The Houston Astros and Los Angeles Angels meet following a 13-6 final on Opening Day at Angel Stadium. The Astros had a slow build-up to an explosive 7th inning last night.
They poured it on for 8 runs in the 7th to take a commanding 12-2 lead. Reid Detmers pitched about as good as the Astros could have expected through 4 innings.
Baseball is the best.
Jeremy Peña hits his first career home run during a live interview with his parents during the at-bat. pic.twitter.com/GWE6IfiIRT
— Houston Astros (@astros) April 9, 2022
The Angels are high on the young lefty. Detmers allowed 3 hits and 2 earned runs across 4 innings of work in his 2022 debut. However, the bullpen didn’t provide much relief for the Angels.
Mike Mayers and Jimmy Herget were both roughed up and pushed around for a total of 7 earned runs, having recorded just one out between the two of them. That was the ballgame.
Is it going to be yet another frustrating season for Angels fans? Probably. Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout back in the line together again helps, but there are a lot of unknowns regarding their pitching staff, again.
The 1-2 punch could be really good between Detmers and Noah Syndergaard. Which Syndergaard are the Angels getting? Thor could be an ace or mediocre mid-tier guy in the rotation.
Bring the thunder ⚡️
? @BallySportWest
? @AngelsRadioKLAA
#GoHalos pic.twitter.com/8H6gZwOeuZ— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) April 9, 2022
He played in only two games with the Mets last year after his 2020 campaign didn’t get off the ground. Justin Verlander gets the nod for Houston, who is also coming back from an injury.
The Astros hoped to have JV for the postseason last year, but his season was wiped out following an injury in 2022. He hasn’t had a full campaign since 2019, which was another major success for the former Tiger.
Head below for our free Astros vs. Angels prediction on April 9, 2022.
Houston Astros vs. Los Angeles Angels Live Odds and Betting History:
The following odds are courtesy of Bovada:
| Teams | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Astros | -1.5 (+145) | -113 | Over 9 (-110) |
| LA Angels | +1.5 (-170) | -107 | Under 9 (-110) |
| Team Data | Houston Astros | LA Angels |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Record | 1-0 | 0-1 |
| Away/Home Record | 1-0 | 0-1 |
| Batting Average | .293 | .243 |
| Batting Average Away/Home | .293 | .243 |
| Runs Per 9 | 13.00 | 6.00 |
| Team ERA | 2.00 | 8.00 |
| Team ERA Away/Home | 2.00 | 8.00 |
Astros vs. Angels Prediction:
This is an interesting matchup between two pitchers who are making a long-awaited return to the hill. When Justin Verlander is healthy, nobody is going to question how good he can be on the mound.
Even though he’s a 39-year-old, Verlander certainly still has it and can be an ace in Houston again. Some people believed Verlander was past his prime when he left Detroit, but that most definitely wasn’t the case.
Today’s #JVDay, y’all. pic.twitter.com/vfn3zq0W0G
— Houston Astros (@astros) April 9, 2022
Verlander posted a career-high ERA of 2.52 in 2018 with the Astros. He’s not ready to flame out yet. If his effort in spring training is any indicator, JV is ready to get back to his top form following a long rehab stint.
In four starts across 13.2 innings, Verlander had everything working. The velocity was there for him, and he looked just as good as before the injury. Verlander posted a 1.32 ERA and 1.10 WHIP in spring training.
Houston Astros vs. Los Angeles Angels Betting Trends:
Astros
- Record (Last 10): 1-0
- 4-0 overall in their previous four games versus the AL West
- 5-2 overall in their previous seven games on the road
- UNDER is 4-1-1 in their previous six games as a betting favorite
- UNDER is 4-0 in their previous four games versus a team with a right-handed starter
- UNDER is 4-1 in their previous five games after a win
Angels
- Record (Last 10): 0-1
- 4-1 in their previous five games as an underdog
- 5-2 overall in their previous seven games after allowing 5 or more runs
- 2-12 overall in their previous 14 games at home
- UNDER is 3-1-1 after conceding 5 or more runs
- UNDER is 3-1-1 versus a team with a winning percentage better than 60%
Verlander has been waiting a long time to get this opportunity back on the bump. He’s likely going to be in good form out of the gate this season.
Verlander didn’t care that it was spring training; he was throwing like it was the postseason. With Noah Syndergaard making his return as well, can the same be said for Thor?
He was good in spring training as well. There’s a lot of speculation about which Syndergaard we’ll get in 2022. Everything went well without any setbacks in spring training.
Syndergaard had a 1.04 ERA and 0.58 WHIP through 8.2 innings. He gave up just 3 hits with 1 earned run leading into the regular season.
Both Verlander and Syndergaard have motivation to show right away that they’re not done yet despite recent struggles with injuries.
All of the reports out of camp are positive with both, and when they’re feeling good, JV and Syndergaard can be two of the better pitchers in baseball. I will side with the UNDER at Angel Stadium in the second game in Anaheim.
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