Brewers Face Angels with Trade Deadline Approaching

The Milwaukee Brewers (67-41, NL Central leaders) begin a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels (42-67, tied for worst record in baseball) on August 1 in Anaheim, with left-hander Shane Drohan facing right-hander Ryan Johnson. The Brewers seek to rebound from a two-game loss to the Giants, while the Angels prepare for trades before the August 2 deadline.

Quick Facts

Three-game series begins
First meeting of 2026 season between teams
DL Hall reinstated from injured list
Thomas Pannone designated for assignment
Brewers rebound after two-game loss to Giants

The Milwaukee Brewers begin a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday, August 1, 2026, at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California. The Brewers (67-41) lead the NL Central, while the Angels (42-67) are tied with the Colorado Rockies for the worst record in Major League Baseball. The matchup marks the first meeting between the two teams this season.

Left-hander Shane Drohan starts for the Brewers with a 5-4 record and 3.51 ERA across 82 innings with 82 strikeouts. Right-hander Ryan Johnson counters for the Angels with a 2-5 record and 7.34 ERA through 11 appearances. The Brewers arrive following a two-game loss in their series against the San Francisco Giants and look to rebound during their California road trip. The Angels, preparing for several expected trades before the August 2 deadline, field a roster missing multiple key players to injury.

The Brewers' offense features a balanced lineup led by Brice Turang (25 doubles, 15 home runs, .271 batting average), Christian Yelich, William Contreras, and Cooper Pratt, who is hitting .343 (12 for 35) over his last 10 games. The team maintains a .255/.337/.400 batting line (.737 OPS, sixth in MLB) with 98 home runs and holds a collective 3.51 ERA pitching staff—second-best in the National League. Milwaukee's pitching has struck out 1,047 batters across 965⅔ innings.

The Angels rely on Zach Neto (19 home runs, .433 slugging) and Mike Trout to anchor their offense, supported by Jorge Soler, Jo Adell, and Vaughn Grissom, who has gone 13 for 40 with 10 RBIs over his last 10 games. Los Angeles has posted a .239/.315/.386 batting line (.701 OPS, 24th in MLB) with 116 home runs this season. The Angels' pitching staff carries a 4.54 team ERA (24th in MLB), with reliever Samy Natera Jr. leading the bullpen at 2.08 ERA over 21⅔ innings.

Prior to the game, the Brewers activated left-hander DL Hall (2.03 ERA, 24 appearances) from the injured list and designated left-hander Thomas Pannone for assignment after he made a spot start in San Francisco. Both teams continue managing substantial injured lists: the Brewers have 10 players on the IL including Brandon Woodruff (out for season), while the Angels have 8 players out, including Anthony Rendon (expected to retire following hip surgery).

Topics

Sports

#trade deadline #pitching matchup #NL Central #baseball #Angels #series preview #MLB #Brewers

Entities

Why This Matters

The Brewers (67-41) lead the NL Central and face the Angels (42-67, tied for worst record in MLB) in a three-game series on August 1. The Angels operate under the August 2 trade deadline, expected to execute multiple roster transactions; the Brewers have 10 players on injured list including Brandon Woodruff (season-ending) and recently reactivated DL Hall from IL. Playoff positioning and roster management directly affect both teams' competitive standing through the remainder of the season.

Timeline & Sources

Jul 31, 2026

Wire

Brewers complete series against San Francisco Giants, dropping two of three games

Aug 1, 2026

Wire

First game of Brewers-Angels series begins; Shane Drohan starts for Milwaukee, Ryan Johnson for Los Angeles

Aug 2, 2026

Wire

MLB trade deadline; Angels expected to execute multiple trades