The Los Angeles Angels and the Pittsburgh Pirates meet Tuesday in MLB action from Progressive Field. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for this game. Here’s a Pittsburgh Pirates vs LA Angels Prediction.
Starting Pitching Matchup
The Los Angeles Angels will send out Patrick Sandoval here and Sandoval is 1-5 with a 5.91 ERA and 38 strikeouts this season. This will be Sandoval’s first career start against the Pirates. The Pittsburgh Pirates will trot out Quinn Priester here and Priester is 0-2 with a 3.31 ERA and 11 strikeouts this season. This will be Priester’s first career start against the Angels.
Los Angeles Angels Recap
The Los Angeles Angels come into this one looking to bounce back from a 4-1 loss at the hands of the Pirates in Monday’s series opener. It wasn’t the ideal start to the series for an Angels team that’s still yet to win a series since the first week of April after losses to the Guardians, Phillies, and Twins in the last week and a half.
Angels Continue To Slide At The Plate
Going into Tuesday, Taylor Ward leads the Angels with 38 hits along with 7 home runs and a team-high 24 RBIs. Mike Trout has a team-high 10 home runs along with a pair of triples and 6 stolen bases while Zach Neto has a team-high 36 strikeouts and 5 stolen bases. Luis Rengifo also has a team-high 9 stolen bases as well.
Why the Los Angeles Angels will win
- Probable Starting Pitcher: Patrick Sandoval Record this season: 1-5 ERA: 5.91
- The Pirates have lost six of their last seven games as favorites against American League opponents.
- The Angels have won nine of their last 11 games against NL Central opponents that held a losing record.
- The Pirates have failed to cover the run line in 11 of their last 12 games as favorites against AL West opponents.
- The Angels have covered the run line in seven of their last eight games against National League opponents that held a losing record.
- The Pirates have trailed after 3 innings in six of their last eight games as home favorites against AL West opponents.
- The Pirates have trailed after 5 innings in five of their last six games as favorites against American League opponents.
- The Pirates have lost the first inning in six of their last nine games as home favorites against American League opponents.
Pittsburgh Pirates Recap
The Pittsburgh Pirates will be looking to build on their series opening win over the Angels, trending in the right direction after back-to-back wins to close out their series with the Rockies over the weekend.
Pirates Starting To Get It Together
Bryan Reynolds has a team-high 33 hits with 4 home runs and 17 RBIs while Ke’Bryan Hayes has 31 hits with 7 doubles. Oneil Cruz has a team-high 50 strikeouts and 3 stolen bases while Connor Joe has a team-high 8 doubles with 14 RBIs and a .290 batting average. Michael A. Taylor has 3 stolen bases of his own as well this season.
Why the Pittsburgh Pirates will win
- Probable Starting Pitcher: Quinn Priester Record this season: 0-2 ERA: 3.31
- The Angels have lost each of their last eight night games against National League opponents following a road loss.
- The home team has won seven of the Pirates’ last eight games.
- The Angels have failed to cover the run line in each of their last eight night games against National League opponents following a road loss.
- The Pirates have covered the run line in seven of their last eight games following a home win.
- The Angels have trailed after 3 innings in each of their last five night games against National League opponents.
- The Angels have trailed after 5 innings in each of their last four games against National League opponents.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs LA Angels Prediction
I’m on the Pirates here. I just don’t trust Patrick Sandoval and as bad as the Pirates offense has been, Sandoval has this inane ability to make any team that goes up against him look like a world-beater. I think that’s what could go down here as well. I’m not a huge Quinn Priester fan if we’re being honest, but right now it certainly beats the alternative, and the Angels’ bats are not hitting well enough right now to counteract any damage that Sandoval does on the hill. Give me the Pirates at home in this one.