9:07 pm
April 3

White Sox @ Angels

Who will WIN this matchup?

Chicago White Sox (1-1)

@ Los Angeles Angels (1-1)

 

Starting Pitchers:

Lynn (CHW): 0-0; 0.00 ERA

Cobb (LAA) 0-0; 0.00 ERA

 

Current odds:

Chicago White Sox: (-115)

Los Angeles Angels: (-105)

 

• Alex Cobb will make his debut with the Los Angeles Angels against the Chicago White Sox on Saturday in Anaheim, hoping a reunion with manager Joe Maddon will help the right-hander rediscover the success he had early in his career. Cobb has struggled so much in the past few years that the Angels were able to acquire him for a minor leaguer in an offseason trade with the Baltimore Orioles.

• In his last three seasons in Baltimore, Cobb was 7-22 with a 5.10 ERA in 41 starts. It is a sharp contrast to his first six years in the majors, all with Tampa Bay, when he went 48-35 with a 3.50 ERA in 115 starts. In the first four years of his career, 2011-14, Cobb played for Maddon, then the manager of the Rays. Cobb had his best season in 2013, when he went 11-3 with a 2.76 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 22 starts.

• Cobb, though, acknowledged his recent troubles are rooted more in mechanics than the uniform he is wearing. So this past offseason Cobb went to Driveline Baseball in Seattle, a performance training center, to help him fix his mechanical issues.

• Cobb has not pitched well against the White Sox in his career, going 0-3 with a 13.89 ERA in three starts. White Sox hitters Jose Abreu (2-for-5), Tim Anderson (2-for-3) and Adam Eaton (2-for-3) have had success against Cobb in limited opportunities.

• Abreu, the reigning American League MVP, hit a grand slam Friday, his 199th career home run. But Abreu says the expectations that come with his credentials won’t result in him feeling additional pressure.

• Right-hander Lance Lynn will start for the White Sox, and like Cobb, he will be making his debut with his new club. Lynn came to the White Sox in a trade from the Texas Rangers for pitcher Dane Dunning and a minor leaguer.

• Lynn, 33, was a workhorse last season, leading the majors in starts (13) and innings pitched (84). It included three starts against the Angels, when he went 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA. In his career against Los Angeles, Lynn is 4-2 with a 3.58 in nine starts.

4/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
Chicago White Sox
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