Houston (64-35) at LA Angels (49-48)
When: Friday, July 20th 2018
Where: Angel Stadium, Anaheim, CA
Time: 10:05 ET | TV: AT&T SportsNet
Southwest, FS West
Opening Odds: Houston -131/8
The Houston Astros may have stumbled a bit heading into the All-Star Break, but the rest of the American League West is looking up at the defending World Series champions as we begin the second half. The Astros begin with three games on the road in Anaheim against and Angels team that really needs to go on a run. Anaheim looked as if they were going to compete with Houston after the first month of the season, but have dropped off considerably and are 14 games back of the Astros. The Angels will open the second half with a 10-game homestand that includes Seattle and the Chicago White Sox. All-Star Mike Trout is 10-for-28 in his last eight games for the Angels and teammate Andrelton Simmons has hit safely in six straight, going 10-for-27 in that stretch. Angels OF Kole Calhoun is 8-for-22 with four homers and six RBIs in his last six games to raise his batting average 17 points to .187. Houston’s Alex Bregman blasted a tie-breaking solo homer in Tuesday’s All-Star Game and brings a seven-game hitting streak into the series while teammate Yuli Gurriel has hit safely in 12 straight. Dallas Keuchel looks to keep his momentum going and takes a 10-2 career record against the Angels into Friday’s opener against fellow left-hander Tyler Skaggs, who beat Houston on April 23rd with seven scoreless innings. The Astros lead the league with a +188 run differential and their starting pitchers own a major league-best 3.02 ERA.
Pitchers: Astros – Dallas Keuchel (7-8, 3.75 ERA) | Angels – Tyler Skaggs (7-5, 2.57)
Houston has won six of Keuchel’s last seven starts and he’s limited opponents to one or zero earned runs in four of those outings. Keuchel held Detroit to six hits over six scoreless innings on July 13th in his last start before the break and has a 1.35 ERA in three outings this month. His 10-2 record against Anaheim comes with a 3.67 ERA over 16 appearances (15 starts).
Skaggs is on a roll right now and has already set a career high in wins along with strikeouts (105), and can set a club record for a left-handed pitcher with a seventh straight start allowing one or no earned runs Friday. Skaggs has given up just four earned runs over 38 innings across his last six starts with 41 strikeouts. He is 4-2 with a 2.76 ERA lifetime against the Astros.
The Astros love hitting left-handed pitching and the Angels are completely opposite. I love the way Skaggs is pitching, but I think Houston gets to him tonight and comes away with a series-opening victory.
Pick: Astros -120
BETTING TRENDS:
- Astros are 5-1 in their last 6 road games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Astros are 6-2 in their last 8 road games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Astros are 47-16 in their last 63 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Astros are 28-10 in their last 38 road games.
- Astros are 8-3 in their last 11 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Astros are 37-14 in their last 51 vs. American League West.
- Astros are 42-17 in their last 59 games on grass.
- Astros are 7-3 in their last 10 games following a loss.
- Astros are 37-17 in their last 54 during game 1 of a series.
- Astros are 43-20 in their last 63 overall.
- Astros are 41-19 in their last 60 Friday games.
- Astros are 4-0 in Keuchel’s last 4 starts.
- Astros are 4-0 in Keuchel’s last 4 starts on grass.
- Astros are 6-1 in Keuchel’s last 7 road starts.
- Astros are 4-1 in Keuchel’s last 5 starts with 6 days of rest.
- Astros are 19-7 in Keuchel’s last 26 Friday starts.
- Astros are 37-15 in Keuchel’s last 52 starts when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Astros are 24-11 in Keuchel’s last 35 starts during game 1 of a series.
- Astros are 19-9 in Keuchel’s last 28 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
- Astros are 39-19 in Keuchel’s last 58 starts vs. American League West.
- Astros are 1-4 in Keuchel’s last 5 road starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Astros are 1-5 in Keuchel’s last 6 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Angels are 5-0 in their last 5 games following a loss.
- Angels are 6-1 in their last 7 Friday games.
- Angels are 4-1 in their last 5 games following an off day.
- Angels are 11-5 in their last 16 home games.
- Angels are 7-20 in their last 27 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Angels are 5-16 in their last 21 games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Angels are 2-9 in their last 11 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
- Angels are 0-4 in their last 4 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Angels are 0-4 in their last 4 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Angels are 9-1 in Skaggs’ last 10 starts vs. American League West.
- Angels are 5-1 in Skaggs’ last 6 starts.
- Angels are 5-1 in Skaggs’ last 6 starts on grass.
- Angels are 4-1 in Skaggs’ last 5 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
- Angels are 3-7 in Skaggs’ last 10 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Angels are 3-7 in Skaggs’ last 10 starts during game 1 of a series.
- Angels are 1-5 in Skaggs’ last 6 starts with 7 or more days of rest.
- Over is 3-0-1 in Astros last 4 road games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 5-0-1 in Astros last 6 road games.
- Under is 3-0-1 in Astros last 4 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Under is 5-0 in Astros last 5 during game 1 of a series.
- Over is 5-1 in Astros last 6 overall.
- Over is 5-1 in Astros last 6 on grass.
- Over is 12-3-1 in Astros last 16 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 9-3-2 in Astros last 14 games following an off day.
- Under is 6-2-1 in Astros last 9 games following a loss.
- Over is 16-6-1 in Astros last 23 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 5-2 in Astros last 7 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Over is 7-3 in Astros last 10 vs. American League West.
- Under is 5-0 in Keuchel’s last 5 starts with 6 days of rest.
- Under is 7-1-1 in Keuchel’s last 9 road starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 5-1-1 in Keuchel’s last 7 road starts.
- Under is 4-1-1 in Keuchel’s last 6 Friday starts.
- Under is 4-1 in Keuchel’s last 5 starts on grass.
- Under is 4-1 in Keuchel’s last 5 starts overall.
- Under is 7-2-1 in Keuchel’s last 10 starts during game 1 of a series.
- Under is 3-1-1 in Keuchel’s last 5 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
- Under is 3-1-1 in Keuchel’s last 5 starts after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Over is 11-5-2 in Keuchel’s last 18 starts when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 11-5-2 in Keuchel’s last 18 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 7-0-1 in Angels last 8 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 4-0 in Angels last 4 Friday games.
- Under is 5-1-1 in Angels last 7 during game 1 of a series.
- Under is 4-1-1 in Angels last 6 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 6-2-1 in Angels last 9 games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Under is 11-4-1 in Angels last 16 overall.
- Under is 11-4-1 in Angels last 16 on grass.
- Over is 8-3-1 in Angels last 12 vs. American League West.
- Over is 5-1 in Skaggs’ last 6 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 4-1 in Skaggs’ last 5 Friday starts.
- Under is 4-1 in Skaggs’ last 5 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
- Over is 6-2 in Skaggs’ last 8 starts during game 1 of a series.
- Over is 8-3 in Skaggs’ last 11 home starts.
- Over is 7-3 in Skaggs’ last 10 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 7-3 in Skaggs’ last 10 starts vs. American League West.
- Under is 3-0-1 in the last 4 meetings in Los Angeles.
- Under is 3-0-1 in the last 4 meetings.
- Angels are 4-0 in Skaggs’ last 4 starts vs. Astros.
- Astros are 5-0 in Keuchel’s last 5 starts vs. Angels.
- Astros are 5-1 in Keuchel’s last 6 road starts vs. Angels.
- Astros are 5-2 in the last 7 meetings in Los Angeles.
- Over is 5-2 in Skaggs’ last 7 starts vs. Astros.
