Angels vs Astros Opening Day Prediction and Betting Odds April 7
LA Angels vs Houston Astros Betting Preview
Play Ball! WagerTalk MLB analyst Brian Ochsner offers his LA Angels vs Houston Astros Opening Day betting preview for Thursday, April 7. All eyes will be on Shohei Ohtani as the reigning American League MVP gets the nod for the Angels as they look to take down the defending AL champs.
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| Thursday, April 7 | MLB Betting Notes, Courtesy of Caesars |
|---|---|
| Moneyline: | LA Angels -120 vs Houston Astros +110 |
| Runline: | Angels -1.5 (+155) / Astros +1.5 (-175) |
| Total: | 8.5 Runs (Over -120 / Under EV) |
| Game Time: | 9:35pm ET / 6:35pm PT |
| Where: | Angel Stadium of Anaheim |
| Weather: | 82* with Light Winds Blowing Left-to-Right |
LA Angels vs Houston Astros Analysis
The Astros are coming off a disappointing loss to the Atlanta Braves in the World Series. They bring back most of their roster from last year, except for SS Carlos Correa, who signed with the Twins as a free agent. Justin Verlander returns as the club’s No. 3 starter, after he sat out last season recovering from Tommy John surgery. The core of their lineup remains intact with Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, Yordan Alvarez and Yuri Gurriel.
Fresh Start for Framber
LHP Framber Valdez will make the Opening Day start for Houston. While his 2021 season-long numbers look good – a 3.14 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 125 strikeouts in 134.2 innings – he struggled in the post-season.
In five playoff starts, he gave up 17 earned runs in 19.2 innings with six home runs. Valdez made one spring training start against the Cardinals, a solid three innings with no earned runs.
The Sho Show
The Angels made a lot of moves in the off-season to strengthen their roster. The Halos signed starting pitchers Noah Syndergaard and Michael Lorenzon to one-year deals, locked down closer Rafael Iglesias with a four-year, $58 million deal, and added left-handed reliever Aaron Loup for two years. The club lost RHP Alex Cobb to the Giants in free agency, and Designated For Assignment talented-yet-streaky outfielder Justin Upton.
General manager Perry Minasian also made improving the bullpen a point of emphasis in his off-season strategy, as the Angels use a six-man starting rotation. All these moves tell me that Angels management and ownership want to win now. They have two of the best players in baseball and want to make the most of this window of opportunity.
Mike Trout is the center fielder, while Brandon Marsh, Jo Adell and Taylor Ward will make up what I call the “corner outfielder by committee.” Manager Joe Madden told MLB.com, “To be honest with you, I think it’s gonna be a group effort. I don’t know what the positions are… I know Trout’s in center, we’re going to fill in the corners.”
The Angels start the season with Mike Trout, AL MVP Shohei Ohtani and 3B Anthony Rendon all healthy. Trout and Rendon missed a lot of time due to injuries last season, and they’ll need to stay in the lineup for the Halos to compete in the AL West. Ohtani will take the mound Opening Day, and this should be a great game to kick off the 2022 MLB season.
LA Angels vs Houston Astros Prediction
I like the offseason moves the Angels made to improve their pitching and get younger in the outfield. While the Astros are still one of the best teams in baseball, I think the combination of Ohtani on the mound, a healthy Trout and Rendon, a stronger bullpen and playing at home equals a Halos’ Opening Day win. I’ll take the Angels -120 on the moneyline.
Interested in placing a bet on Thursday’s LA Angels vs Houston Astros Opening Day clash? BetMGM is offering a $1,000 Risk-Free Bet for first-time bettors in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana, Colorado, Tennessee, Iowa, Michigan, Virginia, Washington DC, Wyoming, Mississippi, Arizona and Louisiana.
2022 MLB Division Previews
Sportsmemo’s content team has the 2022 MLB season covered from every angle. Before this afternoon’s first pitch, check out the division previews from JM Sports, which highlight the incoming and outgoing players from each team. Content Manager Kyle Kargel, breaks down the DraftKings prop markets for most home runs, strikeouts and stolen bases. Check ’em out!
AL East
AL Central
AL West
NL East
NL Central
NL West
First Pitch | MLB Opening Day Predictions for April 7
Join Drew Martin and a rotating panel of guests for First Pitch as we break down the daily baseball slate from a betting perspective. The Atlanta Braves will raise their 2021 World Series banner at Truist Park tonight. Will they cap off the festivities with an Opening Night win over Cincinnati? Join WagerTalk’s team of MLB betting experts every weekday at 1:45pm ET / 10:45am PT for First Pitch as we discuss the baseball betting slate.
WagerTalk Live Odds Screen
WagerTalk’s live odds screen features up-to-the-minute lines from a variety of offshore and domestic sports books. Track the MLB moneylines, run lines and betting percentages for all of Thursday’s Opening Day games, including this LA Angels vs Houston Astros showdown, from your desktop or phone.
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Meet the Author
Brian Ochsner graduated from Kansas State University with degrees in Accounting and Agribusiness. He’s a life-long baseball fan and “numbers guy” who tolerates the Colorado Rockies (bad ownership), and is a Denver Broncos and Kansas State Wildcats fan. Along with his interest in the sports wagering industry, he enjoys eating good BBQ, reading books on marketing, finance and economics, and playing Texas Hold ‘Em poker.
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