MLB Game Preview - Baltimore at LA Angels

Fri Jul 26, 2019 10:07 PM EDT

Asher Wojciechowski will start Friday for the Baltimore Orioles against the Los Angeles Angels, with his biggest challenge trying to figure out a way to keep Mike Trout in the ballpark. Trout has hit 11 home runs in his past 15 games, increasing his American League-leading total to 33. He's on a pace to hit 51, which would surpass his career-best total of 41 set in 2015.

Wojciechowski, though, is coming off not only his best start of the season, but the best start of his career. Last Sunday, he shut out the Boston Red Sox on one hit over 7 1/3 innings, striking out 10 and walking two.

It's a nice place to be for the 30-year-old Wojciechowski (1-3, 3.91 ERA), who has played for eight different organizations since beginning his professional career in 2010. He played the first half of the season in Columbus, with the Cleveland Indians' Triple-A affiliate, before being traded to the Orioles for cash on July 1. He hadn't pitched in the majors since 2017 with Cincinnati.

"It's an opportunity. He's coming here with the right mindset of, 'Give me the ball and I want to prove to people what I can do,' and he's doing that," Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. "That's what we've been asking for this whole time. Talked about it the last four or five months. He's laying it all out there ... it's awesome."

Wojciechowski, despite his baseball travels, has never faced the Angels.

"It's crazy when you try to wrap your head around it, my career path and how it's been," he said. "Eight different organizations. But it is what it is. I'm here now and I'm going to enjoy this and get back to work."

As for the hosts, they could be scrambling for a starter in this one.

Griffin Canning had been scheduled to start for the Angels on Friday, but with Thursday's game tied after 14 innings and the Angels having used nine pitchers, Los Angeles manager Brad Ausmus called on Canning to come out of the bullpen.

After pitching two innings (throwing 42 pitches) in the 16-inning 10-8 loss, Canning is unlikely to take the mound on Friday.

The Angels likely will make a roster move before the game to bring in a fresh arm from Triple-A Salt Lake.

The Angels pitching situation already was cloudy, as the club has had to overcome injuries and poor performance. Now attrition could become a factor after the Angels threw 291 pitches Thursday.

--Field Level Media