Los Angeles Angels
Detroit Tigers
(-110/-110)-160
As the Detroit Tigers prepare to face the Los Angeles Angels at Comerica Park on August 28, 2024, both teams are looking to build momentum from their previous encounter. The Tigers secured a convincing 6-2 victory over the Angels just a day prior, showcasing a stronger performance than their current mid-season standings suggest. Detroit sits at 67-66, while Los Angeles struggles at 54-78, marking a stark contrast in their seasons.
On the mound, the Tigers are projected to start Mason Englert, who has had a rocky season with a 5.95 ERA and has yet to establish himself as a reliable starter, having made 11 appearances out of the bullpen. However, his xFIP of 4.74 suggests he may have been a bit unlucky and could improve moving forward. Englert is projected to pitch only 2.5 innings, which raises concerns about the depth of the Tigers’ bullpen, currently ranked 24th in MLB.
The Angels will counter with Griffin Canning, who has struggled significantly this season with a 5.18 ERA and a 4-11 record in 25 starts. Canning was hit hard in his last outing, allowing 7 earned runs over just 4 innings. His projections indicate he will pitch an average of 5.2 innings while allowing around 2.9 earned runs, which may not be enough against a team that is favored to score a high projected total of 4.98 runs.
Despite their poor offensive rankings—Detroit at 23rd and Los Angeles at 25th—the projections indicate that the Tigers have a solid chance to capitalize on the Angels’ pitching woes and solidify their position. With a high game total of 9.0 runs and the Tigers’ implied win probability sitting at 60%, there is potential value for those looking to back Detroit in this matchup.
Los Angeles Angels Insights
- Griffin Canning – Over/Under 4.5 Strikeouts (-115/-115)Griffin Canning’s fastball velocity has decreased 1.2 mph this season (92.8 mph) below where it was last year (94 mph).Explain: Velocity is a key component to fastball success in generating strikeouts and preventing runs, so a pitcher whose velocity decreases will likely see worse results.
- Zach Neto – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+120/-155)Zach Neto has been cold of late, with his seasonal exit velocity of 88.3-mph dropping to 81.6-mph over the last two weeks.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.
- Brandon Drury – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+140/-180)In today’s matchup, Brandon Drury is at a disadvantage facing the league’s 2nd-deepest CF center field fences given that he hits his flyballs towards center field at a 38.3% rate (82nd percentile).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
- Despite technically being the “starter” in today’s matchup, Mason Englert may not go more than a couple framess considering he will function as more of an opener.Explain: Openers have become a common strategy where a relief pitcher is used for the first (and maybe second) inning. This can suppress early run scoring as relievers are generally of a higher quality than non-ace starters.
- Spencer Torkelson – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+140/-180)Spencer Torkelson has been very fortunate when it comes to with his wOBA this year; his .289 mark is quite a bit higher than his .239 Expected wOBA, based on the leading projection system (THE BAT X)’s interpretation of Statcast data.Explain: xwOBA uses highly advanced Statcast data to measure a player’s overall hitting ability more accurately than actual wOBA can.
- Mason Englert – Over/Under 1.5 Strikeouts (-135/+105)Jake Rogers, the Tigers’s expected catcher in today’s matchup, projects as an elite pitch framer according to the leading projection system (THE BAT).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 – Run Line -1.5 (+125)The Detroit Tigers have hit the Run Line in 42 of their last 66 games (+14.65 Units / 16% ROI)
- Los Angeles Angels – Over/Under 1.5 1st Five Innings (F5) Team Total (-165/+125)The Los Angeles Angels have hit the 1st Five Innings (F5) Team Total Under in 9 of their last 13 games (+5.10 Units / 34% ROI)
- Kerry Carpenter – Over/Under 0.5 Home Runs (+470/-800)Kerry Carpenter has hit the Home Runs Over in 4 of his last 12 games (+14.30 Units / 119% ROI)