The Los Angeles Angels welcome the Detroit Tigers to Angel Stadium on Friday, July 17, with left-hander Reid Detmers getting the nod on the mound. First pitch is set for 9:38 PM ET, with the game airing locally on ABTV presented by Pechanga Resort Casino and on KLAA 830 AM. Detroit counters with right-hander Troy Melton. With the regular season in full swing and both clubs jockeying for position, this is a matchup worth watching from the first pitch.

Angels vs. Tigers Pitching Matchup: Detmers vs. Melton

Reid Detmers is the story on the Angels side. The young left-hander has been one of the more intriguing arms in the rotation, and every start he makes at Angel Stadium carries real stakes for a team that needs reliable innings from its starters. Detmers has the stuff to keep a Tigers lineup honest — his ability to locate his fastball and mix his offspeed pitches will be the central factor in how deep he can go into this game.

On the other side, Detroit sends Troy Melton to the hill. Melton is not a household name, but unfamiliarity cuts both ways — the Angels lineup will need to make adjustments early and force him to work deep in counts rather than chasing pitches outside the zone.

Angels Lineup: Keys to Watch

Manager Ron Washington has set a lineup with real firepower top to bottom. Here is how the Angels are lined up for Friday night:

• Zach Neto, SS — leadoff
• Mike Trout, CF — batting second
• Nolan Schanuel, 1B — batting third
• Jorge Soler, DH — cleanup
• Josh Lowe, LF — fifth
• Jo Adell, RF — sixth
• Vaughn Grissom, 2B — seventh
• Denzer Guzman, 3B — eighth
• Logan O'Hoppe, C — ninth

Trout batting second keeps the heart of the order — Schanuel and Soler — protected with a legitimate threat ahead of them. If Neto gets on base and Trout does damage, Schanuel and Soler can drive in runs in bunches. That one-through-four sequence is as dangerous as any in the American League on a given night.

Three Things to Watch Friday Night

• Detmers' command: If Detmers is hitting his spots and keeping the ball out of the middle of the zone, he has the profile to go six-plus innings. Watch his walk total early — it will tell you everything about his stuff on the night.
• Jo Adell vs. right-handed pitching: Adell batting sixth against a right-hander like Melton is a matchup the Angels will look to exploit. Adell has the raw power to punish a pitcher who falls behind in the count.
• Logan O'Hoppe's game-calling: With Detmers on the mound, O'Hoppe's pitch sequencing behind the plate matters. The two have developed a working relationship, and how they attack Detroit's hitters will shape the outcome of this start.

Prediction

The Angels have the lineup depth to manufacture runs against an unfamiliar arm in Melton, and if Detmers pitches to contact and stays out of the big inning, Angel Stadium should be celebrating a victory by the end of the night. The edge goes to Los Angeles. Angels 5, Tigers 3.