Astros vs Angels Odds, Lines, Spread (April 9)
- The Astros vs Angels odds favor Houston as -120 moneyline favorites on Saturday (April 9, 9:07pm ET)
- Houston will give the ball to Justin Verlander (2019 stats: 21-6, 2.58 ERA), while Los Angeles will counter with Noah Syndergaard (2019 stats: 10-8, 4.28 ERA)
- Read below for the Astros vs Angels odds, analysis and betting prediction
The third game of a four-game set between the Astros and Angels goes down on Saturday night (April 9), featuring a pair of well-known pitchers we haven’t seen much of lately.
Justin Verlander, the 2019 Cy Young winner, will get the ball for Houston for just the second time since his latest award-winning campaign. Noah Syndergaard will counter for Los Angeles, in what will be just his third start since the 2019 season.
Astros vs Angels Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Runline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Astros | -120 | -1.5 (+130) | O 8.5 (-115) |
| Los Angeles Angels | +100 | +1.5 (-150) | U 8.5 (-105) |
Odds as of April 9th at Barstool Sportsbook.
Houston opend up as -120 moneyline favorites, in a contest that features a total of 8.5 runs. First pitch is scheduled for 9:07pm ET at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, with clear skies and 57-degree nighttime temperatures in the forecast.
Probable Pitchers
Both Verlander and Syndergaard are recent recipients of Tommy John surgery. Verlander underwent his procedure after pitching just 6 innings in 2020, while Syndergaard had his operation earlier in the same year.
Justin Verlander on his readiness for the season. pic.twitter.com/MfOZ6QLbiF
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) April 3, 2022
Verlander has looked like his old self so far this year, striking out 15 batters over 13.2 spring training innings. He yielded just two runs and four walks over that stretch, and doesn’t appear to have lost much velocity. He’s topping out at 96mph with his fastball, and still hitting mid-90’s midway through his outings.
He enters the season as a top-six contender in the Cy Young odds, an award he won in his last full season in 2019. That year he posted 21 wins, threw his third career no-hitter, and eclipsed 300 strikeouts for the first time.
Verlander vs Syndergaard 2019 Stats
| 21-6 | Record | 10-8 |
| 2.58 | ERA | 4.28 |
| 0.80 | WHIP | 1.23 |
| .219 | OBA | .256 |
| 7.1 | SO/W Ratio | 4.0 |
Syndergaard meanwhile, looked pretty sharp himself during spring training. He threw 8.2 innings of two run ball, striking out 11, including seven punch outs versus the Dodgers in his final spring start.
…..And it begins #Openingday pic.twitter.com/GqGV75DNVH
— Noah Syndergaard (@Noahsyndergaard) April 7, 2022
He can no longer hit high 90’s with his fastball, but like Verlander he’s been able to maintain a fastball in the mid-90s for the majority of his outings. Syndergaard posted a career-worst 4.28 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in his last full season, while also yielding a career-high opponent batting average of .256.
Astros vs Angels Betting Analysis
Syndergaard is sure to have his work cut out for him on Saturday against one of baseball’s most feared lineups. The Astros have pounded 22 hits through two games so far this series taking both meetings.
We blinked and it was 12-2. pic.twitter.com/T999mF9AtA
— Houston Astros (@astros) April 9, 2022
On Friday night, they crossed the plate 13 times en route to a victory, while smacking six home runs. That brings their home run total to eight already this season, which is by far the most in the league.
As for LA’s batters, it’s been a much slower start. They’re averaging only 3.5 runs per game and have gotten virtually no production for the top of their lineup. Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout, the top-two favorites in the AL MVP odds have combined for just two hits and no RBI, while number three hitter Anthony Rendon is just 1-for-7.
MLB Network's Top 10 Players:
1. Shohei Ohtani
2. Mike Trout
3. Fernando Tatis Jr.
4. Juan Soto
5. Bryce Harper
6. Mookie Betts
7. Jacob deGrom
8. Vladdy Jr.
9. Freddie Freeman
10. Ronald Acuña Jr. pic.twitter.com/fnLSyTpKsj— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) April 2, 2022
A date against Verlander isn’t likely to solve the trio’s early woes, as they’ve combined for only nine hits in 60 career plate appearances against the three-time Cy Young Award winner.
Astros vs Angels Last 10 Meetings
| Date | Away Team | Home Team | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/23/21 | Astros | Angels | LAA, 3-2 |
| 9/22/21 | Astros | Angels | HOU, 9-5 |
| 9/21/21 | Astros | Angels | HOU, 10-5 |
| 9/20/21 | Astros | Angels | HOU, 10-0 |
| 8/15/21 | Astros | Angels | LAA, 3-1 |
| 8/14/21 | Astros | Angels | HOU, 8-2 |
| 8/13/21 | Astros | Angels | HOU, 4-1 |
| 5/12/21 | Angels | Astros | HOU, 9-1 |
| 5/11/21 | Angels | Astros | HOU, 5-1 |
| 5/10/21 | Angels | Astros | LAA, 5-4 |
Astros vs Angels Pick
The way the Astros are swinging the bat to start the season makes Houston an easy play on Saturday. They’ve looked every bit like a top contender in the World Series odds and bettors should feel much more confident wagering on Verlander than Syndergaard coming off surgery. The Astros ace has maintained his velocity and was brilliant throughout spring training.
Dusty Baker on Justin Verlander: “He has a new arm. He might be 39, but his arm is 26, 27.”
— Alden González (@Alden_Gonzalez) April 7, 2022
Another reason to fade LA is the early performance of its bullpen. Angles relievers have coughed up 13 runs through two games, after finishing bottom-seven in baseball in both ERA and strand rate last season.
Pick: Houston Astros Moneyline (-120)
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As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.
