Angels vs Astros:Shohei Ohtani Pitching | MLB Betting Analysis

It’s always notable when reigning AL MVP Shohei Ohtani takes the mound for the Los Angeles Angels and he comes off a bit of a rough start when he faces the Astros in Houston on Wednesday. The Astros are favored on the MLB odds.

How to Bet Los Angeles at Houston MLB Odds & TV Info

When: Wednesday, 6:40 PM ET
Where: Minute Maid Park
Probable pitchers (away/home): Shohei Ohtani/Jake Odorizzi
TV: MLB Extra Innings
Stream/gameday audio: https://www.mlb.com/live-stream-games/
Opening MLB Lines: Angels -135, Astros +125 (total 8.5)

Why Bet on LA Angels?

The Angels remain without shortstop David Fletcher but he could be activated shortly after the Angels begin a homestand on Friday. Fletcher has dealt with a left hip strain since spring training and was finally placed on the injured list early last week. Andrew Velazquez has largely handled shortstop in his absence.

Outfielder and three-time AL MVP Mike Trout underwent an MRI on Monday which confirmed he didn’t suffer a fracture when hit by a pitch Sunday, and athletic trainer Mike Frostad said Trout’s return to the lineup will be a matter a of pain tolerance. He hasn’t started since the injury. The Angels have a scheduled off day Thursday, so Trout could be held out of the lineup again for Wednesday’s series finale in Houston, which would give him four full days of recovery time for Friday’s series opener versus Baltimore.

Ace Shohei Ohtani, the 2021 AL MVP, is on the mound here. Ohtani (0-2, 7.56) was crushed for six runs over 3 2/3 innings last Thursday in a loss the Rangers. Ohtani ran into massive trouble in the second inning before Rangers’ catcher Jonah Heim walloped a grand slam into the right-field seats – the first MLB grand slam allowed by Ohtani. He also gave up a fourth-inning RBI single to Heim before being lifted from the contest later in the frame.

“His command wasn’t as sharp. He started out with a good velocity. Then that came down a bit, but an 0-2 grand slam from a No. 9 hitter on one of his best pitches is really unusual,” manager Joe Maddon said. “He wasn’t on top of this game. It’s going to happen.”

On the bright side, his average fastball velocity was up nearly two mph and he finished with five strikeouts and only two walks. He has coughed up seven runs on 10 hits with a 14/3 K/BB ratio across 8 1/3 innings (two starts).

Ohtani is the first player to make starts as a pitcher and non-pitcher in 4+ different seasons since Johnny Cooney did so in six seasons for the Boston Braves from 1923-29. Before Cooney, Babe Ruth also did so in six seasons between 1918-33.

Last year, Ohtani finished 9-2 with a 3.18 ERA (130.1 IP – 46 ER) and 156 strikeouts. He led the American League with a .818 winning percentage, ranked third with a .207 opponent batting average, was fifth with 10.77 strikeouts per nine innings and ranked 10th with a 28.9% swing and miss rate. He was the first Angels pitcher to tally 150 strikeouts in a single season since Andrew Heaney (180) in 2018 and first right-hander to do so since Garrett Richards in 2015 (176).

Why Bet on Houston?

This series in the first of the year at Minute Maid Park for the Astros. Last season, the Astros went 51-30 (.630) at home, which ranked third in the AL in home winning percentage. The club also ranked third in home ERA (3.62) and third in runs (427).

DH Yordan Alvarez returned from the COVID list for Monday’s series-opening win and homered twice. It was his ninth career multi-homer game in his 238th career game. Alvarez is one of just three players to post nine multi-homer games within their first 250 games, joining Gary Sanchez and Gleyber Torres, who both had 10 within that span.

Houston could be without former AL MVP and second baseman Jose Altuve for a while after injuring his hamstring on Monday. Altuve is working his way up the franchise’s all-time runs, doubles and home run lists. Altuve (165) is just one homer shy of tying 1B Glenn Davis (166) for sixth in homers in Astros history.

Right-hander Jake Odorizzi (0-1, 6.48) is on the mound. Odorizzi allowed four runs on eight hits and three walks with one strikeout in a loss against the Mariners last Friday. The Mariners were all over Odorizzi from the start with a pair of base hits to drive in a run in the first inning. The 32-year-old did himself no favors by walking a pair of batters in the fourth before Adam Frazier drove in two runs with a triple. The first two batters would get on base with two singles in the fifth before Odorizzi was relieved. That’s now consecutive starts going fewer than five innings.

Last year, Odorizzi made 23 starts and one relief appearance on the season. He allowed a .243 opponent batting average with even splits against right-handed hitters (.238) and lefties (.250) and was particularly effective the first two times through the lineup, allowing just a .213 mark the first time through and .234 average the second. The Astros won eight of his last 12 starts in the regular season.

Odorizzi is 1-3 career vs. the Angels with a 4.95 ERA in nine starts.