A look at what’s happening around the majors today:
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FALLEN ANGELS
Mike Trout is mired in the worst slump of his brilliant career and the Angels are one loss from matching their longest skid in 34 years.
Noah Syndergaard (4-3, 4.02 ERA) starts as Los Angeles (27-28) returns home looking to stop an 11-game slide in the opener of a four-game series against Michael Wacha (3-1, 2.43) and the Boston Red Sox, who have won four straight.
Trout is hitless in his last 26 at-bats, his longest drought in the majors.
“Things will start falling,” the three-time MVP said Sunday after an agonizing loss to his hometown Philadelphia Phillies. “Had some good at-bats today, just try to take it into tomorrow.”
Syndergaard was knocked out in the second inning at Yankee Stadium last week,
Winless since May 24, the Angels are on their longest losing streak since an 11-game slide in August 2016. They haven’t dropped 12 in a row since the last 12 games of the 1988 season under managers Cookie Rojas and Moose Stubbing, who took over for the final eight.
“It’s baseball,” Trout said. “There’s going to be some good times and there’s going to be some bad times. Right now it’s just a bad time.”
ANOTHER TEST OUT WEST
After splitting a four-game series at Dodger Stadium, the Mets head down the California coast to open a three-game set in San Diego.
New York, with the best record in the National League at 37-19, faces another stiff challenge in a Padres team that just won the final three in a four-game series at NL Central-leading Milwaukee. Carlos Carrasco (6-1, 3.63 ERA) pitches for the Mets against Blake Snell (0-2, 4.80) as San Diego (33-21) begins a seven-game homestand.
Injured Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. is scheduled to undergo a CT scan Monday, which is expected to help determine when he’ll be able to start swinging a bat again.
New York has lost only two of its first 17 series this season.
RAY ZAPPED
AL Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray has lost three straight starts for the first time since April 28 to May 9, 2017, going into his outing at the first-place Houston Astros. The 30-year-old Seattle Mariners lefty has a 5.82 ERA in defeats to Boston, Oakland and Baltimore, allowing four home runs that raised his season total to 11. Right-hander Cristian Javier (3-2, 2.41 ERA) starts for the Astros.
MAD BUM
Arizona left-hander Madison Bumgarner (2-4, 3.31) is 0-3 with a 5.25 ERA in his last four starts going into the opener of a four-game series at Cincinnati. Bumgarner allowed 14 earned runs in his past four starts after giving up six in his first seven. Reds rookie Hunter Greene (2-7, 6.19) is averaging 98.6 mph with his fastball.
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