Learn How to Watch the Angels vs Tigers Game – August 09, 2025

Los Angeles Angels

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Detroit Tigers

On August 9, 2025, the Detroit Tigers will host the Los Angeles Angels at Comerica Park for the second game of their series. The Tigers are enjoying a solid season with a 67-50 record, positioning themselves well with a respectable 9th ranking in overall offensive performance. Meanwhile, the Angels find themselves struggling at 55-61, currently ranked 21st in offense, which is a stark contrast to their power potential, as they sit 6th in home runs.

In their last meeting, the Tigers secured a convincing victory, which added to the momentum of their strong season. Charlie Morton is projected to start for Detroit, bringing a mixed bag of performance this year with a 7-9 record and a 5.20 ERA, indicating an unlucky streak, especially with a 4.30 xFIP suggesting he could rebound. Morton has shown he can strike out batters, averaging 6.0 K’s today, but he also struggles with allowing hits and walks, projecting to give up 5.1 hits and 1.9 walks which could open the door for the Angels.

Conversely, Los Angeles will counter with Yusei Kikuchi, who is having an impressive season with a 3.22 ERA and a 5-7 record in 24 starts. His performance has been bolstered by a solid strikeout rate, but projections suggest he may be due for some regression.

Betting markets currently position the Tigers with a moneyline of -135, indicating a close matchup despite their favorable ranking. With their strong hitting and a top-5 bullpen backing Morton, Detroit could leverage their home advantage effectively against an Angels team that has struggled away from home. The Game Total is set at 8.5 runs, reflecting the expectation of a competitive game, but the Tigers’ offensive prowess may well tip the scales in their favor today.

Los Angeles Angels Insights

• Yusei Kikuchi – Over/Under 17.5 Pitching Outs (+100/-130)
  Compared to the average hurler, Yusei Kikuchi has been granted a longer leash than the average pitcher this year, tallying an extra 6.5 adjusted pitches each start.
  Explain: Pitchers with a longer leash are more likely to go deeper into games and record more outs.
• Nolan Schanuel – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+145/-190)
  Nolan Schanuel has negatively regressed with his Barrel% of late; his 5.3% seasonal rate has decreased to 0% over the past 14 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.
• Zach Neto – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+120/-155)
  Zach Neto pulls a high percentage of his flyballs (35.7% — 91st percentile) and will be challenged by baseball’s 5th-deepest LF fences today.
  Explain: This player’s skill set does not match up particularly well with the park he’s in today, which may lead to worse-than-usual performance.

Detroit Tigers Insights

• Charlie Morton – Over/Under 5.5 Strikeouts (-130/+100)
  Contrary to popular belief, fastballs are generally a pitcher’s least effective pitch. Charlie Morton has relied on his secondary pitches 5.1% less often this year (56.1%) than he did last season (61.2%).
  Explain: Fastballs are the one easiest pitches to hit and generate few strikeouts, so a pitcher who begins to use his fastball more often will likely be less effective than he used to be.
• Dillon Dingler – Over/Under 0.5 Total Bases (-180/+135)
  Dillon Dingler has seen a substantial improvement in his exit velocity recently; just compare his 94.3-mph average in the last two weeks to his seasonal 89.5-mph EV.
  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.
• Charlie Morton – Over/Under 5.5 Strikeouts (-130/+100)
  According to the leading projection system (THE BAT), Jake Rogers (the Tigers’s expected catcher in today’s game) projects as an elite pitch framer.
  Explain: 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).

Betting Trends

• Detroit Tigers – Over/Under 2.5 1st Five Innings (F5) Team Total (+120/-155)
  The Detroit Tigers have hit the 1st Five Innings (F5) Team Total Over in 66 of their last 115 games (+14.90 Units / 11% ROI)
• Los Angeles Angels – Run Line +1.5 (-170)
  The Los Angeles Angels have hit the Run Line in 47 of their last 73 games (+18.90 Units / 20% ROI)
• Mike Trout – Over/Under 0.5 Hits (-230/+175)
  Mike Trout has hit the Hits Over in 19 of his last 25 away games (+9.40 Units / 20% ROI)