Going into game two of this American League showdown, the Angels (60-63, 31-29 home) are giving the start to Patrick Sandoval. On the other side, the Rays (74-50, 34-28 away) are rolling with Zach Eflin. Don’t miss my prediction for today’s Tampa Bay Rays versus Los Angeles Angels game in Anaheim.

TAMPA BAY RAYS VS LOS ANGELES ANGELS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Tampa Bay Rays -130

This game will be played at Angel Stadium of Anaheim at 9:07 ET on Saturday, August 19th.

WHY BET THE TAMPA BAY RAYS:

  • In their last ten games, the Rays have a record of 6-4.
  • Over their last ten games on the road, Tampa Bay has a straight-up record of 7-3.
  • In Zach Eflin’s three most recent starts, the Rays are 2-1.

TAMPA BAY RAYS LOOK TO CONTINUE WINNING WAYS ON THE ROAD

The Rays head into today’s game ranked 2nd in the AL East on an overall record of 74-50. So far, they have put together an above .500 mark on the road at 34-28 and across 39 series, they are 22-12-5.

Today, Tampa Bay starter Zach Eflin will aim to limit the long ball after surrendering a home-run in two consecutive outings. So far this season, he has compiled an impressive 12-7 record and 3.67 ERA, as well as 132 strikeouts and a K/9 rate of 8.98. Additionally, he has averaged 1.22 walks per 9 innings pitched.

Zach Eflin’s latest start against the Guardians ended in a 9-2 defeat, with the right-hander surrendering six earned runs on nine hits in a truncated outing.

Having gone deep 11 times in their last ten games, the Rays are 8th in that span. At 5.2 runs per game, Tampa Bay is 4th in the league. This figure has come on a team batting average of .257 while hitting a total of 177 home runs (4th).

Isaac Paredes is the Rays’ home-run king in 2023, swatting 23 long balls and driving in 72 runs. His slugging percentage for the season is a robust .493.

WILL THE LOS ANGELES ANGELS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

123 games into the season, the Angels have a record of 60-63, putting them 4th in the AL West. This mark includes an overall series 17-20-2. At home, they are 31-29 compared to 29-34 on the road.

Patrick Sandoval has been a mainstay in the Angels’ rotation this season, making 21 appearances and posting an overall record of 6-9. His ERA stands at 4.09, while his K/9 rate is 7.85 and FIP is 4.05. Additionally, the opposition has managed to get on base against him at a .324 clip.

Patrick Sandoval looks to rebound from a tough outing against the Rangers. The Angels were defeated 12-0, with Sandoval allowing five runs in 2 2/3 innings of play.

As a team, Los Angeles has scuffled at the plate over their last ten games, with a combined batting average of just .175. Compared to other teams, this is just 29th in that span. When looking at the team’s power numbers, they have a season-long slugging percentage of .436% while going deep a total of 181 times (3rd). Overall, the Angels are 9th in the MLB at 4.8 runs per contest.

Shohei Ohtani has been on a tear for the Angels over their last five games, leading the team in hits and batting .350. The two-way star has been a force at the plate all season long, with a .308 average and 89 RBIs.