La Angels Angels vs Houston Astros Picks and Predictions September 14th 2024

Justin Verlander and the Astros will face off against Tyler Anderson and the Angels. The forecast for Saturday’s matchup is 76 degrees and clear skies in Anaheim. The Astros are 79-68 and have won two straight, while the Angels are 60-87 and have lost three in a row.

The over/under line is currently at 8.5 runs, and the Astros are the heavy favorite on the money line, with their odds sitting at -176 compared to the Angels at +148. This AL West matchup can be seen on BSW.

Houston vs. Los Angeles Key Information

• Teams: Astros at Angels
• Where: Angel Stadium of Anaheim Anaheim
• Date: Saturday, September 14th
• Betting Odds HOU -176 | LAA +148 O/U 8.5

The Astros Can Win If…

Justin Verlander gets the start for the Astros today as he faces the Angels on the road. He has made 14 starts this season and has a record of 3-6 with a 5.30 ERA. Verlander’s WHIP for the season is currently 1.38. In his last outing, he gave up eight earned runs in three innings of work, taking the loss. Before that, he had lost three straight starts. Verlander has given up at least one homer in each of his last four outings. His ERA at home is 9.02 compared to 4.71 on the road.

Yordan Alvarez has been the Astros’ top hitter this season, batting .310 with 33 home runs and 82 RBIs. Jose Altuve has also been swinging the bat well of late, going 13/29 in his last seven games. For the season, Altuve is batting .302 with 19 homers and 63 RBIs.

As a team, the Astros are 3rd in the league in batting average and are averaging 4.6 runs per game. They have been even better at home, averaging 4.9 runs per contest. Overall, they are 10th in home runs and have the league’s 3rd best strikeout rate.

• The Astros are 4-6 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the Astros are 2-3 vs. the run line.
• Houston has an over/under record of 6-4 in their last ten games.
• The Astros have an average of 4.8 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten road games, the Astros are 3-7
• Looking back across the Astros last five games as the favorite, they are 2-3
• Houston has gone 1-2 in their last three games as the underdog
• In their ten most recent road games, the Astros have averaged 3.8 runs per game on offense

The Angels Can Win If…

Left-hander Tyler Anderson gets the start for the Angels today as he faces the Astros at home. He has made 28 starts this year and has a record of 10-12 with a 3.50 ERA. Anderson’s WHIP for the season is 1.23, and he has turned in 12 quality starts. In his last outing, Anderson finished with a no-decision, giving up one earned run in five innings of work. Before that, he had given up at least two earned runs in three straight starts. Opponents are batting .219 off Anderson this season. Per nine innings, he is averaging 7.1 strikeouts and 3.6 walks.

Heading into today’s game, the Angels offense is averaging just 3.9 runs per game, which is 27th in the league. Their batting average of .229 is also one of the worst marks in the league. Los Angeles is also near the bottom of the league in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS. As a team, they are 20th in home runs and have a collective isolated power of just .143.

Los Angeles is led by Taylor Ward and Zach Neto in terms of home runs and RBIs. Ward has gone 8/29 in his last eight games, including two homers. Neto is batting .254 for the season and has gone deep 21 times. Collectively, Niko Kavadas and Nolan Schanuel are on nice hitting streaks for the Angels.

• 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 5-4-1 in their last ten games.
• The Angels have an average of 4.4 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten home games, the Angels are 3-7
• Looking back across the Angels last five games as the favorite, they are 1-4
• 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 3.6 runs per game on offense

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The Lean

Our lean for an over/under pick in this Astros vs. Angels matchup is to take the over. This is projected to be the 5th highest-scoring game of the day, and this one has the 3rd highest total hits projection. As for a pick on the money line, we would be leaning toward the Astros to come out on top. Houston is our highest projected team in terms of hits and has the 2nd best team runs projection.

Justin Verlander Looks to Bounce Back as Astros Face Angels in Key Matchup

The Houston Astros are edging closer to another postseason run, but for Justin Verlander, the playoffs start now. The veteran right-hander will take the mound on Saturday night against the Los Angeles Angels, looking to lock in his spot in the Astros’ playoff rotation. After a rough stretch this season, Verlander’s performance is under the microscope as the Astros continue their quest for October baseball.

Verlander, one of the most decorated pitchers in MLB history, hasn’t looked like himself lately. With the postseason on the horizon, his start against the Angels could be a crucial turning point, both for him and the Astros.

