Patrick Sandoval will get the start for the Angels (70-86, 35-40 home) as they host the Rangers (87-68, 37-37 away) at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. The Rangers will give the starting nod to Jon Gray. Check out my prediction for game one of this AL West matchup between the Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels.

TEXAS RANGERS VS LOS ANGELES ANGELS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Texas Rangers -1.5 Runs

This game will be played at Angel Stadium of Anaheim at 9:38 ET on Monday, September 25th.

WHY BET THE TEXAS RANGERS:

  • In their last ten games, the Rangers have gone 6-4 vs. the runline.
  • As the road underdog, the Rangers’ runline win streak stands at four games.
  • Opponents are hitting a healthy .319 against Patrick Sandoval in his last two starts.

TEXAS RANGERS LOOKING TO EXTEND AL WEST LEAD

So far this season, Texas has played in 48 series, going 27-19-2. Their current record of 87-68 is good for first place in the AL West. On the road, the Rangers have gone 37-37 compared to 50-31 at home.

Texas starter Jon Gray will take the mound today, looking to improve his home-run record of five consecutive appearances. So far this season, Gray has compiled an 8-8 record and a 4.22 ERA, accompanied by 135 strikeouts and an impressive K/9 figure of 8.03. Additionally, he has averaged 3.21 walks per 9 innings pitched.

Jon Gray’s most recent start was not his best performance, as he allowed four runs on four hits in 2 1/3 innings. Fortunately for the Rangers, they were able to prevail 15-5 over the Red Sox and Gray was able to avoid a loss.

For the season, the Rangers’ offense is averaging 5.5 runs per game. Over their last five games they have swung the bats well, sitting 2nd in the league in scoring, with a total of 40 runs. Overall, Texas’ team batting average is .266, putting them 2nd in the MLB.

The Rangers have seen Evan Carter lead the team in home runs over their last ten games, with a total of three. His season-long total is four, and his overall batting average stands at .318.

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

Through 156 games, the Angels have a record of 70-86. This mark includes going 19-27-3 across their 49 series. Currently, Los Angeles is 4th in the AL West and have a 35-40 record at home while going 35-46 on the road. So far, the Angels have gone 34-58 against teams with above .500 records.

Patrick Sandoval takes the mound with a 7-13 record and 4.19 ERA. On the road, he has gone 5-7 with an ERA of 4.64 in 16 appearances. At home, his mark is 2-6 with an ERA of 5.01. His season-long WHIP stands at 1.50 and opponents have hit .254 against him, compiling a slugging percentage of .373.

Patrick Sandoval’s last outing ended in a no-decision, with the Angels falling 6-2 to the Rays. Over five innings, Sandoval allowed two runs on five hits.

This season, the Angels are 16th in the league at 4.6 runs per game. Over their last five games, they have a combined batting average of .262 (11th) leading to 4.4 runs per contest. Overall, they are generating 3.2 walks per game compared to 9 strikeouts. Los Angeles’ on-base percentage of .317 has them 13th in the MLB.

Jared Walsh has been a major contributor to the Angels’ offense over their last ten games, leading the team with three home runs. His season-long total stands at four, while his batting average is currently .137.