- What: MLB Regular Season Game
- When: Thursday, July 25
- Who: Oakland Athletics vs. Los Angeles Angels
- Time: 9:38 p.m. ET
- Where: Angel Stadium (Anaheim, CA)
The Oakland Athletics and Los Angeles Angels are embracing their role as spoilers and are thriving in that capacity.
Both teams are positioned in the lower half of the American League West standings, with no prospects of making the playoffs.
Despite this, they haven’t given up and have recently caused trouble for playoff-contending teams like the Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners.
The A’s won their series against Houston, showcasing dominance with a shutout victory and an eight-run triumph before dropping the series finale on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Angels swept the Mariners in Seattle, capitalizing on the absence of injured key players Julio Rodriguez and J.P. Crawford. The Angels’ pitching staff excelled, holding Seattle to just one run per game across three games.
The Angels achieved this sweep despite averaging only 3.3 runs per game in the series. It will be interesting to see if the Angels can maintain this high level of pitching performance as they head into August.
Additionally, there is curiosity about whether the organization might discover a new player or two who could strengthen their 2025 pitching roster.
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics concluded their series against the Astros with an 8-1 loss. They entered the game as +130 underdogs at home.
The Athletics had a promising start, scoring a run in the first inning, but they quickly lost the lead as the Astros tied the game in the top of the first.
JP Sears started for Oakland and took the loss, pitching six innings while giving up seven earned runs on nine hits. The Athletics also issued three walks and hit a batter.
Despite the tough game, Seth Brown had a standout performance, going 3-for-3 with a run scored. However, the rest of the lineup managed only one other hit.
With a record of 41-63, the Athletics are 13 games behind the Astros in the AL West and sit in 5th place in the division. They have a 13-19 record in AL West matchups. On the road, the Athletics are 15-36, compared to a 26-27 record at home.
Count? Full.
Ball? Gone. pic.twitter.com/Ap7sUVM86m— Oakland A's (@Athletics) July 24, 2024
The Athletics have been strong as favorites, going 9-3, but struggle as underdogs with a 32-60 record. They have an overall series record of 12-19-1 and have won their last three series, going 6-4 in their past 10 games.
When the Athletics win, they often win big, with an average run margin of +3.9 runs per game. However, their losses average -3.6 runs per game.
Their overall run line record is 53-51, with a 29-24 record at home and 24-27 on the road. As underdogs, they are 48-44 against the run line and 5-7 as favorites.
Today, the Athletics face the Los Angeles Angels on the road, with the over/under line set at 9 runs. The A’s have a combined run average of 8.9 runs per game this season and an over/under record of 48-54.
When the over/under line is set at 9 runs, their record is 9-6-1. This season, 82 of their games have had over/under lines set below 9 runs, while only 6 games have had lines above 9 runs. The over has hit in their last two games.
Ross Stripling will start for the Athletics today against the Angels. Stripling has made 11 starts this season with a 1-9 record, a 5.82 ERA, and a 1.60 WHIP.
He has two quality starts and averages 5.66 strikeouts per nine innings. In his last outing, Stripling gave up six earned runs in 3 2/3 innings, taking the loss. Before that, he had allowed just two earned runs in back-to-back starts.
The Athletics are averaging 4.1 runs per game this season, ranking 22nd in the league. They have been more productive offensively at home, averaging 4.6 runs per game.
They are batting .231 as a team, but they have the fourth-most home runs in the league. Brent Rooker has been a key contributor to their power numbers, ranking seventh in the league with 23 homers and batting .290.
In his last six games, Rooker is 6-for-22 with two homers. Shea Langeliers has also hit two home runs in that span, although he is batting just .176.
However, Lawrence Butler has been on fire, batting .591 over his last six games and currently on a seven-game hitting streak. Butler is also second on the team with 53
Los Angeles Angels
In their most recent game against the Mariners, the Angels’ offense was led by Nolan Schanuel, who went 2-for-3 with a run scored and a walk.
The Angels needed just one big inning, scoring both runs in the 2nd. Despite being the +141 underdog going into the game, they secured the win.
Griffin Canning started on the mound for the Angels, pitching five innings and allowing only one run on four hits with three strikeouts. His performance earned him the win.
As they face the Athletics today, the Angels are eight games below .500 and trail the Astros by eight games in the AL West.
They are 4th in the division and have a 16-15 record in AL West matchups this year. The Angels have won four straight games and are 7-3 in their last 10.
This season, the Angels have a home record of 22-29 and a road record of 23-28. They are 4-7 as favorites and 41-50 as underdogs, with an overall series record of 9-21-2.
The Angels have been successful against the run line this season, going 58-44, including 29-22 at home. They have covered the run line in three consecutive home games and are 55-36 as underdogs.
The Angels have an average run margin of -0.9 runs per game but have covered the run line in wins by an average of 3.1 runs per game.
ANGELS SWEEP!!!!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/EiXxz6t11K
— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) July 24, 2024
The Angels have played 99 games this season, with only 7.8% having an over/under line set at 9 runs. Their combined run average is 8.9 runs per game, and their over/under record is 51-48.
When the line is set at 9 runs, their record is 8-8-2, with an average over/under line of 8 runs. They are currently on a three-game under streak.
Kenny Rosenberg will start for the Angels today against the Athletics. Rosenberg has made two starts this season, both of which resulted in no decisions.
He pitched six innings in his first start, allowing six runs on eight hits and four innings in his last outing, giving up just one run.
The Angels have the league’s 26th-ranked scoring offense, averaging four runs per game. They are slightly better at home, with 4.1 runs per game.
The team is batting .235, 15th in the league, with a team OPS of .680 near the bottom. Jo Adell leads the team in home runs with 15 but is batting just .194 for the season.
Over his last six games, Zach Neto has gone 7-for-20 with one home run and three RBIs. Logan O’Hoppe and Taylor Ward are also among the team’s top home run hitters.
A’s-Angels Best Bet
The Oakland Athletics have been performing exceptionally well offensively in the last two weeks, and Mitch Spence has shown more consistency as a pitcher despite any challenges.
As for the LA Angels, it’s a team I’m not keen on supporting, especially with Kenny Rosenberg still being relatively inexperienced.
There are likely better betting opportunities available on Thursday, but if I had to choose, I’d lean towards the Athletics and their impressive offensive form.
Take the A’s on the moneyline in this one.
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