The Los Angeles Angels and the Oakland A’s square off Thursday in MLB action from Oakland Coliseum. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for this game. Here’s a Oakland Athletics vs LA Angels Prediction.
Starting Pitching Matchup
The Los Angeles Angels will send out Roansy Contreras for the start here and Contreras is 1-0 with a 3.82 ERA and 31 strikeouts this season. In his career, Contreras is 0-1 with a 21.60 ERA and 3 strikeouts against the Angels. JP Sears will start for the A’s in this one and is 4-7 with a 5.00 ERA and 62 strikeouts this season. In his career, Sears is 1-2 with a 5.03 ERA and 14 strikeouts against the Angels.
Los Angeles Angels Recap
The Los Angeles Angels come into this game looking to avoid the sweep at the hands of the A’s after a 5-0 loss at the hands of Oakland in Wednesday’s matchup. The series loss for the Angels means that the Halos will have their series win streak snapped after knocking off the Tigers and A’s over the last two series.
Angels Trying To Keep Offense Alive
Going into Wednesday’s action, Taylor Ward has 73 hits along with 16 doubles, 14 home runs and a team-high 43 RBIs. Mike Trout also has 10 home runs along with a pair of triples and 6 stolen bases, but remains out indefinitely with injury while Zach Neto has 19 doubles, 73 strikeouts and 11 stolen bases. Luis Rengifo also has a team-high 79 hits and 22 stolen bases while Jo Adell has 13 home runs, 36 RBIs and 9 stolen bases as well.
Why the Los Angeles Angels will win
- The Athletics have lost each of their last 11 day games after playing the previous day.
- The underdogs have won each of the Angels’ last six games.
- The Athletics have failed to cover the run line in each of their last nine games as favorites against American League opponents following a win.
- The underdogs have covered the run line in each of the Angels’ last six games.
Oakland A’s Recap
The Oakland A’s will try to complete the sweep after taking down the Angels in Wednesday’s matchup to win the series, but a win on Thursday would not only give the A’s a rare sweep, but it would help the A’s avenge the sweep at the hands of the Angels from last week. The series win did snap the A’s series losing streak which included losses to the Diamondbacks, Angels and Twins over the last two weeks.
A’s Trying To Build Some Steam
Entering Wednesday, Brent Rooker leads the A’s with 48 RBIs along with 16 home runs this season while Abraham Toro has 72 hits and 24 RBIs. JJ Bleday has a team-high 22 doubles, 3 triples, 75 hits and 30 RBIs and Toro has a .260 batting average. Rooker also has the unfortunate title of leading strikeout bat with 101 K’s at the dish this season. Shea Langeliers has also chipped in 15 home runs and 41 RBIs.
Why the Oakland Athletics will win
- The Angels have lost each of their last eight games at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum against AL West opponents that held a losing record.
- The home team has won 13 of the last 14 games between the Angels and Athletics.
- The Angels have failed to cover the run line each of their last eight games at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum against teams that held a losing record.
- The home team has covered the run line in each of the last six games between the Angels and Athletics.
Oakland Athletics vs LA Angels Prediction
I’m on the under here. Not because I think that the matchup of Sears vs. Contreras is an elite pitching duel, but the Angels have had issues against lefties and face a decent lefty in Sears here, and I don’t expect Contreras to pitch too long in this one, meaning he’ll hand it over to an Angels bullpen that’s been surprisingly strong in the last couple of weeks. Give me the under in what I think is a first to 3 wins kind of game.