Fully operational Mike Trout returns.
Fresh off taking two of three from the Atlanta Braves — an East division team off to a bad start trying to get things together — the Red Sox return home to welcome the Los Angeles Angels.
Los Angeles has had a few rough years with without Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout playing in tandem and 2025 looked to be more of the same. A 9-16 April seemed right in line with the low expectations. But then the team came back with a 14-14 May. A loss on June 1 left them at 26-32, fourth place in the AL West. Boston is at 29-32, fourth place in the AL East.
The difficult part for the Angels, like the Braves with Ronald Acuña Jr., was righting the ship without their superstar. Not that Mike Trout was himself really before hitting the IL. On the season Trout has hit .207.282/.474 with 9 home runs. That’s…really not typical Trout.
Jorge Soler is at DH with an OPS under .700, not what they were hoping for.
It’s still not the Year of Jo Adell.
Shortstop Zach Neto has the makings of a 20/20 season so far with a .270/.312/.503 line to go with 9 home runs and 8 stolen bases.
Catcher Logan O’ Hoppe has slugged 14 homers and is sitting at a .799 OPS.
None of their starting pitchers are strikeout artists, and all average less than a strikeout per inning. Which, facing a Sox lineup that tends to go down by way of the K could be a challenge. Will Boston bats simply cause death by a thousand cuts? Or will the pitchers who can’t miss bats look better than reality because of how prone the Red Sox offense is to the K?
Boston is starting Richard Fitts, Brayan Bello, and Lucas Giolito, aka a series of question marks. Fitts is still sort of in rehab mode after a short innings-building appearance his first time back from the IL. Bello has been maddening even when good, while not providing much length. And Giolito, having missed all of 2024, is a ways removed from his last really good season and is several years older. But the Angels have a -57 run differential. This might be a lineup where a patchwork pitching unit can thrive.
Trevor Story will try to stay hot after a good series in Atlanta. Jarren Duran will try to fend off Roman Anthony. Abraham Toro will try to keep swinging a hot bat. And Kristian Campbell will, probably, try to play first base.
Probable Pitching Matchups
Monday June 2: Tyler Anderson (3.39 ERA / 5.20 FIP) vs. Richard Fitts (2.70 ERA / 3.94 FIP)
Tuesday June 3: Yusei Kikuchi (3.06 ERA / 4.37 FIP) vs. Brayan Bello (3.83 ERA / 5.06 FIP)
Wednesday June 4: José Soriano (3.41 ERA / 3.75 FIP) vs. Lucas Giolito (4.78 ERA / 4.43 FIP)
When/Where to Watch
Monday June 2: 7:10 PM ET on NESN
Tuesday June 3: 7:10 PM ET on NESN
Wednesday June 4: 1:35 PM ET on NESN