Texas Rangers vs La Angels Picks and Predictions September 5th 2024

Thursday’s matchup between the Angels and Rangers is set to get started at 8:05 PM ET from Globe Life Field in Arlington. The Angels are 5th in the AL West with a record of 58-81, while the Rangers are 3rd in the division with an overall record of 67-73. Cody Bradford will start for the Rangers, while the Angels are sending Jack Kochanowicz to the mound.

Texas is currently favored on the money line, with the odds sitting at -161 compared to the Angels at +136. The over/under line is at 8.5 runs, and the game will be televised on BSSW.

Right-hander Jack Kochanowicz gets the start for the Angels today as he faces the Rangers on the road. He has made six starts this year and has a record of 2-3 with an ERA of 4.96. Kochanowicz’s WHIP for the season is 1.41, and opponents are batting .305 off him this year. In his last outing, he didn’t give up a run in six innings of work, picking up the win against the Tigers. Before that, he had given up at least two earned runs in three straight starts. Kochanowicz has four quality starts this year.

Over the past 10 games, Taylor Ward has been on fire for the Angels, going 13/38 with five home runs. Overall, he is batting .244 for the season and is 2nd on the team with 64 RBIs. Zach Neto and Jo Adell are also near the top of the team’s home run and RBI leaderboards, but both players have batting averages below .210.

As a team, the Angels are near the bottom of the league in most offensive categories, including runs per game, batting average, and on-base percentage. They are also just 19th in home runs. Currently, they are averaging 3.9 runs per game, which is 27th in the league.

Left-hander Cody Bradford gets the start for the Rangers today as he faces the Angels at home. He has made six quality starts in his nine outings and has a record of 4-2 with an ERA of 3.21. Bradford’s WHIP for the season is .89, and opponents are batting .194 off him this year. In his last outing, he went seven innings, giving up two earned runs, and finished with a no-decision. Before that, he had lost three straight starts. Bradford has been much better at home, coming in with a 3.08 ERA compared to 8.6 on the road.

Corey Seager has been the Rangers’ top hitter this season, batting .278 with 30 homers and 74 RBIs. His 30 homers are 11th in the league and the best mark on the team. Adolis Garcia is also near the top of the team’s home run and RBI leaderboards, but he is hitting just .222 for the season. However, Garcia has gone deep 21 times.

Over the team’s last six games, Josh Jung has gone 9/24 with two homers and five RBIs, while Wyatt Langford is also on a four-game hitting streak and went 7/23 with two homers and nine RBIs in this stretch. Langford is also hitting .304 in this stretch.

Wyatt Langford, Rangers Look to Stay Hot in Series Opener vs. Angels

Rookie sensation Wyatt Langford is making waves for the Texas Rangers as they kick off a four-game home series against the Los Angeles Angels. The 22-year-old left fielder has been a force on both sides of the ball, delivering clutch performances game after game. After smashing a walk-off grand slam on Tuesday, Langford followed it up with a 3-for-4 night on Wednesday, driving in two runs, scoring three, and making a game-saving catch in the ninth inning to seal the Rangers’ 10-6 win over the New York Yankees.

Langford’s stellar play has been a major factor in the Rangers’ recent surge. The team has won 11 of their last 16 games, including three straight series victories.

Langford has been red-hot since the start of September, hitting .438 (7-for-16) with two homers and eight RBIs in just four games. His breakout has been even more crucial with the absence of star shortstop Corey Seager, who was placed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday due to a sore right hip. While there’s no official timeline for Seager’s return, it’s a blow for the Rangers as they try to maintain their momentum.

Cody Bradford Takes the Mound for Texas

In Thursday’s series opener, the Rangers will turn to left-hander Cody Bradford (4-2, 3.21 ERA). Bradford has been a steady presence in the rotation, posting a solid 2.77 ERA over his last four starts. However, despite his consistency on the mound, Bradford is 0-2 in that span due to lack of run support.

Bradford will be looking to continue his streak of quality starts, but he’ll have to overcome past struggles against the Angels. In two career starts against them, he has an 0-1 record and a 7.56 ERA. He’ll need his best stuff to help the Rangers continue their hot streak.

Angels Riding Momentum After Blowout Win

The Los Angeles Angels (58-81) head into Texas on a high note after crushing the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-1 on Wednesday. The victory marked their fourth win in six games following a rough seven-game losing streak. Angels manager Ron Washington hopes the team’s offense is finally waking up.

A key piece of the Angels’ recent success has been the play of left fielder Taylor Ward, who is currently riding a 14-game hitting streak. Over this stretch, Ward has been batting .327 (18-for-55) with three home runs. His power surge has helped lift his season average from .234, and he’s looking locked in at the plate.

Rookie Jack Kochanowicz Starts for the Angels

The Angels will counter with rookie right-hander Jack Kochanowicz (2-3, 4.96 ERA). Kochanowicz is coming off his best start of the season, where he tossed six shutout innings in a win against the Detroit Tigers on August 29. Thursday’s game will mark his first career appearance against the Rangers, and the Angels are hoping he can build on his recent success.

With the team out of playoff contention, Kochanowicz has a chance to establish himself as a key part of the Angels’ future rotation. A strong showing against Texas could be a big step in solidifying his role moving forward.

Series Outlook: Rangers and Angels Seek to Finish Strong

The Rangers come into this series with serious momentum, riding a wave of success fueled by young talents like Wyatt Langford. However, the loss of Corey Seager puts additional pressure on players like J.T. Realmuto, Nick Castellanos, and Kyle Schwarber to step up and keep the offense rolling. Cody Bradford will need to be sharp on the mound to keep the Angels in check, particularly with Taylor Ward on a tear at the plate.

For the Angels, Jack Kochanowicz has shown flashes of brilliance, and Taylor Ward‘s hitting streak gives the lineup a spark. Though both teams are out of playoff contention, this series is an opportunity for younger players to prove themselves as they look toward next season.

As the Rangers and Angels square off, all eyes will be on Langford and Ward, two players who have been carrying their teams with clutch performances. With momentum on the line, this series opener could set the tone for a competitive stretch run.

For a money line pick, we are leaning towards the Rangers to come out on top at home vs. the Angels. And as for how we would play the over/under line, we would go with the over, as this is our highest projected scoring game of the day. These teams have the 2nd highest combined hits projection, and 6th highest home run projection. Looking at today’s starters, we have Cody Bradford as the 6th lowest strikeout pitcher compared to Jack Kochanowicz (3rd worst).