
Houston Astros

Los Angeles Angels
(-110/-110)+140
On June 20, 2025, the Los Angeles Angels will host the Houston Astros at Angel Stadium in what marks the beginning of a crucial series. The Angels, currently sitting at 36-38, are experiencing an average season, while the Astros boast a solid 43-31 record, reflecting their strong performance this year.
The Angels are projected to start Yusei Kikuchi, a left-handed pitcher who has seen mixed results in his 15 starts, maintaining a 2-6 record and a respectable ERA of 3.05. However, with a 4.46 xFIP, projections indicate he may struggle moving forward. Conversely, the Astros will counter with Hunter Brown, who has excelled with an 8-3 record and an impressive ERA of 1.88, positioning him as one of the elite pitchers in the league, ranking 13th among starting pitchers in MLB.
The Angels’ offense, however, presents a challenge, ranking 24th in overall capability and 27th in team batting average, although they excel in power with a 4th ranking in home runs. The Astros’ offense, on the other hand, ranks 11th, supported by a remarkable 2nd place in batting average. Additionally, over the last week, the Angels’ best hitter has managed a .308 batting average, while the Astros’ top performer has shined with a .500 average and a 1.413 OPS.
Given that Hunter Brown is a high-strikeout pitcher facing an Angels lineup that strikes out the 2nd most in MLB, expect the Astros to capitalize on this matchup. Despite the Angels’ underdog status with a moneyline of +155, this game could swing in their favor if Kikuchi outperforms expectations, particularly since the projections support both teams competing closely.
Houston Astros Insights
- Hunter Brown – Over/Under 6.5 Strikeouts (-155/+120)Among all starting pitchers, Hunter Brown’s fastball velocity of 96.2 mph grades out in the 91st percentile this year.Explain: Velocity is a key component to fastball success in generating strikeouts and preventing runs.
- Isaac Paredes – Over/Under 0.5 Total Bases (-185/+145)Los Angeles’s 3rd-worst outfield defense of all teams on the slate today creates a favorable matchup for Isaac Paredes, who tends to hit a lot of flyballs.Explain: This player’s skill set matches up well with the opposing team’s defensive weakness, which may lead to better-than-usual performance.
- Houston Astros – 2H MoneylineAccording to the leading projection system (THE BAT), the Houston Astros’ bullpen projects as the 8th-best among all teams in Major League Baseball.Explain: Most bettors only consider the starting pitcher, but a strong bullpen sneakily creates a tougher matchup for the opposing offense and suppresses a game’s runs.
Los Angeles Angels Insights
- Los Angeles Angels – 1st Five Innings (F5) Moneyline (+140)Yusei Kikuchi is an extreme flyball pitcher (33.2% FB% according to the leading projection system, THE BAT) and has the misfortune of pitching in the #10 HR venue among all major league parks in this game.Explain: This pitcher’s skill set does not match up particularly well with the park he’s in today, which may lead to worse-than-usual performance.
- Jorge Soler – Over/Under 0.5 Total Bases (-130/+100)Jorge Soler has taken a step back with his Barrel% of late; his 10.4% seasonal rate has dropped to 0% over the past 7 days.Explain: Barrel% measures how often a player hits the ball at the optimal exit velocity and launch angle and is a terrific measure of underlying power.
- Mike Trout – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+135/-170)Mike Trout projects as the 10th-best hitter in the majors, per the leading projection system (THE BAT X).Explain: THE BAT X is a highly sophisticated projection system that accounts for a multitude of factors and regularly tests among the most accurate systems available.
Betting Trends
- Los Angeles Angels – Moneyline (+140)The Los Angeles Angels have hit the Moneyline in 19 of their last 34 games (+11.35 Units / 30% ROI)
- Houston Astros – Moneyline (-160)The Houston Astros have hit the Moneyline in 25 of their last 39 games (+9.30 Units / 18% ROI)
- Jo Adell – Over/Under 0.5 Runs (+170/-225)Jo Adell has hit the Runs Over in 11 of his last 20 games (+6.35 Units / 32% ROI)