The week ahead

Angels: The Angels swept the Red Sox last week, for the first time in seven years, but those games were in Anaheim. These games are in Boston, where the Angels won two of three in April but had lost 16 of their previous 22 games, including both playoff games last October. The Angels and Red Sox could meet again this October, so the Angels would do well to secure home-field advantage by maintaining the best record in the AL. Then again, the Angels have the best road record in the majors.

Angels vs. Boston Red Sox, Monday through Wednesday at Fenway Park, Boston.

Dodgers: The first game of this series arrives on the day of the trading deadline. The Diamondbacks made the first move last week, shoring up their bullpen by acquiring Nationals closer Jon Rauch and Padres first baseman Tony Clark. The Dodgers countered Saturday, adding third baseman Casey Blake from the Indians. The top two teams in the NL West have met eight times this year, with Arizona winning five. Nomar Garciaparra is batting .450 against the Diamondbacks this season, with James Loney at .406 and Matt Kemp at .353.

Dodgers vs. Arizona Diamondbacks, Thursday through next Sunday at Dodger Stadium.

Elsewhere: If the Rockies do not plan to decide whether to trade All-Star outfielder Matt Holliday until the final day or two before Thursday’s trading deadline, the schedule suggests they’ll keep him. The Rockies swept four games from the Pirates last week in Denver, and they meet for three more this week in Pittsburgh, so Colorado could close in on the Dodgers and Diamondbacks. Holliday isn’t the only player in this series subject to trade talks, as Rockies closer Brian Fuentes and a slew of Pirates -- outfielder Jason Bay, shortstop Jack Wilson and left-handed reliever John Grabow -- could be headed elsewhere by the end of this series.

Colorado Rockies at Pittsburgh Pirates, Monday through Wednesday at PNC Park, Pittsburgh.

Minor leaguers of the week

Dodgers: Austin Gallagher, if

The Dodgers put Gallagher on a fast track, sending the 2007 high school draftee into the California League this year, and the kid seems to be getting the hang of it. Gallagher, 19, who hit .209 at Class-A Inland Empire in May and .322 in June, is hitting .381 in July, including a five-game run last week in which he hit .600 with two home runs and 11 RBIs. He bats left-handed -- he’s hitting .419 against left-handers -- and he plays first base and third base. The downside, at least for now: one strikeout every four at-bats.

Angels: Jordan Walden, rhp

The Angels invited Walden to spring training even though he had yet to reach Class A, in part so the major league coaching staff could check out his arm. What’s not to like about a kid that can throw 100 mph? He can do more than throw hard, as the Angels acknowledged when they recently promoted him to Class-A Rancho Cucamonga. Walden, 20, went 4-6 with a 2.18 ERA at Class-A Cedar Rapids, with 91 strikeouts and 32 walks in 107 innings. In his first start for the Quakes, he pitched six shutout innings.