The perennially mediocre Los Angeles Angels aren’t normally slated as road favorites, but there are two good reasons why they have that status on the Thursday MLB odds board. One, reigning American League MVP Shohei Ohtani is taking the mound, and two, the Angels are playing the struggling Texas Rangers.
Props.com breaks down that game, plus the Chicago Cubs at Colorado Rockies on Thursday’s MLB odds slate.
Odds via WynnBet as of 5:45 p.m. ET on April 14.
Los Angeles Angels at Texas Rangers
First Pitch/TV: 8:05 p.m. ET/MLB Network (regional)
Los Angeles: 3-3 (1-5 O/U)
Texas: 1-4 (2-3 O/U)
Moneyline/Runline/Total: Angels -144/Angels -1.5 +110/8.5 (Over -115)
Pitching Matchup (2021 stats): LAA RHP Shohei Ohtani 9-2, 130.1 IP, 44 BB, 156 SO, 3.52 FIP … TEX RHP Dane Dunning 5-10, 117.2 IP, 43 BB, 114 SO, 3.94 FIP
Season Series: This is the teams’ first meeting this season. The Angels won the season series 11-8 last year.
Did you know: The Angels have two of the top three choices at WynnBet to win the AL MVP this season. Reigning AL MVP Ohtani is the favorite again at +300, and three-time MVP outfielder Mike Trout is the third choice at +450. Still, the Angels have not even won a playoff game in the Trout era, getting swept in their only postseason appearance, in 2014.
Breaking Down The Angels
About Los Angeles: The Angels swept a two-game series against Miami to even their record, after losing three of four against Houston to start the year. Los Angeles has gone strongly to the Under so far at 5-1, with its big bats underperforming. Trout is hitting .200 with one home run, Ohtani is batting .160 with no homers, and 3B Anthony Rendon has mustered only a .118 average with one home run.
About Shohei Ohtani: The reigning AL MVP’s arm is ahead of his bat so far this season. He took the loss in a 3-1 defeat to Houston in the season opener, despite allowing only one run on four hits in 4 2/3 innings, with nine strikeouts and one walk. Ohtani handled the Rangers well last season, going 3-0 in four starts. He allowed more than two runs only once and struck out at least six in each outing.
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Breaking Down The Rangers
About Texas: The Rangers spent big money on SS Corey Seager and 2B Marcus Semien to try to compete this season, but the results aren’t good so far. Texas lost two straight as a home favorite to Colorado, after losing two of three at Toronto to start the season. Seager is hitting .318, but Semien is 2-for-22 so far (.091).
About Dane Dunning: The right-hander was the main piece Texas got back when it traded starter Lance Lynn to the Chicago White Sox a year ago. Dunning took the loss in a 4-3 defeat to Toronto on Saturday, allowing three runs on five hits in five innings, with four strikeouts and two walks. He was 1-2 against the Angels last season, hit hard in two outings but allowing only one run on three hits in the other start.
Injuries: Angels SS David Fletcher is on the 10-day injured list with a left hip strain. … Rangers Opening Day starter RHP Jon Gray will miss his turn in the rotation Thursday after going on the 10-day injured list because of a blister on his right middle finger.
Notable Trends
- Los Angeles is 3-1 in its past four games
- Texas is 4-1 in its last five meetings with Los Angeles
- Under is 6-2-1 in the teams’ last nine meetings
- Los Angeles is 5-1 to the Under this season
- Under is 4-0 in Los Angeles’ last four series openers
- Over is 4-0 in Texas’ last four after scoring two runs or fewer in the previous game
- Over is 5-1 in Texas’ last six games as an underdog
Los Angeles Angels Vs Texas Rangers Odds and Action
UPDATE 5:45 P.M. ET: The Angels opened as a -133 favorite in WynnBet’s Thursday MLB odds market and initially backed up slightly to -130. But the moneyline has since climbed to Los Angeles -146, with ticket count 3/1-plus and money 9/1 on the Halos. The total opened at 9 and has been stable at 8.5 (Over -115) since late Wednesday night, with 53% of tickets on the Over, and money running almost dead even. Bettors are also hitting the Angels on the runline, currently -1.5 (+110) after opening -1.5 (+125). L.A. is nabbing 63% of runline tickets/89% of runline money.
Chicago Cubs at Colorado Rockies
First Pitch/TV: 8:40 p.m. ET/SportsNet RM
Chicago: 3-2 (2-2-1 O/U)
Colorado: 4-1 (1-4 O/U)
Moneyline/Run Line/Total: Rockies -117/Rockies -1.5 +140/11 (Over -125)
Pitching Matchup (2021 stats): CHC LHP Justin Steele 4-4, 57.0 IP, 27 BB, 59 SO, 5.52 FIP … COL LHP Kyle Freeland 7-8, 120.2 IP, 38 BB, 105 SO, 4.63 FIP
Season Series: This is the teams’ first meeting this season. The teams split their series 3-3 last year.
Did you know: The Cubs are coming off their first losing season since 2014. The Rockies won the NL wild-card game in 2018, but they have not won a full playoff series since reaching the World Series in 2007.
Breaking Down The Cubs
About Chicago: One week into the season, Cubs are a half-game out of first in the NL Central. They opened the season by taking two of three from division favorite Milwaukee before splitting a pair with projected cellar-dweller Pittsburgh. OF Seiya Suzuki is hitting .400/.524/1.000 with three home runs and nine RBIs.
About Justin Steele: The second-year pitcher posted a strong debut as a full-time starter Saturday, pitching five scoreless innings with four hits, five strikeouts and one walk in a 9-0 victory over Milwaukee. He allowed four runs in 3 2/3 innings in his only appearance against Colorado last season.
Breaking Down The Rockies
About Colorado: The Rockies have won four straight, all as underdogs, to take the very early lead in the NL West. Colorado swept two games at Texas after taking the final two of a three-game set against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Rockies are 4-1 to the Under this season. Former Cubs OF Kris Bryant will take on his old team for the first time. He is off to a solid start, hitting .350 with three doubles.
About Kyle Freeland: The left-hander started the Rockies’ only loss this season, allowing five runs on five hits in 3 2/3 innings, with six strikeouts and two walks in a 5-3 defeat to the Dodgers in the opener. He won his only start against the Cubs last season, allowing two runs in five innings in a 13-6 Colorado victory, with five strikeouts and no walks.
Injuries: Cubs SS Andrelton Simmons is on the 10-day injured list with right shoulder soreness. Chicago RP Keegan Thompson is facing a three-game suspension for intentionally throwing at Milwaukee outfielder Andrew McCutchen on Saturday, but Thompson is still eligible to play while he appeals the ruling. … Colorado 2B Ryan McMahon is questionable after missing the Rockies’ previous game Tuesday with a left calf contusion.
Notable Trends
- Colorado is 4-0 in its last four games, all as an underdog
- Under is 4-1 for Colorado this season
- Under is 4-0-1 in Chicago’s last five games after allowing five runs or more in the previous game
- Over is 4-0 in Steele’s last four starts as an underdog
- Over is 5-0 in Steele’s last five starts overall
Chicago Cubs Vs Colorado Rockies Odds and Action
UPDATE 5:45 P.M. ET: This matchup opened a -105 pick ’em on WynnBet’s Thursday MLB odds board, then stretched as far as Colorado -137 Wednesday afternoon, before receding to Rockies -115 this morning. Colorado is now -122 while netting 59% of bets and 64% of money. The total opened at 11.5, dipped to 11 (Over -115) overnight, spent most of today at 11 (Over -125) and is now at 11.5 (Under -120). Tickets and money are in the 3/1 range on the Under.