Athletics
Los Angeles Angels
(+100/-120)-120
The Los Angeles Angels will host the Oakland Athletics on September 6, 2025, in the second game of their series after the Athletics triumphed 10-4 in yesterday’s matchup. Both teams are having below-average seasons, with the Angels posting a record of 66-75 and the Athletics slightly trailing at 65-77.
Yusei Kikuchi, projected to start for the Angels, has struggled this season, as indicated by his Power Rankings placement at 130th out of approximately 350 pitchers. His win/loss record of 6-10 and an ERA of 3.83 suggest he’s been inconsistent, although he projects to strike out an average of 6.3 batters today, which could be crucial against an Athletics offense that ranks 7th in the league this season.
On the other hand, J.T. Ginn will take the mound for Oakland. Despite a challenging season that includes a 2-6 record and a 5.17 ERA, Ginn’s advanced metrics paint a slightly more favorable picture. His xFIP of 3.29 suggests he has been unlucky and could perform better as the season progresses.
The Angels’ offense, while potent in terms of power—ranking 5th in home runs—has been inconsistent overall, sitting at 23rd in MLB. This dichotomy makes them a difficult team to gauge. Meanwhile, the Athletics boast a strong batting average, ranking 4th, but struggle to capitalize on that average with their overall run production.
With a Game Total set at 8.5 runs, betting markets view this matchup as close, with the Angels holding a slight moneyline advantage at -120. Given both teams’ recent performances and pitching matchups, this game could easily swing in favor of the Angels if Kikuchi can harness his strikeout ability while the offense finds its rhythm.
Athletics Insights
- Athletics – Moneyline (+100)Among every team playing today, the 2nd-strongest infield defense is that of the the Athletics.Explain: Defense is an integral part of preventing hits and runs.
- Colby Thomas – Over/Under 0.5 Total Bases (-155/+120)Colby Thomas has been hot recently, raising his seasonal exit velocity of 92.5-mph to 98-mph in the past two weeks’ worth of games.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.
- Brent Rooker – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+110/-140)Brent Rooker projects as the 14th-best batter in Major League Baseball, according to 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.
Los Angeles Angels Insights
- Yusei Kikuchi – Over/Under 17.5 Pitching Outs (-135/+105)Yusei Kikuchi has been granted more leash than the typical pitcher this year, throwing 6.4 more adjusted pitches-per-outing than the average hurler.Explain: Pitchers with a longer leash are more likely to go deeper into games and record more outs.
- Taylor Ward – Over/Under 0.5 Total Bases (-155/+120)Sacramento’s 2nd-worst outfield defense of all teams today creates a favorable matchup for Taylor Ward, 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.
- The Los Angeles Angels (26.9% K% (via the leading projection system, THE BAT X) are forecasted to have the most strikeout-prone set of batters of all teams today.Explain: THE BAT X analyzes each player in today’s specific lineup to figure out which teams have the most inherent strikeout potential for the opposing pitcher.
Betting Trends
- Los Angeles Angels – Run Line -1.0 (+120)The Los Angeles Angels have hit the Run Line in 58 of their last 96 games (+14.50 Units / 11% ROI)
- Athletics – Moneyline (+100)The Athletics have hit the Moneyline in 22 of their last 39 away games (+11.25 Units / 28% ROI)
- Yusei Kikuchi – Over/Under 17.5 Pitching Outs (-135/+105)Yusei Kikuchi has hit the Pitching Outs Under in 17 of his last 25 games (+8.90 Units / 30% ROI)