by Rod Pearson
Saturday, Jun 03, 2023
Game Time: 2:10 pm ET, Sunday, June 4, 2023
Venue: Minute Maid Park, Houston, TX
Where to Watch: Sportsnet SW
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Moneyline odds: Angels +125, Astros -145; Over/Under: 9.5 runs
Bet365: Moneyline odds: Angels +125, Astros -145; Over/Under: 9.5 runs
BetMGM: Moneyline odds: Angels +125, Astros -145; Over/Under: 9.5 runs
Season Record
Los Angeles Angels: 30-29 (4th place, AL West)
Houston Astros: 34-23 (2nd place, AL West)
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Recent Form
Los Angeles Angels: 4-6 last 10
Houston Astros: 6-4 last 10
Los Angeles Angels vs Houston Astros Preview and Analysis
The Angels are entering this game on a 2 game losing streak but won their 3-game series against the Chicago White Sox 2-1 in their last series. They enter this game with a 30-29 record overall and have a road record of 15-16. This is the series finale of a 4-game series with the Astros on Sunday with the 3rd game of this series still to be played on Saturday. Their offense ranks 6th in the MLB with a .758 OPS. Patrick Sandoval is their starting pitcher on Saturday while Griffin Canning is making his start in this game on Sunday. He is 4-2 with a 4.89 ERA this season. His team won their last 2 straight games this season with him making an appearance. In his last MLB regular season start, he allowed 3 ER, 2 HR, and 0 BB with 9 Ks on 6 hits through 6 IP against the Chicago White Sox.
The Astros are entering this game on a 2 game winning streak but lost their 3-game series against the Minnesota Twins 2-1 in their last series. They enter this game with a 34-23 record overall and have a home record of 17-13. This is the 4th game of a 4-game series with the Angels on Sunday with the 3rd game of this series still to be played on Saturday. Their offense ranks 21st in the MLB with a .710 OPS. Cristian Javier is their starting pitcher on Saturday while rookie pitcher J.P. France is making his start in this game on Sunday. He is 1-1 with a 4.00 ERA this season. His team lost their last 2 straight games this season with him making an appearance. In his last MLB regular season start, he allowed 4 earned runs, 1 homer, and 3 BB with 8 strikeouts on 7 hits through 6 innings played against the Minnesota Twins.
Angels vs Astros Prediction
The current betting odds have the Angels listed as a slight underdog in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. The Angels were playing really well earlier in the week before getting into this series but they haven't looked great in the first 2 games of this series now. They need to get some wins from this series to stay in this division race with the Rangers pulling away and the Astros trying to chase them down. The Angels have been up and down with their pitching this season but they really haven't been that bad, and their offense has also been pretty good as they have a top 10 offense in the MLB. The Astros have been winning a lot of their games with great pitching but their offense hasn't really been there yet and they actually have a bottom 10 offense in the league right now. Canning hasn't been great this season but he hasn't been bad either and he has been pitching a lot better in his last 2 starts as he is giving up less runs. The Astros are going with France here and not only is he in his rookie season, but he has also been slipping up in his last few starts and has been starting to give up more runs now which will be a problem here against an Angels offense that has been productive this season. The Angels will be able to take advantage of this pitching matchup and this will be a game where their offense can carry them through to a win. The best way to place a bet here is on the Angels to win this game.
Angels Astros Prediction: Our MLB Pick for Sunday, June 4, 2023 (2:10 pm ET start time) is Angels 6 Astros 2.
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MLB Betting Trends
Los Angeles Angels: 73-116 (-15.4 units) on the moneyline as an underdog of +100 or higher. 86-107 (-12.4 units) on the moneyline in road games. 16-10 UNDER when the total is 9 to 9.5. GRIFFIN CANNING is 18-10 UNDER when the total is 9 to 9.5.
Houston Astros: 19-8 (+9.8 units) on the moneyline when the total is 8.5 to 10. 58-32 (+9.6 units) on the moneyline as a home favorite of -125 to -175. 8-2 UNDER when the total is 9 to 9.5. 15-7 UNDER when the money line is -100 to -150.
Key Injuries
Los Angeles Angels: Z. Neto (SS) Ques Sat - Foot. M. Moore (RP) Late June - Oblique. A. Warren (RP) out for season - Elbow. A. Rendon (3B) Mid June - Groin. J. Quijada (RP) out for season - Elbow. J. Suarez (RP) Mid June - Shoulder. L. O'Hoppe (C) Late Aug - Shoulder. C. Rodriguez (RP) Out indefinitely - Shoulder. M. Stassi (C) Out indefinitely - Hip.
Houston Astros: J. Urquidy (SP) Late June - Shoulder. M. Brantley (DH) Mid June - Shoulder. L. McCullers Jr. (SP) Mid July - Elbow. L. Garcia (SP) out for season - Elbow.
Notable Quotes
“Alvarez is a guy that when he sees a pitch like that in the zone already, he usually doesn’t miss ’em the second time. Just put it in a bad spot.” - Phil Nevin after his team’s loss against the Astros in their game on Friday.
“Nobody gets to him too much. So we were fortunate to not miss pitches when we had an opportunity.” - Dusty Baker on Shohei Ohtani after his team’s win against the LA Angels in their game on Friday.
Starting Lineups
Los Angeles Angels
Shohei Ohtani (L) P
Mike Trout (R) CF
Brandon Drury (R) 2B
Taylor Ward (R) LF
Hunter Renfroe (R) RF
Gio Urshela (R) 3B
Jared Walsh (L) 1B
Chad Wallach (R) C
Zach Neto (R) SS
Houston Astros
Mauricio Dubon (R) 2B
Jeremy Pena (R) SS
Yordan Alvarez (L) DH
Alex Bregman (R) 3B
Jose Abreu (R) 1B
Chas McCormick (R) RF
Corey Julks (R) LF
Jake Meyers (R) CF
Martin Maldonado (R) C
Statistical Leaders
Los Angeles Angels
Batting Average: Livan Soto (.333)
Hits: Gio Urshela (61)
Home Runs: Shohei Ohtani (15)
RBI: Shohei Ohtani (38)
Stolen Bases: Shohei Ohtani (7)
Wins: Shohei Ohtani (5)
Saves: Carlos Estevez (13)
ERA: Ben Joyce (0.00)
Houston Astros
Batting Average: Mauricio Dubon (.290)
Hits: Kyle Tucker (56)
Home Runs: Yordan Alvarez (15)
RBI: Yordan Alvarez (50)
Stolen Bases: Kyle Tucker (8)
Wins: Cristian Javier (6)
Saves: Ryan Pressly (11)
ERA: Phil Maton (0.98)
Managers:
Los Angeles Angels: Phil Nevin (2nd season)
Houston Astros: Dusty Baker (4th season)
Rod Pearson
About the Author:
Rod Pearson has been a rabid sports fan his entire life. He grew up in Ontario, and was skilled in both hockey and baseball, and pitched in an elite baseball league for many years. In 2022, Rod decided to hang up his glove, so that he could write about the sports he loves -- but from a gambling perspective. Join Rod every day as he breaks down the games to find the best betting value.
