Los Angeles Angels vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction, Preview, and Odds – 4/17/2024

Los Angeles Angels vs Tampa Bay Rays Overview

• Date: April 17, 2024
• Venue: Tropicana Field
• Starting Pitchers:
  • Reid Detmers - Angels
  • Zack Littell - Rays
• Run Line: Angels 1.5 -200, Rays -1.5 170
• Money Line: Angels 110, Rays -130
• Total (Over/Under):8 -105

Los Angeles Angels vs Tampa Bay Rays Win Probabilities

Implied Win %:

• Los Angeles Angels - 46%
• Tampa Bay Rays - 54%

Projected Win %:

• Los Angeles Angels - 49.7%
• Tampa Bay Rays - 50.3%

Los Angeles Angels vs Tampa Bay Rays Game Preview & Prediction

In a highly anticipated American League matchup, the Tampa Bay Rays will face off against the Los Angeles Angels on April 17, 2024, at Tropicana Field. The Rays, with a record of 10-8, are having a good season so far, while the Angels, with a record of 8-9, are experiencing a somewhat below average season.

The Rays, being the home team, will have the advantage of playing on their own turf. They are known for their strong offense, ranking 21st best in MLB this season. Their team batting average of .286 is the 9th best in the league, indicating a solid hitting lineup. Additionally, the Rays excel in home runs, ranking 4th in MLB, and stolen bases, ranking 2nd in the league.

On the pitching side, the Rays are projected to start right-handed pitcher Zack Littell, who has started three games this year. Littell boasts an impressive 1-0 Win/Loss record and a stellar 1.17 ERA. However, his 3.77 xFIP suggests that he may have been lucky so far and could potentially perform worse going forward. Littell is projected to pitch an average of 5.1 innings, allow 2.5 earned runs, strike out 5.0 batters, and surrender 4.8 hits and 1.1 walks on average in today's game.

The Angels, on the other hand, have had a relatively average season, ranking 13th best in MLB overall. Their team batting average of .264 places them 12th in the league, indicating a solid offensive lineup. However, their stolen base ranking is lower, sitting at 27th in MLB. The Angels excel in home runs, ranking 3rd in the league.

The Angels are projected to start left-handed pitcher Reid Detmers, who holds a perfect 3-0 Win/Loss record and an excellent 1.04 ERA. However, his 2.37 xFIP suggests that he may have been lucky and could regress in future performances. Detmers is projected to pitch an average of 5.3 innings, allow 2.5 earned runs, strike out 6.1 batters, and give up 4.8 hits and 2.0 walks on average in today's game.

With the Rays having an implied win probability of 54% according to the current moneyline of -130, and the Angels at 46% with a moneyline of +110, it is expected to be a close game. The Rays have an average implied team total of 4.19 runs, while the Angels have an average implied team total of 3.81 runs.

Both teams are eager to secure a victory in this pivotal matchup. Will the Rays' strong offense and solid pitching be enough to claim the win, or will the Angels rise to the occasion and upset the home team? Baseball fans and sports bettors alike are in for an exciting showdown at Tropicana Field.

Quick Takes Los Angeles Angels:

Miguel Sano has primarily hit in the back-half of the lineup this year (67% of the time), but he is projected to hit 4th on the lineup card in this matchup.

• The higher in the order a player bats, the more plate appearances he will get and the more opportunities he will get to hit the Over for every market. A player who hits higher in the order than he normally does may provide extra value opportunity since the market may be based on him hitting lower.

Projected catcher Logan O'Hoppe profiles as a horrible pitch framer, per the leading projection system (THE BAT).

• Pitch framing is a catcher's ability to make a ball look like a strike to the umpire, "stealing" strikes for his pitcher. This leads to more positive outcomes (like strikeouts) and fewer negative ones (like walks or earned runs).

Quick Takes Tampa Bay Rays:

Compared to average, Zack Littell has been granted a shorter leash than the typical pitcher since the start of last season, tallying an -8.7 fewer adjusted pitches each game.

• Pitchers with a shorter leash are more likely to get pulled earlier in games and record fewer outs.

Rene Pinto has been hot in recent games, hitting 2 dingers in the last week's worth of games.

• Strong recent performance may mean the player is seeing the ball well and will continue to hit well in the near-term.

Game Trends

• The Tampa Bay Rays have hit the Game Total Over in 39 of their last 61 games at home (+16.10 Units / 24% ROI)
• The Los Angeles Angels have hit the Game Total Over in 43 of their last 75 games (+10.05 Units / 12% ROI)

Angels vs Rays Prediction: Angels 4.5 - Rays 4.27

For more on today's game check out the comprehensive statistics, betting odds, and trends below. Be sure to check out all our free MLB picks here.