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The Los Angeles Angels made a statement in their crosstown rivalry Monday night, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-4 at Angel Stadium to improve to 4-0 against their NL West neighbors this year. The victory secured the Angels’ first Freeway Series season triumph since 2019, halting a five-year run of dominance by the Dodgers.
The Talkin’ Baseball podcast put the accomplishment into perspective on X, formerly known as Twitter, pointing out the rarity of this result over the past half-decade.
“This is the first time since 2019 that the Angels have won the season series against the Dodgers
Angels were 5-23 against the Dodgers over the last five seasons”
Before this year, the Dodgers vs Angels rivalry has been one-sided. From 2020 through 2024, the Dodgers went 23-5 in the Freeway Series, often overpowering Anaheim with their deep lineup and dominant pitching staff. But in 2025, the Halos have flipped the script, using timely hitting and improved pitching to win all four meetings so far.
Monday’s victory was powered by Zach Neto, who went 3-for-3 with two home runs, including a leadoff shot and a two-run blast in the fifth inning. It marked his eighth leadoff homer of the season, tying him for the MLB lead. Jose Soriano delivered six scoreless innings, limiting the Dodgers’ potent offense to just two hits.
The Dodgers still had their moments, with Shohei Ohtani hitting his 42nd home run of the season and Max Muncy adding a three-run shot late, but starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto struggled, surrendering six earned runs over 4.2 innings.
From a broader Angels rivalry history perspective, the Freeway Series began with exhibitions in 1962 and became a regular-season staple in 1997. While the Dodgers still hold a narrow 78-74 all-time lead, the clubs’ 2025 resurgence has shifted the rivalry’s tone, at least for now.
For the Angels, this series win could carry more than bragging rights. Coming off a 2024 season without a postseason berth, the emergence of young stars like Zach Neto, along with key contributions from Taylor Ward and Jo Adell, has sparked optimism. Clinching the rivalry is a tangible sign of progress heading into final months of the season.
The Dodgers’ struggles since the start of July have persisted. Sporting a 15-19 record over that stretch, their NL West lead has narrowed, and continued rotation inconsistencies are creating concern as October approaches.
The Freeway Series will continue Tuesday, but one thing is certain — for the first time since 2019, the Angels have the upper hand in L.A.
