MLB Game Preview - LA Angels at Boston

Fri Aug 9, 2019 7:10 PM EDT

Taking over for David Price in a rotation is a tall task. Following a 13-strikeout performance a night earlier is even more difficult.

Such is the situation left-hander Brian Johnson finds himself in as his Boston Red Sox (-1.5) host the Los Angeles Angels (+1.5) on Friday in the second contest of a four-game series.

Johnson (1-1, 6.88 ERA) was thrust into the starter role when Price was placed on the 10-day injured list Thursday with a left wrist injury. Johnson will be opposed by Angels right-hander Jaime Barria (4-5, 6.36).

Johnson's stay in the rotation might go longer than a spot start, as there's no timetable for Price's return. An MRI revealed a cyst in Price's wrist that limited his pitching of late and played its part in a 10.59 ERA over his last four starts.

"At least we found out," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of the injury. "Whatever people were thinking about -- if it's the elbow or something else -- at least we know, and we'll shut him down for a little bit and then he'll be back."

Johnson will make his second start this month and fourth this season after pitching the tail end of a doubleheader against the New York Yankees (-1.5) last weekend. He followed a Chris Sale disaster in the first game of the twin bill, giving up three runs on eight hits over three innings in a no-decision.

Now, Johnson will follow a Sale masterpiece in the opener of the series Thursday. Sale gave up just two hits in racking up his 13 strikeouts over eight shutout innings, putting him over 200 for the seventh straight season. Only Tom Seaver (nine) has had a longer such streak in major league history.

Sale walked none on 99 pitches in a game that lasted 2 hours, 16 minutes.

"When I got to the clubhouse, I was like, 'What do we do now? We've got so much time,'" said Cora. "I can play with my kids at home and finally do something, because whenever I get home, they're sleeping. I don't even know what to do with my life now."

For the Angels, the 3-0 loss was their season-high seventh straight, marking their longest skid since August 2016. Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout had the lone hits, with 16 Los Angeles batters going down in a row between them.

Overall, the Angels struck out 15 times in the contest, Trout and Justin Upton leading the way with three each. Los Angeles hasn't scored more than four runs in a game during its losing streak.

"If you give up three runs to that offense in this ballpark, you feel like you got a shot to win," Angels skipper Brad Ausmus said. "Unfortunately, Chris Sale was on."

Boston is in a similar rut, having scored five once in its last eight. Thursday's win was the team's second in its last 11 games.

Barria has been in a funk of late for the Angels, allowing a home run in each of his last seven outings. He was tagged for three in 3 2/3 innings against the Cleveland Indians (-1.5) his last time out.

Barria has faced the Red Sox just once, giving up two runs in 5 1/3 innings in a loss during his rookie campaign last season. Johnson has seen the Angels twice (one start), giving up one run over seven innings total.--Field Level Media