The Los Angeles Angels will head east to play their division rival Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park. The first pitch is scheduled for 8:05 p.m. ET and Fox Sports Southwest will televise the matchup.
Los Angeles Angels vs. Texas Rangers Odds
The Rangers are 4-7 SU and 4-6 ATS. The team’s lost 0.3 units for bettors taking the moneyline and 3.6 units against the spread (ATS). Texas has a 3-4 ATS mark over its last seven games and the total has gone under in four of those seven. The Angels have gone 7-3 SU this year and are 5-4 ATS. In total, the team’s accumulated 3.1 units for gamblers taking the moneyline this year and 2.1 units ATS. Los Angeles has covered the spread five times in its last seven games and the over has cashed in five of those seven.
Rangers games have an over/under record of 3-6-1 so far in 2018. The Angels have an over/under record of 6-3.
The Angels have gained 2.1 units and are 5-3 ATS when facing a right-handed starting pitcher this season. The over has cashed in six of those games, compared to two that’ve gone under against righty starters. On the other hand, the Rangers have lost 1.0 units and are 3-5 ATS when facing a right-handed starting pitcher. The over’s hit in three of those games, as opposed to four that’ve gone under.
Right-hander Garrett Richards (1-0, 5.06 ERA) will get the start for the visiting Angels. Richards struck out 27 hitters over 27 innings last year (with only seven walks) but finished the season 0-2 overall with a 2.28 ERA and a 0.90 WHIP.
The Rangers are putting the ball in the hands of righty Doug Fister (1-1, 3.12 ERA), who struck out 83 hitters in 90 innings last year (with 38 walks), while finishing the season 5-9 overall with a 4.88 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP.
As a unit, Texas’ pitching staff has yielded 4.6 runs per game overall in 2018. Its starters have a 4.67 ERA, 1.57 WHIP and 9.2 strikeouts per nine innings. The bullpen has a 3.56 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 9.4 K/9. In eight divisional games, Rangers starters have an ERA of 3.89 and the bullpen’s ERA is 4.40.
Texas’ hitters have put up 3.5 runs per contest, including 4.4 per game over their last five. The team has hit .263/.328/.401 over its last five matchups and is 2-3 SU during that stretch.
Shin-soo Choo and Elvis Andrus have led the Rangers’ offense this year. Choo is slashing .325/.386/.625 with 13 hits, six RBIs and six runs scored, while Andrus has produced a line of .372/.426/.512 with 16 hits, four RBIs and five runs.
For the visiting squad, Los Angeles’ pitchers have allowed 4.1 runs per game and its starters own a 4.99 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 9.06 K/9. The bullpen has logged an outstanding ERA of just 2.51, along with a K-per-9 of 8.87.
Angels hitters have slashed .264/.320/.469 on their way to 6.0 runs scored per game this year, including over the team’s last five outings (4-1 SU).
Los Angeles’ hitters have been led by Shohei Ohtani and Justin Upton. Ohtani is hitting .389/.421/.889 with seven hits, seven RBIs and four runs scored, while Upton (.282/.333/.590) is up to 11 hits, three homers, nine RBIs and seven runs scored.
Upton appeared to have some trouble hitting righties on the road last year. Over 257 such plate appearances, he put up a slash line of .217/.311/.420 (compared to his overall season line of .273/.361/.540).
Los Angeles Angels at Texas Rangers Free Pick
Predictions: SU Winner – Rangers, ATS Winner – Angels, O/U – OVER
Notes
Betting Trends
The Angels have won four of their last five games SU
Texas has posted 19.7 Runs + Hits + Errors per game over its last 10 outings and 22.0 over its last five.
The Angels have hit 17 home runs in their last 10 games, including 13 over their last five.
+++++
