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Astros vs Angels Game Preview, Live Stream, Odds, Picks & Predictions

AL Champions Hit Road for Opening Day

Ohtani Awaits Houston

The Houston Astros will take on the Los Angeles Angels on Major League Baseball’s Opening Day on Thursday night.

Houston, last year’s American League representative in the World Series, will get their first taste of the new season against reigning AL Most Valuable Player Shohei Ohtani, who will be on the mound for the Angels.

Astros vs Angels Game Preview, Live Stream, Odds, Picks & Predictions
Tom Pennington/Getty Images/AFP

Let’s check the latest MLB Picks, stats, injury reports, and MLB Odds for Astros vs Angels. We’ve plenty of MLB Predictions.

Astros Begin the Climb Back

The Houston Astros have made it to three of the past five World Series, most recently losing to the Atlanta Braves in six games last season. Their dominance may be coming to an end this season, however. Although they are still near the top in MLB odds to win the AL, they are trailing the Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago White Sox.

Houston retained important pieces such as Jose Altuve, Justin Verlander, and Michael Brantley, among others, and will be able to compete both offensively and defensively. They dominated batting metrics last season, both in terms of average and runs scored.

Most of the baseball world still wants Houston to lose because of their involvement in a cheating scandal a few years ago and a perceived laissez-faire attitude toward being caught. Their first taste of league action will come against an Angels team that they beat seven times in their last 10 games last year.

Los Angeles and its Angel

The Los Angeles Angels were totally Shohei Ohtani–dependent last season. The Japanese-born star smashed 46 home runs while posting a 9-2 record with a 3.18 ERA on the mound. He will get the nod on Opening Day as he looks to start an early build toward his second straight MVP award.

The good news for Angels fans is that Mike Trout, a former multi-time MVP in his own right, is currently listed as “day-to-day” and figures to be back for the season opener, giving LA far more pop in their lineup.

Trout’s injury history renders him less fleet of foot than he used to be, and he is likely to miss time at different periods, but when he is in the lineup, he is a near-unstoppable hitting force that the Angels were missing last season.

For all of the praise that Ohtani got last season, his team only finished 77-85 as a whole. The road to righting this wrong begins Thursday with a battle against the reigning league champions.

Astros vs Angels Head-to-Head

The Astros won 13 of 19 matchups between the two squads last season and were mostly penned as the favorites by sportsbooks. Having Ohtani on the mound will be good for the Angels in the oddsmakers’ eyes, although he went 0-2 with seven earned runs in two starts against Houston in 2021.

“That’s not a guy you would like to face all the time,” Houston manager Dusty Baker said of Ohtani after a 10-5 victory last season.

Astros vs Angels Game Information

  • Game: Astros vs Angels
  • Location: Angel Stadium, Anaheim, CA
  • Day/Time: Thursday, April 7, 9:38 p.m. ET
  • Live stream: MLB.tv

Astros vs Angels Betting Lines

Team Run line Moneyline Total Team Total
Houston Astros
F. Valdez -L
+1½ -190 +105 9 Evo 4½ +105o

4½ -135u

Los Angeles Angels
S. Ohtani -R
-1½ +160 -115 9 -120u 4½ Evo

4½ -130u

Astros vs Angels Prediction

The Houston Astros are the better choice to finish with the best record in this particular matchup, but one of the smartest MLB picks for Opening Day is to ride with the Angels at home.

Ohtani is in a battle to take over as the face of the league, and he will be able to assert himself on the mound and in the box. Assuming Trout plays as well, this Angels team will likely not get much better than it will be on Opening Day.

Most MLB lines agree that the Angels have the upper hand and have penned them as runline favorites for those who bet on MLB.

Pick: Los Angeles Angels -115

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