The Los Angeles Angels open their must-win homestand on Friday night, with Jered Weaver on the mound facing the Oakland Athletics in the opener of a three-game weekend series. The Angels trail the Boston Red Sox by three games in the American League wild card race with six games to play. They are also five games back of the Texas Rangers in the American League West, but that seems like more of a pipe dream at this point.
Weaver has a shot at 20 victories this season, as he is 18-7 with a 2.41 ERA so far this season. There have only been seven 20-win seasons in the 51-year history of the Angels, with Bartolo Colon's 21-8 2005 season the only one in the last 37 years. Weaver has allowed four runs in 21 innings over his last three starts.
Weaver is 8-1 with a 1.81 ERA in Anaheim this season, and the Angels are 12-2 in those 14 starts.
Gio Gonzalez starts for Oakland on Friday night. Gonzalez is 3-1 with a 2.10 ERA in four starts against the Angels this season.
Friday night's 7:05 p.m. PDT game will be televised on Fox Sports West. For more news and information on the Angels, be sure to read Halos Heaven.