Well, this isn’t the most consequential matchup as far as the MLB playoffs go. But the Los Angeles Angels and San Francisco Giants still have a lot to play for with the trade deadline looming. That makes this a compelling matchup.
San Francisco sits as a -126 moneyline favorite on the DraftKings Sportsbook. An LA upset is priced at +105, and the over/under is set at nine runs.
Let’s get into a preview, prediction, and pick for this contest.
Angels vs. Giants prediction, preview
First things first, let’s look at the starting pitchers in this matchup.
Ryan Johnson steps to the bump for the Angels. A second-round pick in 2024, Los Angeles fast-tracked him through the system, which may have been a mistake. Through 53 major-league innings, Johnson holds a 6.45 ERA. Things haven’t been coming easy for the 23-year-old. The main issue is his sinker, which is getting absolutely torched, but his split-finger fastball appears to be a legitimate pitch to lean on. Hopefully, he can keep working on it down the stretch run.
Opposite him is Robbie Ray. The 34-year-old former Cy Young winner is likely making his final starts with the Giants; San Francisco is going nowhere, and Ray’s contract expires at the end of the season. With how things are going this year, he could fetch the Giants a reasonable price. Ray is following up his All-Star 2025 campaign with a 3.33 ERA in 20 appearances, and though he does walk a lot of batters, he’s awfully tough to square up. The veteran loves pumping fastballs at the zone and daring hitters to beat him.
Los Angeles’ lineup has been a disappointment for most of the season, ranking 20th in wRC+ as a unit. To the surprise of nobody, Mike Trout remains the best presence in their lineup. He leads the team in OPS+ by a comfortable margin at 141, and continues to take walks at an absurd rate. The rest of the lineup has been a bit of a bummer. Jo Adell and Zach Neto hit a lot of home runs, but don’t offer much else. Nolan Schanuel continues to be mediocre as well. No wonder LA has struggled this year.
This Giants lineup has sure had some ups and downs. After looking like the worst lineup in baseball over the first couple of months, they got nuclear hot, especially after top prospect Bryce Eldridge was called up. They’ve settled in to being solidly average. Rafael Devers, Casey Schmitt, Eldridge, and Willy Adames provide a lot of power, while Luis Arraez and Jung Hoo Lee churn out base hit after base hit. It’s a lineup likely to look quite different after the trade deadline, but for now, they can make some noise.
Now we know these teams a bit better; who is going to come out on top?
Angels vs. Giants pick, best bet
San Francisco’s bullpen is awfully shaky, but the edge that Ray gives them will prove to be the difference. I expect the runs to pile up as the game gets into the later innings, but the Giants will keep the edge long enough to pull out the win.
Best Bet: Over 9 Total Runs + Giants Moneyline SGP (+264)