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The Los Angeles Angels (38-32) visit the Texas Rangers (42-25) for the finale of their four-game series. First pitch commences Thursday at 8:05 p.m. ET. The Angels hold a 2-1 advantage in the series, although the Rangers took last night's game 6-3. Below we continue our MLB odds series with an Angels-Rangers prediction, pick, and how to watch.
Here are the Angels-Rangers MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Angels-Rangers Odds
Los Angeles Angels: +1.5 (-196)
Texas Rangers: -1.5 (+162)
Over:
Under:
How To Watch Angels vs. Rangers
TV: FS1
Stream: Fox Sports Live, MLB.tv
Time: ET/PT
*See how to watch Angels-Rangers LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Angels Could Cover The Spread
Last 10: 8-2 (Third in the AL West)
Run Line Record: 35-35 (50%)
Over Record: 34-31-5 (52%)
The Angels have been red-hot of late – winning eight of the last 10 games. While their overall cover rate is nothing to write home about, they've covered 62% of their games as road underdogs. LA stole the first two games of this series but couldn't muster enough offense to get the job done last night. Regardless, the Angels have a chance to come away with a series win tonight and look like a strong underdog with Ohtani on the bump. That said, they'll need someone other than him to step up at the plate if they want to gain even more ground on the first-place Rangers.
Former MVP Shohei Ohtani (5-2) makes his 14th start of the season for the Angels tonight. The two-way superstar isn't having his best season on the mound but still owns a strong 3.32 ERA and 1.04 WHIP. Although he gave up seven runs in his last two starts, Ohtani's underlying numbers remain elite. He sits in the 86th percentile in hard hit rate, the 92nd percentile in xBA, and the 94th percentile in strikeout rate. Despite a higher xERA than last season, Ohtani's allowing less hard contact than any of the past three seasons. With the Rangers hitting worse against righties compared to lefties, the two-way superstar could be in for a bounce-back performance on the mound.
Although Ohtani's biggest impact tonight may come on the mound, he has a chance to really help himself at the plate. The 28-year-old is in the midst of the best hitting season of his career through 68 games with a .299 average, 21 home runs, and 52 RBI. Ohtani has terrorized the Rangers this week – going 6/10 with three home runs. While the rest of the Angels lineup has struggled of late, they still rank seventh in the league in runs and sixth in OPS.
Why The Rangers Could Cover The Spread
Last 10: 5-5 (First in the AL West)
Run Line Record: 42-25 (63%)
Over Record: 39-25-3 (61%)
Texas started the season on fire – going 16-11 in April and 18-9 in May. Despite losing five of their last seven games, they still boast the second-best record in the league. The Rangers did drop the first two games of this series but they bounced back last night thanks to five runs in the seventh and eighth innings. With their ace on the bump, the Rangers stand a strong chance of covering tonight – provided they can get to Ohtani.
Righty Nathan Eovaldi (9-2) makes his 14th start of the season for the Rangers tonight. The 33-year-old is in the midst of the best season of his career thanks to career bests in ERA (2.49) and WHIP (0.98). While the veteran may be over-performing, the underlying numbers still suggest he's been one of the best pitchers in baseball. His 2.95 xERA and 5.1% walk rate are among the top marks in the league, while his .272 xwOBA is by far the best number in his career. Although Eovaldi allowed four runs in his most recent outing, he had given up just four runs across his previous seven starts. Additionally, he's already shut down this Angels lineup. Eovaldi picked up a win against Los Angeles last month. He went eight innings while allowing no runs and just seven total base runners.
With the Rangers boasting the highest-scoring offense in the league, they feature a number of talented bats fully capable of putting up numbers. Catcher Jonah Heim (6/14) and first baseman Nathaniel Lowe (6/16) have performed the best against Ohtani historically, although both sluggers have slowed down this month. That can't be said for Corey Seager. The shortstop is scorching hot right now – batting .429 with four home runs and 13 RBI over his last 12 games. He's been a force throughout this series – going 4/11 with two homers.
Final Angels-Rangers Prediction & Pick
For as good as Ohtani's been at the plate, he's been quietly vulnerable on the mound. Considering how well Eovaldi's pitched thus far, I like the Rangers to cover thanks to their potent offense.
Final Angels-Rangers Prediction & Pick: Texas Rangers -1.5 (+162)
