Two years and another MVP later, the overwhelming intrigue when it comes to the Los Angeles Dodgers facing the freeway-adjacent Los Angeles Angels still is Shohei Ohtani taking on his former team.
The clubs open a three-game series on Friday at Dodger Stadium.
Ohtani signed with the Dodgers before last season, following six seasons with the Angels, and he ticked off some major items on his checklist, including his first playoff appearance and first championship.
On the way to the title, Ohtani faced his former team four times and hit two home runs when going 4-for-14 (.286) with four walks and five RBIs.
Entering the weekend series, Ohtani is tied for the major league lead with 15 home runs, having hit two in a 19-2 victory against the Athletics on Thursday. He has eight homers in his past 12 games.
Max Muncy, Andy Pages and James Outman also hit went deep for the Dodgers on Thursday. In his major league debut, Dodgers top prospect Dalton Rushing had two hits, a walk and three runs.
“(It) was quite the exhibition offensively and everyone contributed,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Max has been working hard to unlock some things and homered in consecutive games. … So going into this Angels series, we’re locked and loaded.”
Hoping to get another flood of offense will be Dodgers right-hander Dustin May (1-4, 4.08 ERA), who is making his eighth start since returning from Tommy John surgery and a life-threatening esophagus injury.
After pitching to a 7.88 ERA in his previous three starts, May was much improved Saturday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, allowing two runs in 6 2/3 innings. He is 1-0 with a 2.16 ERA in two appearances (one start) against the Angels, with both outings occurring in 2020.
The Angels, who have lost five of their past seven games, will counter with Jack Kochanowicz (2-5, 5.32 ERA). The right-hander has never faced the Dodgers.
The Angels are 5-8 to start a stretch of 26 consecutive games in California.
After a rough 10-game stretch through May 4 in which he went 2-for-34 with one RBI, the Angels’ Taylor Ward now has four home runs and 12 RBIs over his past nine games.
While Ohtani’s matchup against the Angels will get much of the attention, the return of Angels closer Kenley Jansen to Dodger Stadium also will hold significance.
Jansen has seven saves but a 6.55 ERA in 13 appearances for the Angels this season. He delivered 350 saves with a 2.37 ERA in his first 12 major league seasons with the Dodgers before spending the past three years with the Atlanta Braves (2022) and the Boston Red Sox (2023-24).
Jansen, 37, feels as if a significant portion of the Dodgers’ fan base quit on him during his final seasons with the club, but he says he holds no animosity. He has registered 104 saves since he departed.
“Everyone who thought that I was done was a motivation for me,” Jansen said, per the Orange County Register. “So I have to thank all of them for making me who I am today. ‘Oh, he’s done. He’s washed.’
“At the end of the day, I’m still who I am. And I appreciate them, and I love those doubters. So I’m going to continue to work hard, and I think I have a few more years left in the tank, and I want to accomplish great things.”
–Field Level Media
