Royals vs Angels

Royals vs Angels | MLB Betting Odds

Written by on June 9, 2021

While it’s a full slate of MLB action on Wednesday, just one game is televised nationally and it’s the latest-starting matchup on the schedule: Royals at Angels as they conclude their series from Anaheim. The Halos are short favorites on the MLB odds.

How to Bet Royals at Angels MLB Odds & TV Info

  • When: Wednesday, 9:30 PM ET
  • Where: Angel Stadium
  • Probable pitchers (away/home): Brad Keller/Griffin Canning
  • TV: ESPN
  • Stream/gameday audio: ESPN app

Why Bet on Kansas City? | MLB Betting Odds

Whit Merrifield has played in 366th consecutive games, which is the longest active streak in the Majors. To catch Cal Ripken Jr.’s record, the 32-year-old Merrifield would have to play another 14-plus full seasons without missing a game.

Kansas City is without starting shortstop Adalberto Mondesi with a hamstring injury. The 25-year-old was sidelined for most of the season with an oblique injury but hit .360 with two home runs and a stolen base over 25 at-bats upon his return but then landed back on the IL over the weekend.

Mondesi is eligible to return on June 14. There’s no timeline yet for that return, though, as Mondesi will continue to rest before ramping back up baseball activities.

“It’s progressing, but not to the point where we’re comfortable putting him on the field at the Major League level and the speed of the Major Leagues,” manager Mike Matheny said. “He’s getting closer, but every day we wait, we’re short on our bench, and if you’re pushing him when his body isn’t ready to be pushed.”

Injuries are nothing new for Mondesi. This is his age-26 season, but it has been eight years since Mondesi has played more than 113 games in a single professional season.

What the heck has been going on with Royals DH Jorge Soler? In 2019, he led the American League with a career-high 48 homers. That’s looking like a major fluke now. In Game 1 of this series on Monday, an easy Angels win, Soler hit a solo homer for just his fifth homer of the year and first for the 29-year-old since May 19. He’s been atrocious with a .177 average and .586 OPS. Third baseman Hunter Dozier is hitting even worse than Soler in a slash of .162/.230/.378.

It’s Brad Keller (6-4) on the mound here. Keller yielded two runs over five innings in a 14-5 win over the Twins on Friday. Keller was staked to a huge lead after his offense scored nine runs in the first inning, so he was able to cruise for the most part. He gave up seven hits — including a solo homer to Jorge Polanco in his final frame — but he didn’t walk a batter and struck out five. He induced just four swinging strikes in his 86 pitches.

Keller threw his changeup 16 times in five innings. Last season in nine starts, he threw a grand total of 17 changeups. Of the 16 changeups, Keller got opponents to swing six times. Twice he got a swing-and-miss. Three were fouled off. Only once did it get put in play — an infield single to shortstop by Alex Kirilloff came off the bat at an underwhelming 63.6 mph.

“It could unlock a guy’s future,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said of using the changeup more. “It’s not necessarily just the effectiveness of that pitch. You just add a little bit of complexity to the (hitter’s) approach to you, knowing that’s in your repertoire and seeing it and realizing it’s a legitimate pitch.”

While Keller has been much better over the last month, he still owns a 5.50 ERA, 1.71 WHIP, and a 51:25 K: BB across 55 2/3 innings in 2021. In his five career appearances against Los Angeles, Keller has gone 2-2 with a 2.66 ERA (7 ER in 23.2 IP), and both losses came at Angel Stadium.

Why Bet on LA Angels? | MLB Betting Odds

The Angels have made an MLB-high 45 errors this season. The Halos are 8-19 when committing an error in 2021. Los Angeles has had had five games this season with 3+ errors (most in Majors). The team committed 36 errors during 60-game 2020 season.

There is still no timetable for superstar Mike Trout to return from a calf strain, but it’s not expected to be prior to the All-Star break. The Angels originally offered a six-to-eight-week timetable for Trout’s return. The optimistic end of that projection would have him returning in about three weeks’ time, or in late June.

“I’m happy with my progress so far. It has been good the last couple of days,” Trout said early this week while noting that he had been limited to low-intensity walking on a treadmill. “I should have a better idea on a return date once I start moving around, as in jogging and running.”

Manager Joe Maddon has relied heavily on veteran Juan Lagares to take up the center field duties. Lagares has been terrible, though, as he’s hit .222/.247/.311 (53 OPS+) with no home runs or stolen bases in his first 93 plate appearances this season.

It’s Griffin Canning (4-4) on the mound. He was lit up for four runs over 3 1/3 innings last Thursday in a loss to the Mariners. Canning was staked to an early two-run lead, but ended up surrendering an RBI single to Mitch Haniger in the third inning and a go-ahead, three-run homer Jake Fraley in the ensuing frame.

“It started out really good,” Maddon said, specifically noting Canning’s velocity, rhythm and tempo. “It just dissipated pretty quickly.”

Although he lasted only 3 1/3 innings, Canning has had two shorter starts this season — 2 1/3 innings in April against Houston and two innings last month against Minnesota. The right-hander has given up three or more runs in each of his last three starts. That comes after a stretch of three straight starts with two or fewer earned runs. He’s compiled a 5.82 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 50/20 K/BB ratio across 43 1/3 innings (nine starts) this season.

Game Trends

  • Royals are 20-41 in their last 61 games after losing the first 2 games of a series.
  • Royals are 54-112 in their last 166 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
  • Angels are 4-1 in their last 5 during game 3 of a series.
  • Angels are 4-10 in their last 14 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
  • Angels are 7-19 in their last 26 Wednesday games.

Expert MLB Prediction

Angels 6, Royals 5

Bet MLB to Win
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game


 

I have read enough, I need to place my bet now. What to do?

Bet MLB Today
MyBookie Odds for the game
 
 

MLB Betting Center


Updated MLB Betting Odds | Online Betting Lines