Detailed Player Insights for Angels vs Astros – 4/11/2025

Los Angeles Angels

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Houston Astros

As the Houston Astros prepare to face off against the Los Angeles Angels on April 11, 2025, they do so in the midst of a tough season, currently holding a 5-7 record. The Astros are coming off a narrow loss to the Angels, falling 7-6 in their last matchup. Meanwhile, the Angels enter this game on a high note after a dominant 11-1 victory.

In this American League West matchup, the Astros will send Ronel Blanco to the mound, who has struggled thus far with an ERA of 9.45 and a Win/Loss record of 0-1. With only two starts under his belt this season, his inconsistency has raised concerns about his performance, particularly given that he has allowed an average of 4.8 hits and 2.3 walks per game. This could prove problematic against an Angels offense that ranks 9th in MLB and has been firing on all cylinders, highlighted by their impressive home run output, ranking 3rd in the league.

On the other side, Jack Kochanowicz is slated to pitch for the Angels. He boasts a solid ERA of 3.27 and a Win/Loss record of 1-0, showcasing a promising start to the season. Although projections indicate that he may experience some regression, his performance against a struggling Astros offense could tip the scales in favor of the Angels.

The Astros’ offense ranks a dismal 29th in MLB, which further complicates their efforts to generate runs. With an implied team total of 4.58 runs, the projections suggest some potential for improvement, but it remains to be seen if they can break out against Kochanowicz. As they face a challenging series opener, Houston will need to capitalize on any opportunities to turn their season around.

Los Angeles Angels Insights

• Jack Kochanowicz – Over/Under 3.5 Strikeouts (+115/-145)
  Jack Kochanowicz has relied on his sinker 26.9% less often this season (45.5%) than he did last year (72.4%).
  Explain: Sinkers are the easiest pitches to hit and generate the fewest strikeouts, so a pitcher who begins to use his sinker less often will likely be more effective than he used to be.
• Jorge Soler – Over/Under 0.5 Total Bases (-150/+120)
  Jorge Soler has made sizeable gains with his Barrel%, improving his 12.6% rate last year to 23.1% this season.
  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.
• Los Angeles Angels – 2H Moneyline
  According to the leading projection system (THE BAT), the Los Angeles Angels’ bullpen ranks as the 7th-best out of all major league teams.
  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.

Houston Astros Insights

• Ronel Blanco – Over/Under 6.5 Strikeouts (+120/-155)
  Placing in the 85th percentile, Ronel Blanco compiled a 13% Swinging Strike percentage since the start of last season.
  Explain: Swinging Strike% measures how often a pitcher gets a batter to whiff at a pitch and is regarded to be a strong indicator of strikeout ability and overall pitching talent.
• Jose Altuve – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+125/-160)
  There has been a decrease in Jose Altuve’s average exit velocity this year, from 86.5 mph last year to 81.8 mph now
  Explain: Hitting the ball hard increases the chances of either a home run or the ball landing in fair territory for a hit before a fielder can get to it.
• Isaac Paredes – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+145/-190)
  Isaac Paredes pulls a lot of his flyballs (46.4% — 100th percentile) and will have a big advantage hitting them towards MLB’s 2nd-shallowest LF fences today.
  Explain: This player’s skill set matches up particularly well with the park he’s in today, which may lead to better-than-usual performance.

Betting Trends

• Los Angeles Angels – 1st Five Innings (F5) Run Line +0.5 (-135)
  The Los Angeles Angels have hit the 1st Five Innings (F5) Run Line in 4 of their last 6 games (+1.80 Units / 25% ROI)
• Kyren Paris – Over/Under 0.5 Home Runs (+800/-1900)
  Kyren Paris has hit the Home Runs Over in 4 of his last 7 games (+35.00 Units / 500% ROI)