This week’s baseball betting card begins with a crucial series down in Houston where Jose Altuve and the Astros finally get to play in front of the home crowd with a series against the Los Angeles Angels.
Los Angeles Angels vs. Houston Astros
Monday, April 18, 2022 – 08:10 PM EDT at Minute Maid Park
It may only be the second full week on the 2022 MLB slate, but the AL West Division is already shaping up to be a battle royale. In the lead to begin the week are the Los Angeles Angels, but that title could change three times over the next three days in Houston where the Astros are only a half-game back.
Joining the Angels and Astros near the top of the ranks are the Oakland A’s and Seattle Mariners, those two positioned a game out of first, while the Texas Rangers are the early occupants of the division’s caboose. Houston was the pronounced favorite on the MLB futures to begin the season and will send Luis Garcia to the mound for the series opener, while the Angels counter with Michael Lorenzen (1-0, 1.50).
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Houston is also a decided favorite for Game 1 of the set with GTbets (visit our GTbets Review) currently offering up the Astros on a -152 moneyline. A 9-run total is showing up across the board for the Astros’ home opener, and most shops are applying a little extra juice to the ‘under.’
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The delayed start to the 2022 campaign found Houston out in Anaheim a little more than a week ago, and the Astros promptly took three of four from the Angels. The one loss Houston suffered was a shutout authored by Noah Syndergaard and his bullpen, and despite being blanked in that game the Astros still outscored the Angels 20-8 in the 4-game series.
Beating up on the Angels is nothing new for the Astros who are now 59-31 (.656) against the Anaheim 9 since the start of Houston’s World Series campaign in 2017. The Astros won seven of the 10 meetings at Minute Maid Park a year ago, and have taken 21 of the last 27 contests played in the Bayou City. Totals split the numbers at online betting sites a year ago (5-5 O/U).
Trout Doubtful for Halos
Joe Maddon and the Angels spent the Easter weekend in Arlington where they took three out of four from the Rangers. The bats were out in the series as the two sides combined for 50 runs in the series. One Angels bat that is unlikely to be in the lineup Monday is Mike Trout, who suffered a bruised left hand after being struck by a Spencer Patton pitch on Sunday. Trout is listed as doubtful for Monday’s match.
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Considering he’d made just five starts at the major league level since his 2015 rookie season, Lorenzen’s first assignment for the Angels went exceptionally well last week. Closing as a -120 favorite on the MLB odds, Lorenzen won his Angels debut with a 6-2 decision over the Miami Marlins. The Anaheim native worked six frames, allowing just two hits and a run while striking out seven would-be Miami hitters.
Lorenzen through 89 pitches in his season debut, so he looks ready to put in a full day’s work – by today’s pitching standards – against the Astros. He last faced Houston in 2019 while working from the Cincinnati bullpen, and snared a couple of saves in his two appearances.
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Garcia only managed to go four innings in his season debut nearly a week ago in Arizona, the Venezuelan working up a sweat on 71 tosses before being relieved. The Diamondbacks failed to score on Garcia, and Houston went on to a 2-1 win as -150 chalk at top-rated sportsbooks. Manager Dusty Baker would ideally like to see his chunky righthander get to the 80-pitch mark and six innings on Monday.
Last season saw Garcia face the Angels six times, one of those appearances as a reliever, and he turned in a 4.10 ERA across 26+ innings. Shohei Ohtani and Jared Walsh have each taken Garcia deep twice, with Walsh owning a ridiculous .688 OB% against him in 14 encounters.
Look for the lid to be off in Houston tonight with clear skies and most of the contest played in the mid-70s. A 10-13 mph NE breeze (right to left) is in the first-pitch forecast. Also look for a little Sho-Time tonight as Ohtani goes deep for the visitors, just one reason why my free baseball pick is on the underdogs in this clash.
MLB Pick: Angels (+142) at GTbets
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
