The Angels and Dodgers begin their Freeway Series Friday night at Dodger Stadium. Dan Haren starts for the Angels in the series opener, with Rubby De La Rosa starting for the Dodgers. When looking at who's hot and who's not, it might be easy to say both are not hot, as the Dodgers are 8-12 in June while the Angels are 8-11. But here are some players for both teams on both ends of the success spectrum of late.
Who's Hot?
- Matt Kemp (what else is new?): The center fielder, on pace for 43 home runs and 45 stolen bases this season, is hitting .379/.506/.818 in June. The way teams are pitching around him (17 walks in the last 20 games), Kemp should set a new career-high in walks in the next two to three weeks.
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Jered Weaver, starting Sunday for the Angels, is continuing his "every other month" roller coaster with traditional stats. Weaver is 3-0 with a 1.76 ERA in June, after 6-0, 0.99 in April and 0-4, 3.38 in May.
- Bobby Abreu is hitting .344/.444/.459 so far in June, but the regular designated hitter has also sat two of the Angels' six games in National League parks
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Aaron Miles is hitting .423/.429/.462 in June for the Dodgers
Who's Not?
- Dan Haren, starting tonight for the Angels, is 1-2 with a 6.35 ERA this month
- Casey Blake, who has been battling a pinched nerve in his neck, has started only two of the last 11 games, but has appeared as a pinch hitter seven times. Blake has one hit in his last 13 at-bats, and is hitting .143/.176/.204 in June.
- Opposing batters are hitting .370/.485/.444 in June off Dodger relief pitcher Mike MacDougal.
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Jeff Mathis has three hits in 30 at-bats in June (no his average didn't increase this month), hitting .100/.176/.233
Tonight's 7:10 p.m. PDT game will be televised by both Prime Ticket (Dodgers) and KCOP (Angels). For more news and information on the Freeway Series, be sure to read the SB Nation blogs True Blue LA and Halos Heaven.