OAKLAND [url=http://www.officialavalanche.com/authentic-adidas-semyon-varlamov-jersey]Semyon Varlamov Jersey[/url] , Calif. — Having dipped into the minor leagues for four new players Friday, the Los Angeles Angels plan to do so again Saturday for their starting pitcher when they go for a second straight win against the Oakland Athletics.

The Angels are planning to promote left-hander John Lamb for his first major-league start since 2016, matching him against A’s lefty Sean Manaea (5-6, 3.49 ERA).

Los Angeles placed four players — third baseman Zack Cozart and right-handers Garrett Richards, Nick Tropeano and Jim Johnson — on the disabled list Friday, replacing them with bullpen reinforcements in right-handers Felix Pena, Eduardo Paredes, Jake Jewell and Akeel Morris.

None saw action in Friday’s 8-4 win over Oakland, with left-hander Tyler Skaggs throwing seven strong innings before Cam Bedrosian and Justin Anderson mopped up.

Catcher Jose Briceno, himself a May call-up from the minors, contributed to the Los Angeles offensive attack in the series opener with a double, two singles and an RBI.

“Nobody is going to feel sorry for you,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said of a roster that now features 15 players on the DL. “We feel we have the guys who can contribute and keep us going. If we can pitch and have our bullpen hold leads, then we’re going to be fine.”

Lamb has battled back issues in the minors since he last threw a big-league pitch for the Cincinnati Reds on July 16, 2016. He went 2-12 with a 6.17 ERA in 24 starts for the Reds in two seasons.

One of those starts was in Cincinnati against the A’s in 2016, a game in which he gave up two home runs, including one by Marcus Semien [url=http://www.officialhockeypanthersshop.com/authentic-adidas-roberto-luongo-jersey]Roberto Luongo Jersey[/url] , in a 6-1 loss. He is 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA in his career against Oakland based solely on that one appearance.

The A’s had to make an 11th-hour pitching change of their own, starting Manaea in place of Daniel Gossett, who strained his right forearm in his last start.

Manaea hasn’t won since May 14 but pitched well in both of his previous June starts, allowing a total of four runs in 12 2/3 innings.

He matched up with Skaggs, Friday’s winner for the Angels, in the second game of the season back in March, allowing one run in 7 2/3 innings in a 2-1 Oakland loss.

Mike Trout accounted for the only run the Angels scored off Manaea that night with a home run.

Manaea is 1-3 with a 4.30 ERA in seven career starts against the Angels.

Trout’s homer in March was the third of his career against Manaea in just 14 at-bats. He has three other hits, including a triple, among those head-to-heads.

Trout had three hits, all singles, in Friday’s win.

The A’s likely will counter the Angels’ roster move Saturday with one of their own, with third baseman Matt Chapman expected to be placed on the DL with a bruised hand.

Chapman had a 149-game streak of consecutive games played snapped with his absence Friday.

He was replaced at third base in the series opener by Chad Pinder, whose second-inning throwing error led to two unearned runs — two of four the A’s generously gifted the short-handed Angels in the game.

PHOENIX — As the second half of the season commences, both Arizona and San Francisco have reasons to feel confident as they prepare for the third game of a three-game weekend series Sunday.

Both are nearing full health, and the NL West remains wide open as the Diamondbacks, Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers are within 3 1/2 games of each other entering July.

Arizona survived a 2-15 stretch in May and is playing as well as it did in the early going, when it did not lose any of its first 12 series. The Giants have won nine of 11 after going 18-10 in June [url=http://www.officialkings.com/authentic-adidas-adrian-kempe-jersey]Adrian Kempe Jersey[/url] , their first winning month since June, 2016.

“I know that we got off to a great start and hit a little downturn and fought back,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said when asked about his takeaways from the first half.

“The obvious thing is, we are playing very good baseball now. We’ve grown and learned and become stronger and tougher because of the situation we walked through in May. They have never pointed their finger at anything or any anyone in an particular situation or moment.

“When it didn’t go well, they were accountable. They played united baseball. We’re right in the middle of a story that we continue to want to tell the way we are telling it.”

Arizona right-hander Zack Godley will oppose Giants left-hander Derek Holland in the final game of the series at Chase Field on Sunday afternoon. The Giants begin a three-game series in Colorado on Monday while the Diamondbacks will host a three-game series against St. Louis.

“Considering everything that is happened, we are right in the thick of things, which is where you want to be,” San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said.

“If you would have told me what we have to deal with – three starters out, (Joe) Panik out, (Evan) Longoria out. Sure, no question you take it. I think it is going to be tight in September. Hopefully we’re right there. That’s our plan.”

Right-handers Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija could made their next starts in the majors after prolonged absences due to injury, and Cueto would be particularly welcome. He was 3-0 with an 0.84 ERA in five starts while holding opponents to a .150 batting average before going on the disabled list because of shoulder soreness in the first week of May.

In the interim, Dereck Rodriguez and Andrew Suarez have pitched well. The Giants also have received only five starts from Madison Bumgarner, who opened the season on the disabled list before returning in early June.

Arizona outfielders A.J. Pollock and Steven Souza Jr. also are nearing a return from the disabled list after missing considerable time. The Diamondbacks also lost starters Taijuan Walker and Robbie Ray for 58 days before returning.

Pollock and Souza Jr. are on rehab assignments for Triple-A Reno, and Pollock is likely to return before the All-Star break. Pollock was slashing .293/.349/.620 with 10 doubles, 11 homers and nine stolen bases in 43 games before suffering a fractured thumb trying to make a diving catch in center field in the ninth inning of a 7-2 loss to Milwaukee on May 14.

“You think about what the (injury) losses are,” Lovullo said “It’s been a very interesting season. I think the most resilient teams are the ones that understand and accept what’s happening day by day [url=http://www.officialkings.com/authentic-adidas-dion-phaneuf-jersey]Youth Dion Phaneuf Jersey[/url] , whether it is good or bad, and move on to the next day as quickly as possible.

“We are a resilient group. We can turn the page quickly, no matter what the results are.”

Godley, 9-5 with a 4.58 ERA, is one victory short of NL leaders Max Scherzer, Jon Lester and Aaron Nola, in part because he has received 4.63 runs of support in his 16 starts. His 1.52 WHIP is 44th and last among qualified NL starters, and he has made seven quality starts.

Godley is 1-1 with a 6.10 ERA in two starts against the Giants this season and is 2-2 with a 6.97 ERA in six career appearances, four starts, against them. Godley has pitched his best at home this season, going 4-1 with a 2.89 ERA in six starts.

Holland (5-7, 4.24) is coming off arguably his best outing of the season, although he did not receive a decision in a 3-2 victory over Colorado. Holland gave up one run on six hits in a season-high 6 2/3 innings while striking out a season high eight. It was his longest appearance since he went eight innings against Seattle on May 21, 2017.

He is 0-1 in two starts against the Diamondbacks, both with Texas. Holland is 3-5 with a 3.94 ERA in nine road starts this season. He has never pitched in Chase Field.