Houston Astros vs La Angels Picks and Predictions September 22nd 2024

First pitch for Sunday’s Angels vs. Astros game is set for 2:10 PM ET from Minute Maid Park in Houston. The Astros are the heavy favorite on the money line, with their odds sitting at -275 compared to the Angels at +228. The over/under line is currently 8.5 runs.

Griffin Canning will start for the Angels, and he will be facing off against Spencer Arrighetti. Houston is 85-70 and they have won three straight, while the Angels are 62-93 and are 5th in the AL West. BSW will be televising this game.

Los Angeles vs. Houston Key Information

• Teams: Angels at Astros
• Where: Minute Maid Park Houston
• Date: Sunday, September 22nd
• Betting Odds HOU -275 | LAA +228 O/U 8.5

The Angels Can Win If…

Griffin Canning will be looking to build off his last outing, where he didn’t give up an earned run and picked up the win. In that start vs. the White Sox, he went six innings. Looking at his overall numbers, Canning has made 29 starts and has a record of 6-13. His ERA for the season is 5.16, along with a WHIP of 1.39. Opposing batters are hitting .259 off Canning this year. Out of his 30 appearances, Canning has turned in seven quality starts. Per nine innings, he is averaging 6.82 strikeouts and 3.38 walks.

Over the past 10 games, Nolan Schanuel has been on fire at the plate for the Angels, going 14/39 (.359) with three homers and six RBIs. Taylor Ward has also been swinging the bat well, batting .263 with three homers in this stretch. Ward comes into the game as the team’s leader in homers (25) and RBIs (71). Zach Neto is also near the top of the Angels home run leaderboard, with 21 homers this season.

Overall, the Angels offense is averaging just 3.9 runs per game, which is 27th in the league. They also have one of the worst team batting averages in the league at .229. As a team, they are also near the bottom of the league in on-base percentage, slugging, and OPS.

• 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 5-5 in their last ten games.
• The Angels have an average of 4.2 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten road 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 0-3 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

The Astros Can Win If…

Through 27 starts, Spencer Arrighetti has a record of 7-13 and an ERA of 4.68. His WHIP for the season is currently 1.43. Arrighetti’s last outing came on September 16th, where he took the loss. In that start, he gave up two earned runs in five innings of work. Looking back further, he has given up at least two earned runs in three straight starts. The right-hander has a walk rate of 4.08 per nine innings compared to 10.6 strikeouts. Per nine innings, he has allowed 1.32 homers.

Yordan Alvarez has been the Astros’ top power threat this season, as his 35 home runs are the best mark on the team and 8th in the league. Alvarez also leads the Astros with 86 RBIs. However, he has struggled of late, batting just .205 over his last 10 games. Kyle Tucker has been hot at the plate, going 15/31 in his last nine games with three homers.

For the season, the Astros are 3rd in team batting average at .263 and are averaging 4.6 runs per game. This number jumps to 4.9 runs per game at home. Houston is also one of the league’s best teams at avoiding strikeouts but is just 27th in walks.

• The Astros are 8-2 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the Astros are 4-1 vs. the run line.
• Houston has an over/under record of 4-6 in their last ten games.
• The Astros have an average of 5.2 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

The Houston Astros, powered by their dynamic left-handed sluggers Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker, aim to complete a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday. Both Alvarez and Tucker played pivotal roles in the Astros’ 10-4 win on Saturday, each recording four hits and blasting home runs to lead their team closer to an AL West title. With the victory, the Astros (85-70) reduced their magic number to three for clinching the division.

Alvarez and Tucker’s Stellar Performances

Alvarez hit his team-leading 35th homer in the seventh inning, maintaining his impressive .1.024 OPS against left-handed pitchers this season. Tucker followed Alvarez with his 22nd home run, continuing his dominance with back-to-back four-hit games. Despite more traditional splits this season, Tucker’s career OPS against left-handers (.838) remains formidable, just slightly below his .883 mark against right-handers.

Astros manager Joe Espada remains confident in keeping Alvarez and Tucker back-to-back in the lineup, even against left-handed pitching, emphasizing their ability to handle southpaws effectively. “They’re so good at what they do,” Espada said. “I think they get tougher when you bring a lefty in.”

Rookie Spencer Arrighetti Takes the Mound

Houston will turn to rookie right-hander Spencer Arrighetti (7-13, 4.68 ERA) on Sunday, looking to build on their 8-2 run over their last 10 games. Arrighetti, who is 0-2 in September, aims to bounce back after a solid outing against the San Diego Padres, where he allowed two runs in five innings. He will make his first career start against the Angels.

Arrighetti’s success will be key as the Astros push to secure the AL West crown. His ability to neutralize the Angels’ offense, particularly right-handed hitters like Logan O’Hoppe, will be critical.

Angels Counter with Griffin Canning

The Angels (62-93) will counter with right-hander Griffin Canning (6-13, 5.16 ERA), fresh off an impressive six-inning shutout performance against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday. Canning has struggled against the Astros historically, going 0-3 with a 6.49 ERA in eight starts, including a 0-1 record and 3.97 ERA in two outings this season.

Canning will need to contain the surging Houston offense if the Angels hope to avoid a sweep and salvage some pride in the final stretch of their difficult season.

Logan O’Hoppe Shines Amid Angels’ Struggles

Despite the Angels’ struggles, catcher Logan O’Hoppe provided a bright spot on Saturday, going 4-for-4 and hitting his 20th home run in the sixth inning. His performance was a highlight for the team, but O’Hoppe alone won’t be enough to counter the Astros’ firepower.

The Angels’ lineup has faced difficulties recently, and with a rotation struggling against Houston’s potent offense, the challenge of preventing a sweep becomes more daunting.

Astros Close in on the AL West Title

With the postseason in sight, the Astros are poised to continue their strong play and close in on the AL West title. As they look to sweep the series, Houston’s offense, led by Alvarez and Tucker, will be critical, while Arrighetti looks to deliver a solid outing. For the Angels, avoiding a sweep will require standout performances from Canning and the lineup.

Probable Starters:

• Astros: Spencer Arrighetti (7-13, 4.68 ERA)
• Angels: Griffin Canning (6-13, 5.16 ERA)

Key Players to Watch:

• Astros: Yordan Alvarez, Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman
• Angels: Logan O’Hoppe, Shohei Ohtani, Mike Moustakas

The Lean

Looking at who we are leaning on taking for a money line pick in this Angels vs. Astros matchup, we like the Astros to come out on top. And as for how we would play the over/under line, we would go with the over. This game is projected to have the 11th most combined runs and 7th most hits. The Astros offense is our 3rd highest-rated strikeout team, and Spencer Arrighetti is our 2nd highest-rated starting pitcher in terms of strikeouts today.