The San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Angels begin a compelling three-game interleague series on Friday night at Angel Stadium, with both clubs entering the matchup seeking to establish momentum as the 2025 season begins to take shape. The Giants, boasting a strong 13–6 record, are playing some of their best baseball of the young campaign, particularly on the road where they’ve posted an impressive 9–4 mark. With solid depth, power production, and elite starting pitching, they arrive in Anaheim with confidence and a rotation led by right-hander Logan Webb, who has been every bit the ace they expected this season. Webb enters with a 2–0 record, a 2.63 ERA, and 26 strikeouts across 24 innings, showcasing excellent command, movement on his pitches, and the stamina to go deep into games—a critical edge when facing an offense like the Angels that is capable of capitalizing on bullpen mistakes. Los Angeles, sitting at 9–9, has been up and down in the early going but remains competitive in the AL West thanks in large part to the production of franchise icon Mike Trout, who has hit six home runs with 14 RBIs and continues to anchor a lineup that has flashes of explosiveness but has lacked consistent run production. They’ll counter on the mound with veteran left-hander Tyler Anderson, who’s quietly put together a solid start to the year with a 1–0 record and a 2.87 ERA over 15.2 innings, limiting hard contact and showing the kind of experience that keeps the Angels in close games. Offensively, the Giants bring a balanced and dangerous approach to Anaheim. Wilmer Flores is off to a blazing start with six home runs and 23 RBIs, delivering power and timely hitting in the heart of the order. Around him, the lineup has been opportunistic, with multiple players contributing in clutch situations, helping San Francisco average just over five runs per game. Their approach at the plate—working counts, capitalizing with runners on base, and grinding opposing starters out of the game—has been key in building early leads and allowing their pitching staff to settle in.

Against a soft-contact pitcher like Anderson, they’ll look to jump on first-pitch fastballs and force the Angels to play from behind, something Los Angeles has struggled with during their .500 start. The Giants have also played clean defense and shown bullpen reliability, giving them the tools to close out games when they lead through six innings. Meanwhile, the Angels’ challenge will be to get to Webb early, perhaps by working deep counts and using the spacious outfield in Anaheim to their advantage rather than relying solely on the long ball. Trout will need help from the likes of Taylor Ward and Brandon Drury, who have had moments of success but haven’t yet broken out. Both teams enter Friday with contrasting trends in terms of covering the spread—San Francisco has covered in three of their last five, while the Angels have failed to cover in four of their last five—reflecting recent momentum on the Giants’ side. The total is set at 8.5 runs, and with both starters pitching well, this game has the makings of a tight, low-to-mid scoring affair, where a big hit or defensive miscue could swing the outcome. If Webb continues to dominate and the Giants keep producing from the middle of the lineup, San Francisco should have the edge in this opener. But if the Angels can get a quality start from Anderson and Trout provides the spark, this series could tilt in either direction. With both teams trying to assert themselves early in their respective division races, Friday’s opener sets the tone for a weekend that could reveal which club is truly ready to contend.