The LA Angels have been reeling losing six games in a row over the past week and looking for something to help them gain an edge on the first-place Seattle Mariners. So the Angels decided to employ the opener strategy that the Tampa Bay Rays and the Oakland A’s employed to perfection last season which helped both teams overachieve and stay in the playoff race throughout the season.
The idea behind the strategy is to use one of your better relievers in the first inning against the top part of the opponents’ order which would take pressure off a starting and also minimize the amount of times that starter has to face the top part of the line-up.