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• Houston Astros vs. Los Angeles Angels
• Friday, August 11 at 8PM ET
• Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas
As we get closer to the end of summer, people can’t wait for the MLB playoffs to get here. The regular season still has some exciting action, though, which includes what should be a fun series this week between the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Angels. Houston will want to make a statement in this one. With that said, the Astros are favored to take down the Angels with Justin Verlander pitching on Friday night.
In a major surprise, Houston was able to land Verlander right before the trade deadline arrived. Verlander was hoping to get his career back on track with the New York Mets, but that didn’t prove to be the case. This is a former Cy Young winner we’re talking about, but Verlander didn’t live up to the hype in Queens. Now, though, Verlander is ready to make a splash during the second half of the season with the Astros.
| Astros vs. Angels odds |  |  |  |  |
| Astros to win | -115 | -115 | -115 | -115 |
| Angels to win | +125 | +125 | +125 | +125 |
| Over to hit | -110 | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Under to hit | -110 | -110 | -110 | -110 |
The AL West side won the World Series last year and now they’re ready to get the job done once again in the coming months. However, there are plenty of teams ready to try and ruin their parade. The Angels are on the outside looking in for the playoffs, but a big win or two vs. the Astros in the coming days could help them make a statement moving forward. So, who will win this battle on Friday?
According to the best-rated sportsbooks, which includes the reliable Bovada review, the Astros hold -115 MLB betting odds to post a win. As for the Angels, they have been set at +125. Whenever these two teams meet, it’s always fun to watch. The Angels, led by Shohei Ohtani, will have an upset on their minds for this one. However, we think Houston will be too much for them to handle. We’re going with the Astros as our pick.
HAPPY JUSTIN VERLANDER DAY!!!
He's back! pic.twitter.com/XMS1gzl8pa
— Michael Schwab (@michaelschwab13) August 5, 2023
The over should hit between the Angels and Astros
When taking a look at both of these offenses, we think that the over should hit between the Angels and Astros. As good as Verlander can be on the hill, his best stuff is behind him and the Angels will look to take advantage of that. It goes without saying, but all eyes are going to be on Ohtani on Friday night. He’s the best player in baseball and the favorite to win AL MVP later this year.
Ohtani has now topped 40 home runs for the season, which has been great to see for everyone in LA. Not only that, but Mike Trout is going to want to remind people that he can get the job done going against the best of the best as well. The Astros are one of the best teams in baseball, no one can argue that. For Trout, some big games against Houston will be huge for his efforts to showcase how fantastic he can be.
2023 has been a remarkable season for Shohei Ohtani, to say the least.
Enjoy the Sho pic.twitter.com/K87TmP6oog
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) August 5, 2023
As for Houston, their lineup is a serious force. People are always going to keep a close eye on this team whenever Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman and others take the field. The Astros have a World Series on their minds once again. With this, they’re going to need to take advantage of the series against teams who have far less winning records. With this game being played in Houston too, the Astros will have no excuses.
Per the oddsmakers, the over/under for this contest has been set at seven runs. It’s up in the air who the Angels will be sending out on the bump for this contest, but Houston will be ready to put on a show no matter who takes the bump for LA. It will be interesting to see how things shape out here, but something tells us that an offensive explosion will be on the way. We’re going with the over as our pick.
Houston holds the third-best odds to win the World Series
At this point in the season, Houston holds the third-best odds to win the World Series. They’re currently behind the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers, with Atlanta at +310 and the Dodgers at +330. Houston has been placed with +600 World Series betting odds, which is tops for the American League. For a while, a lot of people thought that Tampa Bay would be the ones to head to the Fall Classic. Now, people think that Houston will be the team to represent the AL in the World Series.
It won’t be easy for the Astros, but with their strong lineup and fantastic pitching, they have a great chance to make this happen. The fans are ready to see the AL powerhouse go on a deep postseason run. The Astros are no strangers to winning the World Series and they’re chasing the hardware once again. Only time will tell if the Astros will be able to take down the rest of the field, but they certainly have a great chance to do so. We can’t wait to see how the campaign turns out.
