La Angels Angels vs Atlanta Braves Picks and Predictions August 16th 2024

At 9:38 PM ET, the Braves and Angels square off in an interleague matchup. This one is being played at Angel Stadium of Anaheim in Anaheim, and the Angels are looking to snap a three-game losing streak. However, they are the +126 underdog on the money line. The money line odds for the Braves are at -148, and they are 2nd in the NL East with a record of 64-57.

Friday’s forecast in Anaheim calls for scattered clouds and temperatures in the mid to upper 80s. BSW will be televising this one, and the over/under line is at 8 runs. José Soriano is starting for the Angels, and the Braves are going with Spencer Schwellenbach.

Atlanta vs. Los Angeles Key Information

Right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach gets the start for the Braves today as he faces the Angels on the road. He has made 12 starts this season and has a record of 4-5 with an ERA of 3.95. Schwellenbach’s WHIP for the season is currently 1.06. In his last outing, he finished with a no-decision, going six innings and giving up two earned runs on six hits. Before that, he had turned in a quality start in seven straight outings. Schwellenbach’s ERA on the road is 4.34, compared to 4.24 at home.

Marcell Ozuna has been a big power threat for the Braves this season, as his 35 home runs are 4th best in the league and the top mark on the team. Overall, he is batting .298, and his 90 RBIs are also 3rd best in the MLB. Over his last seven games, he has gone 9/31 with two homers. Matt Olson is also a power threat in the lineup, as he has 21 homers but is batting just .230 this season.

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As a team, the Braves are averaging 4.3 runs per game, which is 16th in the league. They have been a better offensive team on the road, averaging 4.5 runs per game. Overall, they are the 4th best home run hitting team in the league. Currently, Ronald Acuña Jr. and Sean Murphy are both on four-game hitting streaks.

Through 20 starts, José Soriano has a record of 6-7 and an ERA of 3.37. He has made nine quality starts this year and is coming off an outing in which he allowed just one earned run in six innings of work. In that outing, he gave up four hits, two walks, and one home run. Soriano has not taken the loss in any of his last three outings, finishing with a no-decision in each of them. His ERA at home is 6.52 compared to 3.0 on the road. Soriano’s ERA for the month of August is 2.25.

So far this season, the Angels offense is averaging just 4 runs per game, which is 26th in the league. They have been slightly better on the road, averaging 4.1 runs per game. As a team, the Angels are batting just .235, which is 17th in the league, and their team on-base percentage of .306 is also below average. The Angels offense has been led by Zach Neto, who is batting .266 for the season and has gone 14/38 in his last nine games.

Jo Adell has a team-high 18 home runs but is batting just .203 for the season. Neto is right behind him with 17 homers and has driven in a team-high 61 runs. As a team, the Angels are just 20th in home runs and have the league’s 26th ranked slugging percentage.

Look for the Braves 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 3rd lowest-scoring game of the day. Atlanta’s offense is our 7th ranked home run-hitting team, and between the two starters, we have Spencer Schwellenbach finishing with more strikeouts than José Soriano for the Angels.

Braves Look to Strengthen Wild-Card Position as They Face the Angels

The Atlanta Braves are set to proceed with their push for a National League wild-card spot as they start a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, California. Following an effective series in San Francisco, where they removed three from four games, the Braves have expanded their lead to two games over the New York Mets in the firmly challenged race for the last wild-card spot.

Surveying the Braves’ New Exhibition

Albeit the Braves couldn’t get a compass in San Francisco, falling 6-0 in the series finale, supervisor Brian Snitker communicated more worry over the group’s previous battles in Colorado. The Braves lost two of three games against the Rockies, a presentation that fixed the wild-card race and permitted groups like the Mets, Giants, Reds, Cardinals, and Cubs to stay inside striking distance.

“We had most likely our absolute bottom of the year and followed that with three (wins) in succession,” Snitker commented, pondering the versatility his group displayed after the extreme beginning to the excursion. “I believe that is great. You prefer not to lose any game this season. Each game is significant.”

Wellbeing Updates and Vital participant Commitments

One certain improvement for the Braves is the re-visitation of type of focus defender Michael Harris II. In the wake of missing two months because of a hamstring injury, Harris had a tremendous effect with a huge homerun and a vocation high five RBIs in Wednesday’s success over the Giants. He followed that up with one of Atlanta’s four hits in Thursday’s loss, demonstrating that he has returned to original capacity.

One more reassuring sign for the Braves is the new exhibition of Jostled Kelenic, who had hits in the last two rounds of the San Francisco series. Kelenic’s commitments will be particularly essential this end of the week, as he might have to step in for Jorge Soler. Soler experienced a minor hamstring injury on Wednesday, yet a MRI uncovered no critical harm. He is supposed to be prepared to play by Tuesday when the Braves get back to confront the Philadelphia Phillies.

Upcoming Pitching Matchups

The Braves will face a trio of right-handed pitchers during the series in Anaheim, starting with Jose Soriano, who holds a 6-7 record with a 3.36 ERA. Soriano, 25, has been in strong form against National League East opponents recently. In his last two starts against the Mets and Nationals, he allowed just one run over 12 innings, striking out 13 batters while issuing only three walks. Despite his efforts, Soriano was denied a win in his last outing due to limited run support, as the Angels have struggled offensively, scoring two or fewer runs in four of their last six games.

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Angels manager Ron Washington is optimistic that the team will show more offensive firepower against the Braves, especially after giving some of his key players a rest. Logan O’Hoppe, Zach Neto, and Jo Adell were all given a break on Wednesday, with Washington noting,

“Neto is the only one that complained. He wrote me a long note about how he doesn’t need a day off and wanted to grind with everybody else. Sometimes you’ve just got to take it out of their hands.”

Soriano’s experience against the Braves is limited, having faced just seven batters in a scoreless relief appearance last season. Meanwhile, the Braves will counter with rookie right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach, who has been impressive in his recent starts. Schwellenbach, who is 4-5 with a 3.95 ERA, has been particularly effective over his last three outings, posting a 2.25 ERA and striking out 28 batters in 20 innings.

Conclusion

As the Braves look to solidify their wild-card standing, their performance against the Angels could be pivotal. With key players returning to form and a favorable pitching matchup, Atlanta is in a strong position to continue its postseason push. However, the Angels, despite their recent struggles, are not to be underestimated, especially with their ace Soriano on the mound. The series promises to be a crucial test for both teams as the regular season winds down.