After his last start — his fourth of the season — Texas Rangers starting pitcher Alexi Ogando saw his ERA instantly climb from a nice, crisp 1.08 to 3.32.
But bad things happen when you have a start like Ogando had on Thursday in the cold of Wrigley Field against the Cubs. The Rangers lost the game 6-2 after Ogando gave up five runs on six hits in just 2 1/3 innings, giving up two home runs and walking two.
In his three previous starts, Ogando was good, but not as good as the numbers suggested, especially when you factor in the opponents as Ogando beat Houston, Tampa Bay and Seattle — three stagnant offensive teams.
Tuesday night, Ogando will have a chance to rebound from his poor start in Chicago, and he'll have to do it against a loaded lineup that features guys like Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, Mark Trumbo, and yes, Josh Hamilton.
The good news? Ogando is 3-0 with a sub-3.00 ERA in his career against the Angels as a starter, so the recipe is right for a good rebound start from Ogando.
