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Astros vs Angels Prediction and Picks for June 9, 2024

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Another week of MLB wraps up on Sunday, and we have an exciting AL West showdown on the schedule as the Houston Astros face the Los Angeles Angels. Justin Verlander gets the nod for the Astros, while the Angels counter with Patrick Sandoval. First pitch is scheduled for 4:07 a.m. ET from Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California.

Astros try to climb the rankings

The Astros’ start to the season has been unusually slow, and they’ve already gotten behind the eighth ball. They’re just 29-35, which puts them 6.5 games off the Mariners’ first-place pace. To win the division, Houston is priced at +300, the second-shortest odds of the division teams. History of making the playoffs, the Astros at +150 (-180 to miss).

In terms of recent form, Houston has played pretty well, winning three of their last four games. They recently beat the Cardinals two out of three (W: 7-4, W: 8-5, L: 4-2) before picking up a series-opening victory against the Angels (7-1) on Friday. Yainer Diaz homered for his fourth straight game, while Framber Valdez earned a complete-game victory (9.0 IP, 1 ER).

Justin Verlander will be in charge in Sunday’s series finale, and the veteran will prepare for his 10th start of the year. He hasn’t been dominant, but he’s been serviceable at 3-2 with a 3.63 ERA and 1.19 WHIP. Most recently, the right-hander faced the Cardinals and allowed four earned runs on seven hits and two walks in 5.0 innings. It was a no-decision effort in a game the Astros ultimately won 7-4.

Angels hanging out in limbo

After seeing Shohei Ohtani leave, it’s safe to say that expectations weren’t very high for the Angels entering the year. Add in a Mike Trout injury (knee), and things really took a turn for the worse. As of this writing (Saturday noon), the Halos sit in last place in the American League West, at just 24-39. That’s 11.0 games out of first place. Oddsmakers have already seen enough of Los Angeles, pricing them at +2500 to make the playoffs (-20000 to miss).

The Angels managed to sweep the Padres (2-1, 4-2, 3-2), but it was a small success in an otherwise ugly recent series. They are just 4-9 in their last 13 games, which includes Friday’s series opener loss to the Astros (7-1),

Patrick Sandoval has been a mainstay in Los Angeles’ rotation for a few years now, but the 2024 campaign has been a tough one for the 27-year-old. The southpaw enters this contest at 2-8 with a 5.00 ERA (67th) and a 1.43 WHIP (71st). Sandoval has made two straight quality starts, most recently against the Padres in a 6.0 innings (1 ER) effort. He allowed just one earned run on four hits and one walk, taking a no-decision in the 4-2 victory.

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Best Bets

Full Game Side Bet

Rating:

This should be a fun Sunday contest, but when the dust settles, I think the Astros are headed for a multi-run victory. I’m going to put the 1.5 points with Houston there.

Above all, I think the Los Angeles offense could be in trouble in this game. They have been struggling the last two weeks. Over the past 15 days, the Halos are ranked dead last in team batting average (.190) and OPS (.541). Now they’ll have to deal with Justin Verlander, who hasn’t been overwhelming, but he’s very serviceable. He has two quality starts in his last three starts, posting a 2.50 ERA over the span (18.0 IP).

Let’s not overthink this one, let’s roll with the Astros on the rise.

Prediction: Houston Astros -1.5

Total choice of the complete game

Rating:

Another big reason why I like the Astros and why I will also play over them is Houston’s number against Patrick Sandoval. The ‘Stros have a sizable 87 at-bats against the southpaw, and they’re slashing .310/.368/.552 over the span. Additionally, the southpaw has struggled mightily this year, entering with a 5.00 ERA and 1.43 WHIP. Houston’s offense is ready for a big Sunday.

In addition to Sandoval’s struggles, Los Angeles’ bullpen has been one of the worst in the league this year. They are ranked 28th in reliever ERA (4.82) and 19th in WHIP (1.31). Honestly, there’s a chance Houston clears this total on its own. Let’s sit back and take the offense in this one – give me the upper hand!

Prediction: More

Written by
Trent Pruitt, “Trent Pruitt”

Trent is originally from Chicago and has been an avid sports fan since he could walk. He played sports throughout his youth and played collegiate rugby at Arizona State University. Trent still resides in Arizona, where he spends his days covering sports from a sports betting perspective. He fell in love with the analytical side of sports in his late teens and has been following the sports betting industry for over 10 years now! You can follow him on Twitter and Instagram for all his sports betting picks: @Trentbets, and he is also one of the newest members of our expert team.

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