on Tuesday night.

The Indians have now won four straight games, and this has not been a fun road trip for Cleveland. The four straight losses have dropped the Indians to just 21-18 on the year and 3.5 games out of first place in the AL Central.

Los Angeles has won two straight games, but this is still a team that is not a playoff contender at this time. The Angels have gone just 18-22 to begin the year, and they sit in fourth place in the tough AL West.

It is the Angels that are the betting favorites at -124 in game two of the series. 

Cleveland Can’t Score

The Indians are hitting just .212 as a team, and they have scored just 157 total runs on the year. Both of these numbers put Cleveland near the bottom of the league, and that needs to improve as the year moves along.

Jose Ramirez leads the team with a .262 batting average, and he has also blasted 11 home runs this season. The Indians are missing a true table-setter at the top of the lineup after Francisco Lindor is no longer on the roster.

Cleveland will have Zach Plesac on the mound, and that is typically a good thing. Plesac has gone 3-3 with a 3.56 ERA to begin the year and will need a dominant outing in this one. 

Ohtani Continues to Amaze

The Angels will be without Mike Trout after he was forced to leave the game on Monday night with a strained right calf. This is a big break for the Indians, but the Angels will still have Shohei Ohtani in the lineup.

Ohtani leads MLB with 13 home runs, and he hit another bomb in the series opener on Monday night. The Angels are hitting .251 as a team, and they have the potential to have a big day at the plate.

Andrew Heaney starts for the Angels, and he has gone just 1-3 with a 4.75 ERA to begin the year. Cleveland will need to take advantage of Heaney if they want to win this one. 

Time For Indians to End Skid

This feels like the perfect time for Cleveland to end this skid, especially as the Angels will be without Mike Trout. Plesac has thrown the ball well for the Indians this season, and they need another great outing in this one.

Finding a way to get Shohei Ohtani out is priority number one for the Indians, but that is easier said than done. Los Angeles will struggle without Trout, and Plesac just needs to find a way to pitch around the Angels star.

Cleveland will have to score runs if they plan on snapping this skid, but this offense is due to break out in a big way soon. Winning on the road is never easy, but this is a great opportunity for the Indians.