Angels' Skaggs charged with taming Yankees

Tyler Skaggs has been matched against some of the best pitchers in the American League this season, and the Los Angeles Angels left-hander will face his next challenge Sunday evening in the series finale against the New York Yankees at Angel Stadium.

Skaggs (3-1, 2.96 ERA) will go head-to-head against a former AL Cy Young winner for a third time this month when he faces off against fellow left-hander CC Sabathia (1-0, 1.86 ERA).

The Yankees (17-9) have won eight in a row, matching their longest winning streak since a 10-game run in June 2012.

Sabathia, the 2007 AL Cy Young winner, has not allowed an earned run in his past two starts.

He gave up two unearned runs in 4 1/3 innings of a 4-3 victory against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays on April 19, and one unearned run in six innings of an 8-3 win against the visiting Minnesota Twins on Tuesday.

Sabathia told the New York Post after his latest performance that he's not trying to get too fancy at this stage of his career.

"Just trying to attack the strike zone," he said. "At this point, I just try to get outs, no matter what. My stuff is what it is right now, and I have to go out and be effective with what I have."

Skaggs will try to keep the Angels (16-11) from losing for the eighth time in their past nine home games.

He's come through in tough assignments so far, as the Angels have won four of his five outings.

In four of his starts, Skaggs has been matched against Sean Manaea of the Oakland Athletics, Corey Kluber of the Cleveland Indians, Rick Porcello of the Boston Red Sox and Gerrit Cole of the Houston Astros. Those pitchers came into Friday with a combined 14-4 record this season.

Manaea and Cole entered the weekend with the two lowest ERAs in the AL. Manea has also thrown a no-hitter this season, and his four wins are tied for the AL lead among a group of nine that includes Kluber, the 2014 and 2017 AL Cy Young winner, and Porcello, the 2016 AL Cy Young winner.

Skaggs will be looking to start 4-1 for the second time in his six-year major league career.

Skaggs also started 4-1 in his first season with the Angels in 2014 before finishing 5-5. He has yet to post a winning record for an entire season.

The 26-year-old is coming off his best start of the season, throwing seven shutout innings against the Astros on Monday, out-dueling Cole in the 2-0 victory.

"That's what Tyler can do, a lot of ground balls," Angels manager Mike Scioscia told reporters after the game. "He controlled counts. He got a lot of weak contact."

Skaggs has never faced the Yankees in 62 major league starts.

Giancarlo Stanton is the only current member of the Yankees who has faced Skaggs and he's 0-for-2.

The Angels are one of the few teams Sabathia does not own a winning record against in his 18-year career. He's 9-9 against Los Angeles with a 3.91 ERA.

Angels outfielder Mike Trout is 5-for-14 in his career against Sabathia with two doubles and two home runs.