The Boston Red Sox take on the Los Angeles Angels. Check out our MLB odds series for our Red Sox Angels prediction and pick.
Michael Wacha gets the start for the Red Sox, while Noah Syndergaard gets the assignment for the Angels.
Michael Wacha has been superb for Boston this season, posting a 2.43 ERA as he prepares for his first start in the month of June. Wacha has allowed more than two runs only once in eight starts this season. He allowed five runs to the White Sox on May 26 in 4 1/3 innings. Is Wacha going to remain a top-quality starter, or will he regress as we move into the dog days of summer? That’s a key question relating to Boston’s chances of making the American League wild card round. It is also a question worth asking when you make a Red Sox Angels prediction based on the current MLB odds.
Noah Syndergaard’s struggles mirror the Angels’ recent woes. Heading into a May 16 game against Texas, Syndergaard had a 2.45 ERA. That ERA is now at 4.02. Syndergaard gave up six runs on May 16 and didn’t even escape the first inning against the Rangers. Then, on May 31, Syndergaard allowed five runs in 2 1/3 innings versus the white-hot Yankees. He, like the Halos as a ballclub, has been noticeably worse in recent weeks. This is part of the caluclus when making a Red Sox Angels pick.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Red Sox-Angels MLB odds.
MLB Odds: Red Sox-Angels Odds
Boston Red Sox: +1.5 (+184)
Los Angeles Angels: -1.5 (+152)
Over: 9 (-120)
Under: 9 (+100)
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Why The Red Sox Could Cover the Spread
The Red Sox just swept the Athletics in Oakland. They played complete baseball against the A’s, getting quality contributions from their offense, defense, starting pitching, and bullpen. Boston had a tough time with the Orioles and Reds in a recent Fenway Park homestand, so the series sweep in Oakland reset the dial for this team, which will go into Anaheim confident that it can continue to do damage against a fellow wild card contender.
The Angels are in freefall, having lost 11 straight games. Moreover, they blew a 6-2 eighth-inning lead and then a 7-6 ninth-inning lead versus the Phillies on Sunday. The Angel bullpen was brutal in recent years, and it has been awful the past few weeks. The team never did make adjustments to its roster in terms of getting seventh- and eighth-inning bullpen help this year. Now that weakness is being supremely exposed. The Red Sox might not have the inferior bullpen in this matchup, which is saying something, given how bad the Boston pen has been in the first two months of this season.
Why The Angels Could Cover the Spread
After losing 11 straight games, the Angels — frustrated and angry — are bound to take out their frustrations on someone at some point. Boston feasted on Oakland’s weak hitting. The Angels have been in a hitting slump but broke out of it on Sunday with seven runs against the Phillies. Mike Trout is going to start hitting again. The worst slump of his career is not going to go on forever. There is way too much talent on this team for the Angels to continue to implode. This game offers them a chance to start fresh at the beginning of a new homestand.
Final Red Sox-Angels Prediction & Pick
This is a stay-away game. Boston has the better pitching matchup, but the Angels losing 12 straight games seems improbable. Wait for the Angels’ streak to end. If you insist on betting, go with the Red Sox, who are playing far better.
Final Red Sox-Angels Prediction & Pick: Red Sox +1.5
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