Neither the Texas Rangers nor Los Angeles Angels can say that this season played out like they’d hoped. The Rangers paid big money in the offseason, attempting to import some talent that could help shape them into a contender.
Meanwhile, the Halos got out to a solid start behind their pair of generational talents — Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout — but sputtered and bottomed out.
Meeting in mid-September with no real playoff implications, Texas will play host to their divisional rivals for three games, beginning Tuesday night.
This will be the first time since late July that these clubs have crossed paths, the Rangers winning three of four in Anaheim then.
American League West Crown
Although you won’t see either of these teams play deep in October, that doesn’t mean you can’t make some money by wagering on this tilt.
Texas (63-83) is aiming to rebound from a pair of losses on the road at Tampa Bay. Houston claimed the American League West crown once again, and the Rangers have been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention in the Wild Card Standings.
It’s looking like those spots will go to some combination of Toronto, the Rays, Seattle, Baltimore, or the Chicago White Sox.
MLB Standings
In terms of competing for a title, the Rangers’ standings aren’t where they need to be.
The Angels (64-83) are also out of the running, which is disappointing for a franchise that has constantly underachieved in recent memory.
They’ll play out their remaining five bills — two of which against Texas — wondering what could have been. There’s a possibility that Los Angeles tears down and looks to the future at some point soon.
Right fielder Taylor Ward paces the batting order with a .270 average, which is just two ticks better than Ohtani’s mark.
The do-it-all native of Japan has a team-high 89 RBIs and a .358 on-base percentage. His 141 total hits are the most on the squad.
Center fielder Mike Trout has clubbed 36 home runs, good enough for the fourth-most in the major leagues. Ward has been hot recently, hitting .350 over 20 plate appearances in the last week.
Texas Rangers vs. Los Angeles Angels Odds
Angels vs. Rangers odds for this matchup lean toward the away squad. Los Angeles is -1.5 on the run line at +136, while the Rangers are -164 to cover the spread.
On the moneyline, the Angels are -120 and Texas a +102 underdog. The total has been set at 8.5 runs, with the over being -118 and the under -104 at the time of this writing.
First baseman Nathaniel Lowe is hitting .308 on the season. Shortstop Corey Seager has 31 dingers, while right fielder Adolis Garcia has 91 RBIs.
Texas Rangers vs. Los Angeles Angels Betting Preview
Who Is Starting for the Halos?
The Halos are sending left-hander Patrick Sandoval to the mound in this one. He’s pinned up a 5-9 record this year, along with a 2.99 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP.
Los Angeles has fallen short in three of his last four outings — a stretch that includes defeats to Cleveland, Detroit, and Tampa Bay.
The losses weren’t his fault, however. In a no-decision against the Guardians last Wednesday, he lasted 5.1 innings, allowing two earned runs on seven hits.
In fact, in each of his starts since late July, he’s given up two earned runs or less. The Angels just need to help him out a little bit on offense.
Who Is Starting for the Rangers?
He’ll face opposition in 24-year-old righty Cole Ragans, who’s 0-2 with a 5.68 ERA. He’s appeared in only six contests for Texas this year.
Texas Rangers vs. Los Angeles Angels Picks and Predictions
We’ve gone over our Angels vs. Rangers odds, taken a deep dive into statistics, and sized up this clash for you. Now, let’s make our Rangers and Angels predictions.
Sandoval’s record may not indicate it, but the hurler has actually been a pretty effective performer this year. If Los Angeles can give him some run support, he should walk away with his first win this month.
Take the Angels to cover the spread with the MLB odds in this matchup.
MLB Pick: Angels -1.5 (+135)
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