An American League West battle begins Thursday night when the Los Angeles Angels (30-27, 15-14 away) visit the Houston Astros (32-23, 15-13 home). These two teams are in the trailing pack in the AL West and this is an important series as the calendar turns to June. Below is my MLB pick for the Los Angeles Angels vs Houston Astros.

Los Angeles Angels vs Houston Astros Betting Pick

The Pick: Houston Astros -191

This game will be played at Minute Maid Park at 8:10 p.m. on Thursday, June 1, 2023.

Why Bet the Houston Astros:

✅ Houston is hot right now having won 15 of their last 20 games played.

✅ The Astros have won seven of their last nine games at Minute Maid Park.

✅ Los Angeles has lost 11 of their last 15 games against Houston.

Los Angeles Angels Need to Show Up

Los Angeles is having a typical season for them as they continue to hover around .500 but can never quite get the momentum to make a push for first place. The Angels enter this series after winning two of three against the Chicago White Sox. Trailing the Rangers by six games, the Angels need a good June to stay in the AL West race.

Reid Detmers is set to make his 10th start of the season and he needs to be better. The young lefty is 0-4 with a 4.93 ERA and 1.53 WHIP in 45.2 innings pitched.

Shohei Ohtani is still the best player in baseball as he leads the Angels with 15 home runs and 38 RBIs. Gio Urshela is batting a team high .307.  

The Houston Astros Are Coming Off a Bad Series

Houston had a nice May schedule and they took full advantage of that. Being in a division with the Oakland Athletics is going to artificially increase your win column and the Astros took all six games against the A’s over the past few weeks. Houston enters this series having lost two of three, at home, against Minnesota. The Astros are three games back of the first place Texas Rangers.

Framber Valdez will be making his 11th start of the year and he has been brilliant. Valdez is 5-4 with a 2.38 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in 72.0 innings pitched.

Yordan Valdez is mashing this season as he leads the Astros with 14 home runs and 48 RBIs. Mauricio Dubon is batting a team high .290 through the first two months.