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The Oakland A’s and Los Angeles Angels are two of the worst teams in the American League, but their matchup on Thursday in Anaheim is the only late-night baseball action on a lighter schedule that is largely full of matinées.

The game is a pick’em on the MLB odds.

MLB Lines: A’s -110, Angels -110 (total 9)
Score Prediction: Angels 5, A’s 4

Oakland A’s Moneyline -111

Season Review

The A’s are not very good, but they have been quite competitive for weeks and have a winning record since the All-Star break.

They have won three consecutive series for the second time this year (April 26-May 5 vs. Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Miami).

Oakland has the AL’s second-best record in July. The franchise hasn’t had a winning full month since going 14-12 in July 2022.

The A’s are batting .282 including an MLB-best .369 with runners in scoring position this month.

Home Run Stats

A total of 50 percent of Oakland’s runs this year have scored on home runs, which is the second-highest percentage in the majors (Baltimore, 51.0%). The highest percentage in franchise history is 48.8% in 2017.

Of course, this is the last year the team plays in Oakland with a move to Sacramento starting in 2025 for a few years and then presumably Las Vegas – although that’s not a 100 percent done deal yet.

Trades & Transfers

Oakland will be a seller ahead of the trade deadline but is expected to keep All-Star closer Mason Miller because the price is so high.

As of Wednesday, Miller has 15 saves, which leads MLB rookies and is third most in Oakland history by a rookie.

Miller is tied for the lead among ML relievers in strikeouts, and his 306 pitches of 100 MPH or more are the most in the majors.

DH Brent Rooker is probably a goner via trade. He’s having a fine year with 23 homers, but is also nearly 30 years old, so he doesn’t fit the A’s timeline to contend again in a few years.

As of Wednesday, Rooker leads the majors in runs this month (19), ranks second in batting (.424) and on-base percentage (.507), tied for second in RBI (22), third in OPS (1.405) and slugging (.898), tied for third in hits (25) and home runs (8), fifth in extra base hits (12) and tied for sixth in walks (11).

Shea Langeliers

No. 1 catcher Langeliers got Wednesday’s finale vs. Houston off, but should be back in there Thursday.

He has 19 homers, well on his way to surpassing his career-high mark of 22 he set last season.

Langeliers has hit 18 of his 19 home runs as a catcher, which is the most in the majors. He ranks second among catchers in RBI (50).

The 26-year-old is still having trouble hitting for average and may go a third consecutive season hitting under .220. Langeliers is currently slashing .211/.265/.441 with 53 RBI and 36 runs in 332 plate appearances.

Ross Stripling on the Hill

Veteran right-hander Stripling will be activated off the IL to start Thursday. Stripling (1-9, 5.82 ERA) has been sidelined since late May with a flexor strain, but is ready to rejoin the big club after making three rehab starts.

He had a maximum pitch count of 56 across the three outings, so he’ll probably be a bit limited tonight in terms of a pitch count.

Stripling hasn’t faced the Angels in 2024.

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LA Angels Moneyline -110

About Mike Trout

Still no Trout for the Angels, and who knows when the former three-time MVP will be in the majors again this year after a recent setback on a minor-league rehab assignment.

Trout, 33 on August 7, has not played in an MLB contest since April 29 after tearing the meniscus in his left knee. He had surgery on May 3.

Mike was removed prematurely from the first game of his minor-league rehab assignment Tuesday because of knee soreness.

He played 29 games for the Angels before going down and slashed .220/.325/.541 (138 OPS+) with 10 home runs and six stolen bases.

Luis Rengifo

The Angels got another of their top hitters back off the IL on Tuesday as infielder Rengifo was activated.

He injured his wrist on July 3 and was placed on the IL on July 5. Rengifo went 1-for-4 with two RBI in Tuesday’s 5-1 win over the Mariners.

Rengifo is slashing .314/.357/.439 with six homers, 27 RBI, 36 runs, 22 steals and a 13:36 BB:K in 273 plate appearances this season.

His power numbers are down compared to his past two years (33 homers combined) but he’s on pace for a career-high in average and his 22 steals are more than what he’s accumulated over his previous five seasons combined (18).

There’s a real chance he could be traded.

Anthony Rendon

Third baseman Rendon was out of the starting lineup for Wednesday’s finale, but simply for rest and should play here.

Rendon had started each of the first five games out of the All-Star break while going 4-for-22 with one walk, one stolen base, two RBI and one run. Rendon has reached base safely in 21 of his last 25 games with a plate appearance.

His 16 game on-base streak (April 5–July 9) was his longest streak since reaching in 16 straight games from Aug. 28–Sept. 15, 2020.

Good-looking young catcher Logan O’Hoppe also got Wednesday off. O’Hoppe ranks third among Major League catchers with 14 home runs this season, behind Oakland’s Shea Langeliers (18 HR) and Seattle’s Cal Raleigh (17 HR).

His 14 HR as a catcher before the All-Star Break tied an Angels franchise record (also, Lance Parrish in 1990).

Kenny Rosenberg on the Hill

Lefty Rosenberg (0-0, 6.30 ERA) will get the call on the mound for the Angels.

Rosenberg has made two appearances in long relief this month, allowing seven runs with a 7:4 K:BB over 10 innings.

He had been starting at Triple-A Salt Lake prior to getting called up July 10 and threw 95 and 69 pitches, respectively, in his two relief appearances with the big club.

The former eighth-round pick by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2016 out of Cal State Northridge went 5-4 this year with a 3.74 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and a 67:24 K:BB in 14 starts covering 77 innings at Salt Lake.

With his next save, Carlos Estévez would become the first Angels pitcher to record 20+ saves in consecutive seasons since Ernesto Frieri in 2012-13.

With 50 career saves as an Angel, Estévez is currently tied with Raisel Iglesias for 10th most in franchise history.

Over his last 17 games, Estévez has earned 12 saves and one win and has allowed just five baserunners across 17.0 IP. He also could be traded by next week.

Bet A’s at Angels MLB Odds

When: Thursday, 9:38 PM ET
Where: Angel Stadium
Pitchers (away/home): Ross Stripling/Kenny Rosenberg
TV: MLB Extra Innings
Stream/game day audio: https://www.mlb.com/live-stream-games/