The Los Angeles Angels close out their season with a six-game road stretch that begins tonight against the Oakland Athletics. The Angels, now 60-96, have the second-worst record in baseball. The Athletics are right behind them, sitting at 61-95.
The Angels are the only team in the league that has never lost 100+ games in a season - a record they are hoping to continue in this last stretch.
Not much has gone right for the Angels this season, however one bright spot as of late has been their starting pitching.
Projected starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi struggled in his latest start against the Seattle Mariners, giving up four earned runs in 4.1 innings. In the three games prior to that start, Kikuchi gave up only three runs in 17 combined innings.
The Athletics are expected to roll out left handed relief pitcher Brady Basso as an opener for tonight's game. If Basso I able to settle, the Athletics will try and stretch out his innings tonight to conserve arms. Basso pitched one inning against the Angels in 2025, giving up one unearned run and three hits in one inning of work.
This two-game series will be the final two games between the two teams this season -with Oakland having won six of the 11 matchups so far.
First Pick: Los Angeles Angels at Oakland Athletics over 9.5 total runs
Rundown: The 9.5 runs line is very high for an MLB game - but it makes sense considering the park these two teams are playing at and the pitching matchup that is set for tonight. Sutter Health Park is the most hitter-friendly park in the league, even more hitter friendly than Coors Field in the high altitude of Colorado. It was formerly a minor league park, so the dimensions are different than an MLB park. The most runs and home runs in the league have happened at Sutter Health Park. On top of that consideration, the Angels and Athletics are fielding the bottom of their respective rotations. Kikuchi has had moments of solid pitching this season, but has otherwise struggled. The Athletics are starting their bullpen for the game. In the last series between the Angels and Athletics at Sutter Health Park, the two teams combined for 48 runs over four games - which would average out to 12 runs per game.
Second Pick: Yusei Kikuchi over 1.5 walks
Rundown: Kikuchi gave up 12 walks in his last three starts combined. The Athletics average 3.22 walks per game as an offense, which ranks 19th in the league.