La Angels vs Texas Rangers Picks and Predictions September 29th 2024

From Angel Stadium of Anaheim in Anaheim, we have the Rangers and Angels facing off in an AL West matchup. This one gets started at 3:07 PM ET and is being televised by BSSW. The Angels are the slight +141 underdogs on the money line, while the Rangers are favored at -167. The over/under line is currently at 8 runs.

Jack Kochanowicz is starting for the Angels, and he will be looking to snap their five-game losing streak. As for the Rangers, they will be sending Nathan Eovaldi to the mound. The over/under line is currently at 8 runs.

Texas vs. Los Angeles Key Information

• Teams: Rangers at Angels
• Where: Angel Stadium of Anaheim Anaheim
• Date: Sunday, September 29th
• Betting Odds TEX -167 | LAA +141 O/U 8

The Rangers Can Win If…

Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi finished with a no-decision in his last outing, going seven innings against the Athletics. In that start, he gave up three earned runs on four hits. Looking back further, Eovaldi has finished with a no-decision in three straight outings. He has made 28 starts this season and has a record of 11-8 with a 3.96 ERA. Eovaldi’s WHIP for the season is currently 1.12. The right-hander has a batting average allowed of .229 and has turned in 15 quality starts this year. Per nine innings, he is averaging 8.85 strikeouts and 2.25 walks.

Adolis Garcia comes into the game as the Rangers’ leading home run hitter, but he is batting just .224 for the season. However, he is on a five-game hitting streak and has three homers in his last five games. Garcia’s 85 RBIs are the best mark on the team. Corey Seager is also near the top of the league in home runs, as his 30 homers are the best mark on the team and 13th in the MLB. Seager is batting .278 for the season.

As a team, the Rangers are batting just .238, which is 15th in the league, and they are averaging 4.2 runs per game. This is also the 20th best mark in the league. Texas is also near the bottom of the league in OPS and ISO. Currently, they are 23rd in OPS and 20th in ISO.

• The Rangers are 5-5 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the Rangers are 2-3 vs. the run line.
• Texas has an over/under record of 5-5 in their last ten games.
• The Rangers have an average of 5.0 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten road games, the Rangers are 4-6
• Looking back across the Rangers last five games as the favorite, they are 2-3
• Texas has gone 2-1 in their last three games as the underdog
• In their ten most recent road games, the Rangers have averaged 4.2 runs per game on offense

The Angels Can Win If…

Through 10 starts, Jack Kochanowicz has a record of 2-5 and an ERA of 4.01. He has made seven quality starts this year and is coming off an outing in which he didn’t allow a run. Against the White Sox on September 24th, Kochanowicz went seven innings, giving up just three hits and three walks. He finished with three strikeouts in the outing. Kochanowicz has made 10 appearances this year and has a WHIP of 1.22. Per nine innings, he is averaging just 3.7 strikeouts compared to 1.39 walks.

So far this season, the Angels offense is averaging just 3.9 runs per game, which is the worst mark in the MLB. They are also near the bottom of the league in batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage. As a team, they are batting just .230.

Los Angeles will be looking for Taylor Ward and Zach Neto to continue their strong seasons, as Ward leads the team with 75 RBIs and Neto is right behind him with 77 RBIs. Ward has 25 homers this season, while Neto has 23. Ward is batting .248 for the season, and Neto is just a point higher at .249. Logan O’Hoppe has also been hot of late, going 11/23 in his last six games.

• The Angels are 2-8 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 4-6 in their last ten games.
• The Angels have an average of 3.0 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten home games, the Angels are 2-8
• Looking back across the Angels last five games as the favorite, they are 2-3
• Los Angeles has gone 1-2 in their last three games as the underdog
• In their ten most recent road games, the Angels have averaged 4.1 runs per game on offense

Rangers Aim for a Strong Finish in Season Finale Against Angels

The Texas Rangers are looking to close out their season on a high note by completing a three-game sweep against the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday afternoon in Anaheim, California. Despite a season that hasn’t quite lived up to expectations—especially for a defending World Series champion—the Rangers have managed to find moments of resilience and individual success throughout their campaign.

