Houston Astros vs La Angels Picks and Predictions September 20th 2024

At 8:10 PM ET, the Angels and Astros will face off in an AL West matchup. This one is being played at Minute Maid Park in Houston, and the Astros are the heavy favorite on the money line, with their odds sitting at -251. The Angels are +210 on the money line, and they will be looking to pull off the upset with a record of 62-91.

Justin Verlander will start for the Astros, while the Angels are sending Tyler Anderson to the mound. The over/under line is currently at 8 runs, and this one will be televised on BSW.

Los Angeles vs. Houston Key Information

• Teams: Angels at Astros
• Where: Minute Maid Park Houston
• Date: Friday, September 20th
• Betting Odds HOU -251 | LAA +210 O/U 8

The Angels Can Win If…

Left-hander Tyler Anderson gets the start for the Angels today as he faces the Astros on the road. He has made 29 starts this season and has a record of 10-13 with a 3.60 ERA. Anderson’s WHIP for the season is currently 1.25. In his 29 appearances, he has turned in 12 quality starts. Looking back at his last outing, Anderson took the loss, giving up four earned runs in five innings of work. Before that, he had gone three straight outings without taking the loss. Anderson has a better record on the road, going 7-4 with a 2.45 ERA compared to 3-9 with a 5.13 ERA at home.

Los Angeles has been one of the worst offensive teams in the league this season, averaging just 3.9 runs per game, which is 27th in the MLB. As a team, they are batting just .228, and their on-base percentage of .300 is also near the bottom of the league. The Angels are also just 20th in home runs this season.

One of the few bright spots in the Angels lineup has been Taylor Ward and Zach Neto, as they are tied for the team lead with 71 RBIs and are 1st and 2nd on the team in home runs, respectively. Ward has gone deep three times in his last nine games, but is batting just .250 in that stretch. Nolan Schanuel has been hot of late, going 13/32 in his last nine games with a homer and five RBIs.

• The Angels are 3-7 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the Angels are 1-4 vs. the run line.
• Los Angeles has an over/under record of 4-5-1 in their last ten games.
• The Angels have an average of 3.6 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten road games, the Angels are 3-7
• Looking back across the Angels last five games as the favorite, they are 2-3
• Los Angeles has gone 0-3 in their last three games as the underdog
• In their ten most recent road games, the Angels have averaged 3.5 runs per game on offense

The Astros Can Win If…

Right-hander Justin Verlander gets the start for the Astros today vs. the Angels and comes in with a record of 4-6 and ERA of 5.20. Out of his 15 starts, Verlander has turned in five quality starts and is averaging 7.34 strikeouts per nine innings. In his last outing, he went five innings, giving up two earned runs, and got the win. Before that, he had lost three straight starts. Verlander has been much worse at home, coming in with a 9.02 ERA compared to 4.6 on the road.

Yordan Alvarez has been the Astros’ top hitter this season, leading the team with 34 home runs and 85 RBIs, while batting .303. However, he has struggled of late, going just 4/26 in his last seven games. Jose Altuve is also having a strong season, batting .299 with 19 homers and 63 RBIs.

As a team, the Astros are 3rd in batting average and 13th in runs scored, averaging 4.6 runs per game. They have been a better offensive team at home this season, averaging 4.8 runs per contest. Overall, they are one of the league’s best teams at avoiding strikeouts and have a strong team on-base percentage of .320.

• The Astros are 6-4 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the Astros are 3-2 vs. the run line.
• Houston has an over/under record of 3-7 in their last ten games.
• The Astros have an average of 2.8 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten home games, the Astros are 5-5
• Looking back across the Astros last five games as the favorite, they are 4-1
• Houston has gone 1-2 in their last three games as the underdog
• In their ten most recent road games, the Astros have averaged 3.9 runs per game on offense

Astros Eye AL West Crown in Game 2 Against Angels

The Houston Astros took another step toward clinching the American League West title on Thursday with a 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels, thanks to a strong outing by Yusei Kikuchi and clutch defensive plays. With the win, the Astros reduced their magic number to five and are poised to secure their seventh division title in eight years.

Kikuchi’s performance, though he didn’t earn the decision, extended Houston’s undefeated streak to 9-0 with him on the mound since being acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays at the trade deadline. Late-season acquisitions like Jason Heyward and Hector Neris have also been key contributors, helping the Astros solidify their postseason push.

Manager Joe Espada praised the team’s new additions: “They bring a different dynamic. Their personalities are different, and they have meshed really well with our players. They’ve embraced their roles and excelled.”

Verlander Takes the Mound for Houston

On Friday, Houston will send Justin Verlander (4-6, 5.20 ERA) to the mound, looking to build momentum as they inch closer to the playoffs. Verlander recently returned from a 54-game stint on the injured list due to neck discomfort and is still working his way back to form. He earned his first win since returning in his last outing against the Angels, where he allowed two runs over five innings. Verlander has a 17-11 record with a 3.33 ERA in 33 career starts against the Angels and will look to continue that success.

Angels Counter with Anderson

The Angels will send left-hander Tyler Anderson (10-13, 3.60 ERA) to the mound. Anderson has struggled in recent outings, with a 0-2 record and a 5.21 ERA over his last four starts. This includes a loss to the Astros last Saturday, where he allowed four runs over five innings. Anderson has historically struggled against Houston, holding a 1-4 record with a 6.24 ERA in 10 career starts.

For the Angels, Taylor Ward has been a bright spot, hitting his 25th home run of the season in Thursday’s game. His leadoff homer marked his fifth in the last 19 games, and Ward has reached base safely in 38 of his last 42 games. Manager Ron Washington noted, “He’s finally put it back together here in September. We’re looking for him to continue.”

Key Players to Watch

• Astros: Yordan Álvarez, Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman
• Angels: Taylor Ward, Shohei Ohtani, Mike Moustakas

With the AL West title in sight, the Astros are looking to build on their momentum, while the Angels, at 62-91, aim to play spoiler. Both teams have plenty to prove, with Houston hoping to secure the division and Los Angeles seeking to finish the season on a positive note.

Probable Starters:

• Astros: Justin Verlander (4-6, 5.20 ERA)
• Angels: Tyler Anderson (10-13, 3.60 ERA)

As the Astros push toward the postseason, Friday’s game will be another step toward their playoff destiny.

The Lean

Look for the Astros to come out on top in this one, and we are leaning towards taking them on the money line. As for how we would play the over/under line, we would go with the over, as this is projected to be the 7th highest-scoring game of the day, and this one has the 4th highest total hits projection. Houston starter Justin Verlander has the 4th best strikeout projection among today’s starters.