Pena, Lynn seek strong starts as Rangers visit Angels

Felix Pena will start for the Los Angeles Angels Friday against the Texas Rangers, but exactly which Pena shows up is anybody's guess.

To this point in his career, Pena's success is a hit-or-miss proposition, and it usually has something to do with his breaking ball. In his first start of the season last Saturday against Oakland, he was sharp to begin the game, retiring the first eight batters he faced, including three by strikeout.

But suddenly he seemed to lose command of his breaking ball, and everything went downhill fast. Pena ultimately lasted just 3 2/3 innings, giving up four runs on four hits and a walk. He threw 15 sliders in the game and none of them were called for strikes (three were swings and misses).

"The breaking ball is extremely important to him," Angels manager Brad Ausmus said. "It's a very good breaking ball. It's kind of his go-to pitch, when he's in trouble or needs a crucial out. So when you don't have a feel for it, it's kind of an uphill battle."

While Pena was inconsistent last season, going 3-5 with a 4.18 ERA in 19 games (17 starts), two of his better starts came against the Rangers. In those games, Pena went 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA, allowing three runs on 11 hits and two walks in 13 innings while striking out nine.

Pena has been good against batters currently on the Rangers' roster as only one -- 1B Ronald Guzman -- has an extra-base hit against him (home run).

Right-hander Lance Lynn will start for Texas, hoping to erase the memory of a bad outing in his first start of the season. Lynn lasted 5 2/3 innings, but gave up seven runs and 10 hits, though he did not walk a batter, last Sunday against the Cubs.

Lynn typically has been a strong starter throughout his career -- he's 16-7 in April and 15-8 in May -- his best two months of the season. But he says he's not concerned his game against the Cubs is an ominous sign of things to come.

"Getting off to a good start would be great, but when it's all said and done, it doesn't matter," Lynn told mlb.com. "You have to go start by start and go with what you've got that day and try to get the job done for your team."

Having spent most of his career in the National League with the Cardinals, Lynn hasn't seen the Angels much -- he's 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA in three career starts. But he's fared well against Mike Trout (1-for-9) and Albert Pujols (0-for-5), holding the Angels' sluggers to just one single against him.

Lynn has faced infielder Zack Cozart more than any other Angel, holding him to a .178 average (8-for-45). Three of those eight hits, however, were home runs.

With their win in the series opener on Thursday, the Rangers snapped a five-game losing streak to the Angels, having lost the last five matchups last season and dropping 13 of 19 to Los Angeles overall in 2018.

Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons had to leave Thursday's game because of lower back tightness. His status for Friday's game is not known.

--Field Level Media