Astros vs. Angels April 9 Prediction, Pitchers & Best Bets

After taking the first two games of their season-opening series with the Los Angeles Angels, the Houston Astros will aim for a series win in the return of two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander.

The new MLB season opened on Thursday, and the reigning AL West and AL champions got off to a winning start by taking care of business against AL MVP favorite Shohei Ohtani. They held him hitless at the plate and made an early lead stand up in a 3-1 win.

Last night, the ‘Stros scored in six of nine innings and blew open a close game with an eight-run seventh as they picked up a 13-6 win.

Tonight, Verlander gets the ball, having made only one start since winning his second Cy Young in 2019. Opposing him is Noah Syndergaard, who also has pitched little since 2019 due to injury but will be counted on to have a big role in boosting the Angels’ hopes of reaching the MLB playoffs this season.

Houston Astros vs. Los Angeles Angels April 9 MLB Betting Odds and Matchup Information

Matchup Information

• Game Matchup: Houston Astros (2-0) vs. Los Angeles Angels (0-2)
• Venue & Location: Angel Stadium (Anaheim, California)
• Date: Saturday, April 9, 2022
• Time: 9:0 p.m. ET
• How to Watch Astros vs. Angels: Bally Sports West

Astros vs. Angels Starting Pitchers

• Houston Astros: Justin Verlander (did not pitch in 2021)
• Los Angeles Angels: Noah Syndergaard (0-1, 9.00 ERA in 2 IP with the Mets in 2021)

Astros vs. Angels Betting Odds

• Moneyline: Astros -112, Angels -104
• Total: OVER 9 (-106), UNDER 9 (-114)
• Run Line: Astros -1.5 (+138), Angels +1.5 (-168)

Odds are via BetOnline Sportsbook.

Will the Third Time Be the Charm for the Angels’ Big Bats?

With Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon healthy and the reigning MVP in their ranks in two-way superstar Ohtani, the Angels are expected to make a serious run at the team’s first MLB playoff appearance since 2014.

To date, that is the only time that the Angels have appeared in the postseason in Trout’s career, and it ended with a whimper, as they were swept by the Kansas City Royals in the ALDS.

This season has not had the most glittering of starts, as the Angels are staring at a season-opening series loss at home if they don’t win the next two games against the Astros.

Trout, Rendon, and Ohtani have all had a pretty tepid beginning, to put it mildly.

Early Numbers for Ohtani, Rendon & Trout

• Shohei Ohtani: 1 for 9 (.111), no walks, one strikeout
• Anthony Rendon: 1 for 7 (.143), one run scored, no walks, one strikeout
• Mike Trout: 1 for 6 (.167), one walk, three strikeouts

Will they get going tonight against Verlander and the Astros? Verlander has had the upper hand against Trout, limiting him to only five hits and striking him out 11 times in 40 at-bats.

He also had the upper hand against Ohtani when they faced off in the 2019 season. In 17 at-bats, Ohtani collected just four hits and struck out six times. It is worth noting though that all four hits were extra-base hits (two doubles and two homers).

Rendon has faced Verlander the least, as he was in the National League for the first seven seasons of his career and hasn’t faced him since joining the Angels. In three at-bats against Verlander, Rendon is hitless and has struck out twice.

This will be Verlander’s 30th career start against the Angels. To date, he is 15-10 with a 3.29 ERA and 198 strikeouts in 195 innings. In his time with the Astros, he is 9-3 with 2.67 ERA in 13 starts.

Verlander has averaged only 9.1 strikeouts per inning against the Angels, which is one of the lower team strikeout splits he has.

However, that number does go up to 9.6 strikeouts per nine innings at Angels Stadium, where he is 7-5 with a 4.15 ERA in 13 career starts. That number is among the better stadium strikeout splits he has posted. And in his 13 starts against the Angels while with the Astros, he has averaged 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings.

Houston Astros vs. Los Angeles Angels Prediction and Best Bets

Best Bet: Astros ML (-112 at BetOnline Sportsbook)

It’s anyone guess how well Verlander or Syndergaard will fare in their first extended competitive action in quite some time.

But the Astros are great value at this number, as they should be favored by more. Every potential steal doesn’t turn out to be one, but you have to take these opportunities when they are there for you.