The Los Angeles Angels will meet the Detroit Tigers WATCH Mike Trout and Albert Pujols FREE: Live Streaming Online MLB Game from Comerica Park Friday at 7:08 PM ET
In each of the past two years, the Tigers' Miguel Cabrera has beaten out the Angels' Mike Trout for the AL MVP.
If he can continue his strong start, it might be Trout finally taking home the hardware this year.
The Angels center fielder will try to register another multihit game Friday night and help his club earn a 10th consecutive win over Cabrera's Tigers.
Cabrera did not win a second straight Triple Crown this past season but did enough in voters' minds to once again beat out Trout. Their performances in the past two seasons have played a part in the debate between baseball traditionalists who largely favor Cabrera and sabermetricians who often side with Trout because of his more varied abilities, namely his speed in the outfield and on the basepaths.
Trout has stolen just one base this season after swiping a combined 82 bags the past two years, but he's gotten off to a better start at the plate than Cabrera. Trout has boosted his average to .323 by going 12 for 30 in his last six games while hitting three of his five home runs.
He went 2 for 5 and scored the tying run in the ninth inning Wednesday to help the Angels (7-8) avoid a three-game sweep to Oakland with a 5-4 comeback win in 12 innings.
Cabrera is hitting .250 in the first 12 games this season, well below his career .320 mark. He has one home run after hitting 44 in each of his MVP campaigns.
The Tigers (7-5) also avoided a third straight loss Thursday, as Ian Kinsler's career high-tying fourth RBI in the sixth inning Thursday put Detroit ahead for good in a 7-5 victory over Cleveland.
"I would like to win some more games, but right now we're playing OK, and just waiting to erupt a little bit and run off a bunch of wins in a row," said Kinsler, who also hit a three-run homer in the fifth inning.
The Angels will have the major league's longest active win streak versus one opponent if Weaver can help lead them to another victory Friday. They won a series-best 14 in a row May 8, 2002-Aug. 23, 2003.
The game is live streaming online free at gofirstrowus.eu/sport/baseball.html
