The 2021 MLB season continues with ten games on Thursday, June 17, so hereโs the best Detroit Tigers vs. Los Angeles Angels betting pick, as these two American League foes open a four-game series at Angel Stadium in Anaheim.
The Tigers meet the Angels for the first time since 2019 when they split a six-game regular-season series. Detroit opened as a +195 underdog for Thursdayโs opener, while the Angels are listed as -205 home favorites with a total of 9.0 runs on FanDuel Sportsbook.
The Tigers continue their seven-game road trip
The Detroit Tigers finished a three-game series at Kansas City on Wednesday afternoon, looking to sweep the Royals (Iโve excluded Wednesdayโs games from this analysis). They were 28-39 and sitting at the fourth spot of the AL Central standings, way behind the top two teams.
The Tigers own the third-lowest scoring offense in the majors, tallying just 3.84 runs per game while slashing .227/.295/.375. Over the last two weeks, theyโve recorded a mediocre .708 OPS. At least, the Tigers have clubbed 21 home runs in their previous 13 games overall.
Matt Manning will get the starting nod Thursday, making his major-league debut. The 23-year-old right-hander played for Toledo in the Triple-A this season, going 1-3 with a poor 8.07 ERA and 1.55 WHIP in seven starts.
The Angels battle bravely, playing without Mike Trout
The Los Angeles Angels have been terrific as of late, winning 11 of their previous 16 games overall, excluding Wednesdayโs clash against Oakland. Theyโve dropped two straight games at the Athletics, but donโt forget that Mike Trout is on the shelf with a calf injury.
The Angels were 33-34 a d tied for the third spot in the AL West on Wednesday, trailing eight games behind the Oakland Athletics. They score 4.84 runs per contest (8th in the MLB) while slashing .253/.317/.428.
Shohei Ohtani will get the ball for the Angels on Thursday night, and the two-way sensation is enjoying a wonderful season on both sides of the ball. The 26-year-old righty is 2-1 in nine starts on the mound, posting a sparkly 2.85 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and 68/28 K/BB ratio across 47.1 frames of work.
Trends:
Detroit:
- 3-6 in the last nine games against the Angels
LA Angels:
- 15-5 in the last 20 home games against the Tigers
- 8-3 in the last 11 games overall
Detroit Tigers vs. Los Angeles Angels Pick
The Angels have recorded an excellent .878 OPS over the last two weeks. Theyโre swinging a hot bat at the moment, so Iโm expecting a tough time on the mound for rookie Matt Manning.
On the other side, the Tigers are playing well, but theyโll have a tough matchup, considering Shohei Ohtaniโs form in 2021. Ohtani has allowed more than a couple of earned runs only once in his last six starts, and Iโm expecting him to put on another strong performance for this MLB Pick today.
Detroit Tigers vs. Los Angeles Angels Total:
I would stick with the Angels to win, but if you like betting on the totals, I think the over is the right choice despite a high line at 9.0 runs. As Iโve mentioned, the red-hot Angels will face off against a rookie who sported an 8.07 ERA in the Triple-A, while the Tigers could score a few runs off the Angelsโ relievers who are among the worst in the majors this season.
LAโs relievers own the seventh-highest ERA (4.69), but thatโs still better than Detroitโs ERA of 5.13. Therefore, betting on the over seems like a logical choice. The over is 9-1 in the Angelsโ last ten games overall, and it is 5-2 in the Tigersโ previous seven outings.