From Angel Stadium of Anaheim in Anaheim, we have the Dodgers and Angels facing off in an interleague matchup. First pitch for this one is set for 9:38 PM ET. MLBN is carrying this one on TV, and the Dodgers are the favorites on the money line (-183).
Los Angeles Dodgers are 83-55, while the Angels come in with a record of 57-80. Reid Detmers will start for the Angels, and he is facing off against Walker Buehler. The over/under line is at 9.5 runs, and the Angels are +153 on the money line compared to the Dodgers at -183. In the NL West, the Dodgers are in first place, while the Angels are fifth in the AL West.
Los Angeles vs. Los Angeles Key Information
- Teams: Dodgers at Angels
- Where: Angel Stadium of Anaheim Anaheim
- Date: Tuesday, September 3rd
- Betting Odds LAD -183 | LAA +153 O/U 9.5
The Dodgers Can Win If…
Walker Buehler gets the start for the Dodgers today as he faces the Angels on the road. So far this season, he has made 11 starts and has a record of 1-4 with an ERA of 5.88. Buehler’s WHIP for the season is currently 1.63. The right-hander has made two quality starts this year and is coming off an outing in which he didn’t factor into the decision. In that start, he went 4 2/3 innings, giving up two earned runs on five hits. Buehler has not taken the loss in any of his last three outings.
Shohei Ohtani has been a force at the plate for the Dodgers this season, as he is batting .292 with 44 home runs and 98 RBIs. Ohtani’s 44 homers are the 2nd most in the league this season. Teoscar Hernandez is also having a strong season for the Dodgers, as he is batting .270 with 28 homers and 87 RBIs.
Freddie Freeman has been red hot for the Dodgers, going 7/19 in his last five games with four homers and 10 RBIs. As a team, the Dodgers are 3rd in the league in runs scored and team batting average.
- The Dodgers are 7-3 in their last ten games.
- Over their last five games, the Dodgers are 3-2 vs. the run line.
- Los Angeles has an over/under record of 8-2 in their last ten games.
- The Dodgers have an average of 7.6 runs per game over their last five games.
- Across their last ten road games, the Dodgers are 6-4
- Looking back across the Dodgers last five games as the favorite, they are 4-1
- Los Angeles has gone 2-1 in their last three games as the underdog
- In their ten most recent road games, the Dodgers have averaged 5.8 runs per game on offense
The Angels Can Win If…
Left-hander Reid Detmers gets the start for the Angels today as he faces the Dodgers at home. He has made 12 starts this season and has a record of 3-6 with a 6.14 ERA. Looking at his overall numbers, Detmers has a WHIP of 1.48 and has issued 3.86 walks per nine innings compared to 10 strikeouts. Detmers has turned in two quality starts this year, and opponents are batting .255 off him. In his last outing, Detmers gave up five earned runs in 3 2/3 innings of work. He has taken the loss in each of his last two outings.
So far this season, the Angels are averaging just 3.9 runs per game, which is the worst mark in the league. They are also near the bottom of the league in most offensive categories, including home runs, batting average, and on-base percentage. As a team, the Angels are batting just .230, and their team on-base percentage is only .302.
Los Angeles is hoping that Taylor Ward and Jo Adell can start to turn things around at the plate. Adell is batting just .211 this season, and Ward is at .240. However, both players have gone deep 19 times and 20 times, respectively. Zach Neto is also batting .250 and leads the team with 66 RBIs.
- The Angels are 3-7 in their last ten games.
- Over their last five games, the Angels are 4-1 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 3.6 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 1-4
- Los Angeles has gone 2-1 in their last three games as the underdog
- In their ten most recent road games, the Angels have averaged 2.9 runs per game on offense
Shohei Ohtani Returns to Angel Stadium as Dodgers Face Angels in Crucial Series
Shohei Ohtani is back at Angel Stadium, but this time he’s donning Dodger blue. The baseball superstar returns to Anaheim for the first time in the regular season since his offseason move to the Los Angeles Dodgers. As the Dodgers kick off a two-game series against the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night, all eyes will be on Ohtani, who spent six thrilling seasons electrifying crowds as an Angel.
Ohtani’s Historic Season Continues
Ohtani’s journey since leaving the Angels has been nothing short of remarkable. During his six-year stint with the Angels from 2018 to 2023, Ohtani racked up accolades: American League Rookie of the Year, two MVP awards, and three All-Star selections. Despite these honors, playoff success eluded him in Anaheim.
Now, Ohtani is on the brink of something unprecedented in Major League Baseball—becoming the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season. He moved closer to this milestone with three stolen bases during the Dodgers’ 11-6 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday, bringing his totals to 44 home runs and 46 stolen bases.
“I think the most important thing is to be able to contribute to winning the game,” Ohtani said through an interpreter. “And obviously, the closer I get to 50-50, the more I’m contributing to the team winning. So if that’s how it is, then I’m happy with that.”
Ohtani has already made history as the first player to record at least 44 homers and 44 steals in a single season. The closest anyone came before was Alex Rodriguez, who hit 42 homers and stole 46 bases in 1998 for the Mariners.
“He’s incredible,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “I don’t know what else to say. I don’t have any more superlatives on Shohei. He’s incredible.”
Ohtani’s impact at Angel Stadium is undeniable. Over 351 career games there, he’s hit .277 with 99 home runs and a .954 OPS—numbers that remind everyone just how special he was in Anaheim.
Dodgers’ Buehler Faces Angels’ Detmers in Pitching Matchup
Taking the mound for the Dodgers will be right-hander Walker Buehler (1-4, 5.88 ERA), making his 12th start of the season. Buehler is coming off a no-decision in his last outing, where he gave up four runs (two earned) on five hits over 4 2/3 innings against the Baltimore Orioles. Buehler has faced the Angels three times in his career, holding a 1-0 record with a 4.02 ERA.
The Angels, meanwhile, will counter with left-hander Reid Detmers (3-6, 6.14 ERA), who’s making his first start since being recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake. Detmers struggled earlier this season, leading to his demotion after his last major league start on June 1. While his overall performance in Salt Lake (6-6, 5.54 ERA) wasn’t particularly impressive, Detmers has recently turned things around, posting a 1.29 ERA with 29 strikeouts over 21 innings in his last three starts.
“We’re glad he’s throwing the ball well, and we just want him to come up and be Detmers,” said Angels manager Ron Washington. “We’re not looking for anything special out of him. We just want him to go as deep into the ballgame as he can and give us a chance to be successful. That’s all we’re looking for. And he earned his way back.”
Detmers has had a tough time against the Dodgers, holding an 0-3 record with a 7.58 ERA in four starts.
Conclusion: A Homecoming with High Stakes
As Shohei Ohtani returns to Angel Stadium, this two-game series between the Dodgers and Angels carries major implications for both teams. For Ohtani, it’s a chance to continue his historic season and possibly hit the 50-50 milestone in front of his former home crowd. For the Dodgers, every win is crucial as they make their push toward the playoffs. The Angels, on the other hand, will be eager to play spoiler and gain some redemption against their crosstown rivals.
The Lean
Today’s matchup between the Dodgers and Angels has the highest combined runs projection in the league, and our lean would be towards taking the over. As for a straight-up pick, we are leaning towards the Angels to come out on top. Reid Detmers is our 5th ranked starting pitcher in terms of strikeouts, and he has the 4th best hits allowed projection among today’s starters.