The Angels lost both series they played last week, including a divisional showdown with the Rangers in Arlington, but still remain atop the American League West, narrowly over Texas. The Angels dropped two of three at home to Chicago last week, then headed to Texas for a matchup with the defending AL pennant winners. After a 4-1 loss Friday night in the series opener, the Angels and Rangers split a pair of one-run games over the weekend.
↵| AL West Standings | ↵|||
| Team | ↵W-L | ↵Pct | ↵GB | ↵
| Angels | ↵22-19 | ↵.537 | ↵--- | ↵
| Rangers | ↵21-19 | ↵.525 | ↵½ | ↵
| A's | ↵20-20 | ↵.500 | ↵1½ | ↵
| Mariners | ↵16-23 | ↵.410 | ↵5 | ↵
The Angels' strength is still their starting pitching, led by Dan Haren and Jered Weaver, and a now-healthy Joel Pineiro. Angels' starters have a collective 3.25 ERA on the season. Ervin Santana and Tyler Chatwood have been on two extremes of the luck spectrum so far. Santana is 1-4 with a 4.85 ERA, but also has a 3-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio and a 3.94 FIP and 3.69 xFIP. Chatwood is 2-1 with a 3.67 ERA, but also 25 walks and 18 strikeouts so that low ERA isn't likely to continue without some improvement.
↵The Angels continue their road trip through the division with a pair of two-game sets this week in Oakland and Seattle. Interleague play begins next weekend in Anaheim as the Atlanta Braves come to town.
↵For more news and information on the Angels, be sure to read the SB Nation blog Halos Heaven.