The Los Angeles Angels make the short California trip to Oracle Park on Saturday, July 25, for a 4:05 PM ET afternoon clash against the San Francisco Giants. Ryan Johnson takes the mound for the Angels opposite San Francisco's Robbie Ray in a pitching matchup that carries real weight as both clubs navigate the back half of the 2026 season. For an Angels team that needs every road win it can collect, this is not a game to sleepwalk through.

Starting Pitchers: Ryan Johnson vs. Robbie Ray

Ryan Johnson gets the ball for the Angels. Johnson has been working to carve out a reliable rotation spot, and a start at Oracle Park — a venue that can be friendly to pitchers when the Bay breeze kicks in — gives him a reasonable stage to make a statement. Without a current ERA on record, the focus shifts to process: can Johnson command the strike zone and avoid the big inning against a Giants lineup that has legitimate punch top to bottom?

On the other side, Robbie Ray returns to the mound for San Francisco. Ray is a veteran left-hander who has shown the ability to be dominant when his fastball-slider combination is working. The Angels' hitters will need to be patient early and look to work counts against a pitcher who can put up strikeout numbers in a hurry.

Giants Lineup to Watch

The San Francisco lineup the Angels will face is stacked with recognizable names. Luis Arraez leads off at second base — a contact machine who makes opposing pitchers throw strikes all night. Heliot Ramos follows in left field, with top prospect Bryce Eldridge sliding into the DH spot at three. Then comes Rafael Devers at first base, giving the Giants a true middle-of-the-order force capable of changing a game in a single swing.

• Luis Arraez (2B): Elite contact hitter leading off — Johnson must not fall behind in the count
• Rafael Devers (1B): Cleanup threat with power; the key at-bat of the game may run through him
• Willy Adames (SS): A dangerous bat hitting seventh — no free outs in this lineup
• Daniel Susac (C): The nine-hole hitter who can flip the lineup back to Arraez quickly

Keys to the Game for the Angels

Limit the Big Inning

This Giants lineup has enough firepower from top to bottom that one bad stretch for Johnson could unravel quickly. Keeping Arraez off base and making Devers work are the two biggest tasks. Johnson cannot afford to let the heart of this order string together quality at-bats.

Angels Offense Needs to Make Ray Work

The Angels' lineup will need to grind at-bats against Ray. Running up his pitch count early and getting into the San Francisco bullpen is the surest path to generating runs at Oracle Park. Patient at-bats and timely hitting — not swinging for the fences — should be the approach.

Win the Road Environment

Oracle Park is not an easy place to play. The atmosphere, the dimensions, and the home crowd all present challenges for visiting clubs. The Angels need to stay disciplined and not let the environment dictate their approach at the plate or on the mound.

Prediction

This figures to be a tight, low-scoring afternoon game. Both starters have the stuff to keep runs off the board, and Oracle Park's dimensions can suppress offense. The Giants' lineup depth gives San Francisco a slight edge, but if Ryan Johnson is sharp early and the Angels can solve Ray for two or three runs, this game is very much winnable. Expect a competitive battle decided by a run or two. Angels fall in a close one, 4-2, but the performance from Johnson will tell the Angels a great deal about what they have in their rotation heading forward.

Catch the game on ABTV presented by Pechanga Resort Casino or listen locally on KLAA 830.