Boston (13-2) at Anaheim (13-3)
When: Tuesday, April 17th 2018
Where: Angel Stadium, Anaheim, CA
Time: 10:05 ET | TV: MLB Network
Opening Odds: Anaheim -156/7.5
Two of the American League’s best will take center-stage in Anaheim Tuesday night as the Angels (13-3) will host the Boston Red Sox (13-2) in what is sure to be a terrific pitching matchup. Japanese sensation Shohei Ohtani was supposed to pitch in Kansas City on Sunday, but the game was rained-out like so many around the league so far this season. Ohtani will now face a stiffer challenge in the Red Sox, who are second in the league in hitting (.275) to the Angels (.291). Ohtani has been great in his two trips to the mound and in 33 at-bats as a designated hitter (.367, three home runs, 11 RBIs). He has served as the DH in seven games as Los Angeles is not using him on the day before and after he pitches. Boston is off to the best start in club history with its starting pitchers posting a major league-best 2.06 ERA. The Red Sox had scored 62 runs in the seven games prior to Sunday’s 3-1 victory over Baltimore. The Angels have the best run differential in baseball at +48 with the Red Sox second at +42. Angels superstar Mike Trout, who is 3-for-21 with 10 strikeouts against Price, has an American League-leading six home runs entering Monday with one coming in every other game over the last seven. Boston’s Mookie Betts (.353, two home runs, 10 RBIs) is expected back in the lineup after missing Sunday’s game with a foot contusion that he suffered Saturday. Ohtani opposes David Price, who didn’t allow a run in his first two outings of the season before getting knocked around in his latest start.
Pitchers: Red Sox – David Price (1-1, 2.40 ERA) | Angels – Shohei Ohtani (2-0, 2.08)
The outing we mentioned above for Price was a 10-7 loss to the New York Yankees on Wednesday, as the lefty allowed four runs in one inning, telling reporters that he lost feeling in his fingertips on a cold night in Boston. Price made only 16 appearances during an injury-plagued 2017 and had allowed seven hits with 10 strikeouts over 14 innings in his previous two starts. Albert Pujols is 9-for-28 with two home runs and four RBIs versus Price, who is 5-7 with a 3.53 ERA in 15 starts versus Los Angeles.
Ohtani carried a perfect game into the seventh inning against Oakland in his last outing April 8th, allowing just one hit and striking out 12 in seven scoreless innings of the Angels’ 6-1 victory. He also defeated the Athletics in his first major league start, allowing three runs and three hits in six innings. It will be interesting to see how he performs against a different lineup this time around.
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This could be the game of the week in MLB because of all the hype surrounding Ohtani, and the Red Sox are always a popular team. Ohtani has been as good as advertised thus far after a terrible spring that had some people wondering. He has added a spark to this organization and a city that we haven’t seen since Fernando-mania in the early 80’s. Expect Boston hitters to be swinging a missing a lot tonight as they try and figure Ohtani out. The Red Sox haven’t fared well in Anaheim recently, so I’ll take the Angels in this one.
Pick: Angels -152
BETTING TRENDS:
- Red Sox are 5-0 in their last 5 road games.
- Red Sox are 4-0 in their last 4 during game 1 of a series.
- Red Sox are 10-1 in their last 11 games on grass.
- Red Sox are 5-1 in their last 6 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
- Red Sox are 5-1 in their last 6 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Red Sox are 14-3 in their last 17 overall.
- Red Sox are 19-7 in their last 26 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Red Sox are 42-17 in their last 59 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Red Sox are 36-15 in their last 51 Tuesday games.
- Red Sox are 3-8 in their last 11 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Red Sox are 1-4 in their last 5 vs. American League West.
- Red Sox are 4-1 in Price’s last 5 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
- Red Sox are 4-1 in Price’s last 5 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Red Sox are 5-2 in Price’s last 7 starts during game 1 of a series.
- Red Sox are 2-6 in Price’s last 8 starts with 5 days of rest.
- Angels are 4-0 in their last 4 games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Angels are 14-3 in their last 17 overall.
- Angels are 14-3 in their last 17 games on grass.
- Angels are 4-1 in their last 5 vs. American League East.
- Angels are 4-1 in their last 5 home games.
- Angels are 21-7 in their last 28 Tuesday games.
- Angels are 2-5 in their last 7 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Angels are 2-6 in their last 8 home games following a road trip of 7 or more days.
- Angels are 2-12 in their last 14 games following an off day.
- Angels are 0-4 in their last 4 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
- Over is 6-1-1 in Red Sox last 8 overall.
- Over is 6-1-1 in Red Sox last 8 on grass.
- Over is 6-1-1 in Red Sox last 8 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Under is 4-1 in Red Sox last 5 road games.
- Over is 18-6-2 in Red Sox last 26 during game 1 of a series.
- Over is 7-3 in Red Sox last 10 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
- Under is 7-3 in Red Sox last 10 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Over is 15-7 in Red Sox last 22 Tuesday games.
- Over is 5-1 in Price’s last 6 road starts.
- Over is 5-1 in Price’s last 6 starts vs. American League West.
- Over is 5-2 in Price’s last 7 starts during game 1 of a series.
- Under is 7-3 in Price’s last 10 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
- Over is 4-0 in Angels last 4 Tuesday games.
- Under is 4-1 in Angels last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Under is 4-1 in Angels last 5 home games following a road trip of 7 or more days.
- Over is 5-2 in Angels last 7 games following an off day.
- Under is 32-14-5 in Angels last 51 vs. American League East.
- Under is 5-2 in the last 7 meetings in Los Angeles.
- Under is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings.
- Red Sox are 3-8 in the last 11 meetings in Los Angeles.
- Red Sox are 1-4 in the last 5 meetings.