Rangers’ Recent Surge

The Rangers have been finding their groove lately, posting a 21-16 record over their past 37 games. This improved performance has shone through, especially in their head-to-head matchups with the Angels, where they’ve won eight of their last 12 games and 12 of their past 18 against their AL West rivals.

Texas manager Bruce Bochy praised his team’s determination in their comeback win on Saturday. The game featured a thrilling four-run rally in the ninth inning, culminating in a 9-8 victory. Nathaniel Lowe played a crucial role, blasting a home run, adding an RBI double, and then working a bases-loaded walk in an epic 11-pitch at-bat. Jonathan Ornelas, a young player coming off the bench, delivered a clutch two-run single to tie the game, eventually allowing Lowe to score the game-winner, showcasing the strength of the Rangers’ depth and their young talent.

Injury Concerns for Texas

One downside of Saturday’s game for the Rangers was the loss of Adolis Garcia due to a sore knee. Garcia, who has been one of the team’s key power hitters this season with 25 home runs and 85 RBIs, will miss the finale against the Angels. Despite his absence, the Rangers have demonstrated an ability to rally and perform even when one of their stars is sidelined.

Angels Struggling to Finish Strong

On the other side, the Los Angeles Angels are ending what has been one of their worst seasons in franchise history. Their current record of 63-98 leaves them at risk of ending the season with 99 losses—a number that would mark their highest ever. Following a promising start to the year, the Angels have struggled, going 1-8 over their last nine games and posting a 12-34 record since a successful series against the New York Yankees in August.

Despite the disappointing results, the Angels did show some offensive potential on Saturday. Rookie Gustavo Campero hit his first career home run—a three-run shot—and Niko Kavadas also homered. Logan O’Hoppe had a strong game with four hits, but the Angels couldn’t maintain their early momentum, managing only three hits after the fourth inning.

Manager Ron Washington acknowledged that his players are feeling the pressure: “They’re feeling the heat. They’re feeling the pressure. You can see it. There’s really no reason to. I can say that because I’m not between the lines. But those guys between the lines, you can see it.”

Pitching Matchup: Eovaldi vs. Kochanowicz

The Rangers will send Nathan Eovaldi (11-8, 3.96 ERA) to the mound on Sunday. It might be a limited outing for Eovaldi, who allowed four runs over seven innings in his last game against the Oakland Athletics. While Eovaldi’s recent form has been shaky—going 0-3 with a 7.56 ERA over his last three outings—he has been solid historically against the Angels, posting a 4-3 record with a 3.86 ERA in 13 career appearances.

The Angels will counter with rookie Jack Kochanowicz (2-5, 4.01 ERA). The young right-hander has shown significant improvement, with a 2-3 record and a 2.63 ERA over his past eight starts. Kochanowicz delivered a career-highlight performance against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday, pitching seven scoreless innings while allowing only three hits. He has faced the Rangers once before, allowing three runs over six innings in a 3-1 loss earlier this month.

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Final Game of the Season

With both teams out of playoff contention, Sunday’s game provides one last opportunity to end the season on a positive note. For the Rangers, completing a sweep against the Angels would be a satisfying end to a challenging year. For the Angels, avoiding a 99th loss would help close out an otherwise bleak season on a relatively positive note. Both teams will look to their starting pitchers to set the tone, while hoping that their young players can continue to shine in these final moments of the season.

The Lean

Despite this one being a low-scoring game, we are still leaning towards taking the over. As for a straight-up pick, we like the Rangers to come out on top. Texas starter Nathan Eovaldi has the 8th best strikeout projection among today’s starters, and Jack Kochanowicz has the 6th worst among today’s starters.