The Oakland Athletics take on the Los Angeles Angels. Check out our MLB odds series for our Athletics Angels prediction and pick.
Cole Irvin gets the call for the Athetics, while Noah Syndergaard is the scheduled starter for the Angels.
Cole Irvin has a 3.05 ERA. He has been one of the best pitchers no one talks about in the majors this year. This is less about Irvin's ceiling — which is not that high — but more about the reality that if he pitched for a team with a half-decent offense, he probably would have six or seven more wins than he currently has with the A's. Irvin went nine straight starts without a team win earlier this year. That's not a decision in which he picks up the win; we're referring to the A's winning a game he starts. Oakland lost nine straight games Irvin started, even though Irvin pitched below a four-run ERA. Keep in mind that the lowest benchmark for a so-called “quality start” — six innings pitched, three runs allowed — is a 4.50 ERA. Irvin was more than half a run better than that over a span of nine straight starts and the A's went 0-9 in those games. If he had any run support, he would be a very successful pitcher. His level of quality compared to his level of results is particularly hard to grasp. For this reason, he is underappreciated.
Noah Syndergaard has a 3.83 ERA. His battle with health has resulted in a career where he can't overpower hitters anymore. That's what he did with the Mets before his major injury. Now he has to mix pitches more. His velocity on his sinker is down three to four miles per hour compared to his pre-injury version. He has to sequence his pitches better and get hitters off balance.
The thing we have to mention about Syndergaard (writing this article roughly two hours before the end of the 2022 MLB trade deadline) is that a number of teams, including the Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies, have expressed interest in him. It could be that he will be dealt just before the deadline, in which case he won't make this start. Follow ClutchPoints for more updates and information before making a betting pick.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Athletics-Angels MLB odds.
MLB Odds: Athletics-Angels Odds
Oakland Athletics: +1.5 (-196)
Los Angeles Angels: -1.5 (+162)
Over: 7.5 (-115)
Under: 7.5 (-105)
Why The Athletics Could Cover the Spread
Cole Irvin, as we illustrated above, is a really good pitcher. He is likely to shut down a weak-hitting Angel lineup which is battered and bruised and very limited. Also, if Syndergaard gets traded, the Angels will have to either go bullpen by committee, which would be bad for them, or select an inferior starting pitcher.
Why The Angels Could Cover the Spread
The A's have a terrible offense. They have not been able to give Cole Irvin much run support this year. The Angels don't have a good team, but the A's have an especially bad team which just watched Frankie Montas leave for the Yankees. Morale cannot be high in the Oakland clubhouse right now.
Final Athletics-Angels Prediction & Pick
The Syndergaard trade deadline drama should affect your pick. If he gets traded, stay away from the pick for sure. If he stays with the Angels, you could ride with him against Irvin, but frankly, this is a stay-away game on the merits. Ultimately, if you have to make a pick right now, the A's look like the better choice.
Final Athletics-Angels Prediction & Pick: Athletics +1.5
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