Houston Astros vs La Angels Picks and Predictions September 19th 2024

Thursday’s matchup between the Angels and Astros is set for 8:10 PM ET from Minute Maid Park in Houston. The Astros are the heavy favorite on the money line, with their odds sitting at -278, while the Angels are +230 underdogs. The over/under line is currently at 8 runs.

Los Angeles will be looking to pull off the upset and end the Astros’ two-game winning streak. The Angels are 62-90 this season, while the Astros are 82-70 and sit in first place in the AL West. José Suarez will start for the Angels, and he will be facing off against Yusei Kikuchi for the Astros.

Los Angeles vs. Houston Key Information

• Teams: Angels at Astros
• Where: Minute Maid Park Houston
• Date: Thursday, September 19th
• Betting Odds HOU -278 | LAA +230 O/U 8

The Angels Can Win If…

Left-hander José Suarez is getting the start for the Angels today as he faces the Astros on the road. He has made 20 appearances this season and has a record of 1-2 with an ERA of 6.80. Suarez’s WHIP for the season is 1.70. In his one start, he went 2 2/3 innings and gave up four earned runs. Looking back at his last outing, Suarez went four innings out of the bullpen and didn’t give up a run. He finished with a no-decision in that outing. Opponents are batting .287 off Suarez this season. Per nine innings, he is averaging 4.89 walks compared to 9.78 strikeouts.

Over the past nine games, Taylor Ward has gone 10/32 with two homers, good for a batting average of .312. During this stretch, he has also driven in five runs and scored seven times. For the season, Ward is batting .248 with a team-leading 24 homers and 70 RBIs. Zach Neto is also batting .248 and has gone deep 21 times this season, which is the 2nd most on the team.

Eric Wagaman comes into the game on a five-game hitting streak and has gone 8/30 over his last eight games. During this stretch, he has two homers and five RBIs. Nolan Schanuel has been hot of late as well, going 13/33 in his last nine games with one homer and seven 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 5-4-1 in their last ten games.
• The Angels have an average of 4.0 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 3.6 runs per game on offense

The Astros Can Win If…

Yusei Kikuchi gets the start for the Astros today, and he comes into the game with a record of 9-9 and an ERA of 4.29. Kikuchi has made 30 starts this season and has pitched well recently, picking up the win in each of his last three outings. In his most recent start, he went seven innings and gave up three earned runs on six hits. Looking back at his last three outings, Kikuchi has allowed exactly three earned runs in each of them. So far this year, opponents are batting .245 off Kikuchi, and his WHIP for the season is 1.22.

Yordan Alvarez comes into the game as the Astros’ top hitter this season, with a batting average of .305, and he also leads the team with 34 home runs and 85 RBIs. However, Alvarez has struggled a bit of late, hitting just 4/27 in his last seven games. Jose Altuve is also having a strong season, as he is batting .299 and has 19 homers.

As a team, the Astros are 3rd in batting average and 13th in runs scored, averaging 4.6 runs per contest. They have been a better offensive team at home this season, averaging 4.9 runs per game. Houston’s offense has been good at avoiding strikeouts, but they are just 27th in the league in walks.

• The Astros are 5-5 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 4-6 in their last ten games.
• The Astros have an average of 3.2 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 Begin Final Homestand vs. Angels with AL West Title in Sight

The Houston Astros kick off their final homestand of the season on Thursday night, hosting the Los Angeles Angels with their eyes firmly set on clinching the American League West title. Despite a setback in a 4-0 loss to the San Diego Padres on Wednesday, the Astros (82-70) hold a commanding five-game lead over the Seattle Mariners with just 10 games left in the season.

Coming off a successful 4-2 road trip, which included a sweep of the Angels, Houston is poised to continue their momentum as they prepare for a crucial stretch of home games. After this series, the Astros will host the Mariners in a pivotal three-game series starting Monday, potentially deciding the division champion.

Astros Focus on Finishing Strong

Even in Wednesday’s loss, Astros left-hander Framber Valdez continued his impressive form, allowing just one run over seven innings. Valdez has been a key piece for Houston down the stretch, posting a 9-2 record with a 2.04 ERA over his past 15 starts. His consistent performances have given Astros manager Joe Espada confidence in using Valdez as a potential Game 1 starter should the Astros secure a postseason berth.

Valdez’s arsenal has evolved this season, with the introduction of a reliable changeup to complement his already deadly curveball-sinker mix. “I thought that pitch (the changeup) played really well,” Espada noted after Valdez’s most recent start.

For Thursday’s game, the Astros will turn to left-hander Yusei Kikuchi (9-9, 4.29 ERA), who has been a revelation since being acquired at the trade deadline from the Toronto Blue Jays. Kikuchi is undefeated in his eight starts for Houston, with a 5-0 record and a 3.19 ERA. He has delivered three straight wins, tallying a 3.60 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 20 innings. However, Kikuchi has struggled against the Angels in the past, with a 2-4 record and a 9.12 ERA in 12 career appearances against them.

Angels Look to Play Spoiler

The Los Angeles Angels (62-90), who have had another difficult season, are coming off a dramatic 4-3, 13-inning victory over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday to clinch the series. Despite being eliminated from playoff contention, the Angels will look to spoil the Astros’ push for the division title.

Left-hander Jose Suarez (1-2, 6.80 ERA) will get the start for the Angels. Suarez has been effective in a relief role since being recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake on Sept. 9, with two scoreless outings. In his last appearance against Houston on Friday, Suarez threw four scoreless innings and struck out five batters, though the Angels eventually lost 5-3.

The Angels are also dealing with key injuries, including outfielder Mickey Moniak, who sustained a hand injury in last Sunday’s game against Houston. Moniak worked a key walk in the 13th inning of Wednesday’s win despite not being fully ready to swing the bat, and manager Ron Washington is hopeful he’ll be ready to hit on Thursday.

What’s at Stake?

The Astros have a golden opportunity to reduce their magic number for clinching the AL West title as they play their final seven games at Minute Maid Park. Houston has been dominant at home, and with Yusei Kikuchi on the mound, they’ll look to continue that trend. Meanwhile, the Angels will be aiming to play spoiler and build on their recent series win over the White Sox.

As the race for the division heats up, the Astros will need to stay focused, especially with the Mariners looming on the horizon. For the Angels, this series offers a chance to disrupt Houston’s postseason aspirations and end their season on a positive note.

The Lean

For an over/under pick, our lean is on the over, as this is projected to be the 2nd highest-scoring game of the day. As for who is going to take this one straight up, we have our lean on the Angels to pick up the win. Looking at today’s starters, we have Yusei Kikuchi as the 6th best strikeout option compared to José Suarez (13th).