Verlander’s Struggles and Playoff Pressure

Verlander (3-6, 5.30 ERA) has had a rocky 2024 season, especially since returning from a neck injury that kept him out for over two months. He’s winless in his last four starts, posting a rough 9.68 ERA during that span. His latest outing was a disaster, where he gave up eight runs in just three innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

At 41 years old, Verlander’s career stats are Hall of Fame-worthy—260 career wins and 3,405 strikeouts—but this season hasn’t gone as planned. And while he’s been a fixture in Houston’s playoff rotations, this year’s struggles have cast some doubt on whether he’ll be a key piece in October.

Despite his recent troubles, Astros manager Joe Espada is still betting on Verlander to turn it around. “You don’t doubt someone with his track record. He’s been one of the best for so long. I know he’s going to figure it out,” Espada said after Verlander’s rough outing against Arizona.

Saturday’s start could be a make-or-break moment for Verlander, as he looks to prove he can still deliver when it counts most.

Astros Holding Steady in AL West

The Astros (79-68) are clinging to a 4.5-game lead over the surging Seattle Mariners in the AL West. With the postseason fast approaching, Houston is looking to secure another deep playoff run. They’ve made it to the American League Championship Series (ALCS) or further in each of the last seven seasons, and they’re hoping to keep that streak alive.

In Friday night’s series opener against the Angels, Houston came out on top with a 5-3 win, thanks to homers from Alex Bregman and Yordan Alvarez. Yusei Kikuchi delivered a strong start, and the victory helped the Astros maintain their division lead.

Angels’ Disappointing Season and Rebuilding Focus

For the Angels (60-87), 2024 has been another frustrating year. They’ll miss the playoffs for the 10th straight season and are on the verge of setting a franchise record for losses if they don’t turn things around in their final games. To avoid tying the record of 95 losses, the Angels need to go at least 7-8 in their remaining games.

With nothing left to play for but pride, the Angels are in full evaluation mode, focusing on their younger players and planning for the future. Manager Ron Washington didn’t hold back after Friday’s loss, calling out mental mistakes by rookies Zach Neto and Jordyn Adams, both of whom lost track of the number of outs during the game. “You can’t lose focus like that,” Washington said, clearly frustrated.

Pitching Matchup: Verlander vs. Anderson

Verlander has always been solid against the Angels, with a 16-11 record and a 3.33 ERA in 32 career starts. However, in his last start against Los Angeles back in June, he gave up four runs in five innings before going on the injured list with a neck issue.

The Angels will counter with left-hander Tyler Anderson (10-12, 3.50 ERA), who has had an up-and-down year. Anderson’s history against the Astros hasn’t been great—he’s 1-3 with a 6.14 ERA in nine career starts against Houston. But he’s been better this season, with a 3.21 ERA in two starts against the Astros.

Astros Eyeing Another Deep Playoff Run

Houston has built its recent success on strong pitching, and Verlander has been a big part of that for years. As the Astros gear up for another postseason, his ability to rebound could be a major factor in how far they go this year. With his playoff pedigree (10-7, 3.74 ERA in 22 postseason starts), Verlander’s experience is invaluable—but he needs to show that he’s still got the stuff to get it done.

A strong outing on Saturday could secure his spot in the playoff rotation, while another rough game might have Houston rethinking his role in the postseason.

Angels Focusing on the Future

For the Angels, this season is already a wash, and the focus has shifted to next year. Young players like Zach Neto and Jordyn Adams are getting valuable playing time, but they’ve got a lot to learn. Manager Ron Washington is using these games to see what these youngsters can do, while also trying to avoid a historically bad season.

The Angels aren’t giving up, but with the playoffs out of reach, their main goal now is to finish the season on a high note and start building toward a brighter future.

You can always refer to the current MLB Odds to stay up to date with the latest betting lines.

Key Themes for Saturday’s Game

Verlander’s Bounce-Back Game: After several rough starts, Justin Verlander needs to show the Astros he can still be a key player in their playoff rotation. All eyes will be on how he performs under pressure.

Astros’ AL West Lead: Houston is holding on to a lead in the AL West, but they need to keep winning to fend off a hot Seattle Mariners team. Every game counts as they try to lock in their postseason spot.

Angels in Evaluation Mode: With the season already lost, the Angels are evaluating their younger players and trying to avoid setting a new franchise record for losses. Players like Zach Neto and Jordyn Adams are under the spotlight as the Angels look toward the future.

Conclusion

As Justin Verlander takes the mound on Saturday, he’s not just pitching for the win—he’s pitching for his role in October. The Astros are hoping he can shake off his recent struggles and show them he’s still the dominant ace they’ve relied on in the past. On the other side, the Angels are just trying to play spoiler while getting a closer look at their future stars.

Houston is aiming for another deep playoff run, but Verlander’s performance could be the key to how far they go. With so much on the line, Saturday’s game promises to be a pivotal one for both teams.