At 4:07 PM ET from Angel Stadium of Anaheim in Anaheim, we have an interleague matchup between the Braves and Angels. The Braves are the heavy favorite on the money line (-162) and have a record of 65-58, which has them in 2nd place in the NL East. The Angels are 5th in the AL West with an overall record of 53-70.
Jack Kochanowicz is starting for the Angels, while the Braves have Charlie Morton on the mound. The over/under line is currently at 9 runs, and BSW will be televising this one.
Atlanta vs. Los Angeles Matchup At A Glance
- Teams: Braves at Angels
- Where: Angel Stadium of Anaheim Anaheim
- Date: Sunday, August 18th
- Betting Odds ATL -162 | LAA +137 O/U 9
Braves vs Angels Last Game Recap
The most recent game o of this Braves vs Angels series took place on the road, with Atlanta picking up an 11-3 win. Heading into the game, the Braves were favored at -232 on the money line.
Chris Sale started for the Braves and picked up the win, going six innings and giving up just two earned runs. Griffin Canning got the start for the Angels and took the loss, going just 4 1/3 innings and giving up seven earned runs.
Atlanta's offense was led by Marcell Ozuna and Ramon Laureano, as they were the only two Braves hitters to have more than one hit. Ozuna, Whit Merrifield, and Michael Harris II each had three RBIs for Atlanta's offense.
Braves Preview
Atlanta has been a profitable team to bet on the run line this season, covering in 55 of their 123 games. Their overall series record is 20-15-5, and they have an average run margin of 3.7 runs in wins and -3.4 runs in losses. The Braves are 33-32 on the road and 56-46 as favorites.
The Braves' over/under record this season is 47-71, and the average run total in their games is 8.3 runs. When the total line is set at 9 runs, their O/U record is 10-14-3. Today's over/under line is 9 runs, which is higher than usual, as 65% of their games have had lower lines.
Charlie Morton gets the start for the Braves today as he faces the Angels on the road. So far this season, he has made 22 starts and has a record of 6-7 with an ERA of 4.40. Looking at his overall numbers, Morton has a WHIP of 1.30 and has turned in 10 quality starts. In his most recent outing, Morton finished with a no-decision, going six innings and giving up two earned runs on six hits. Before that, he had given up at least five earned runs in three straight starts. The right-hander will look to build off his outing against the Giants, where he allowed just two earned runs.
Marcell Ozuna has been on a tear for the Braves of late, going 12/29 in his last seven games, including one home run. He comes into the game with a team-high 36 homers and 93 RBIs, which is 3rd in the league. Ozuna is also on a three-game hitting streak. Austin Riley has struggled of late, going just 6/32 in his last seven games.
As a team, the Braves are averaging 4.3 runs per game, which is 15th in the league. They have been a better offensive team on the road this season, averaging 4.5 runs per game. Overall, they are the 4th ranked home run hitting team in the league and have the 6th best isolated power mark in the league.
Angels Preview
Los Angeles Angels games have averaged 8.9 runs per game this season, and their over/under record is 60-58. Their run line record is 66-57, with a -0.9 run differential, and they are 47-55 as the underdog and 6-15 as the favorite. The Angels are 5th in the AL West with a 53-70 record, 13.5 games behind the Astros.
Heading into today's game against the Braves, the Angels have lost two straight series and have a 27-39 home record. They are 26-31 on the road this season. In games with a total of 9 runs, their O/U record is 11-12-4, and only 10.6% of their games have had higher totals than 9 runs.
Jack Kochanowicz will be making his 4th start of the season for the Angels, and he'll be taking on the Braves at home. Kochanowicz has a 1-1 record through his first 3 starts, and he is coming off a win over the Nationals in which he went 7 2/3 innings, giving up 2 earned runs. He has 15 strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings pitched this season.
So far this season, the Angels offense has been one of the worst in the league, averaging just 4 runs per game. This has them 26th in the league. They are also near the bottom of the league in home runs, batting average, and on-base percentage. As a team, the Angels are batting just .236.
Jo Adell has struggled this season, batting just .202, but he does lead the team with 18 home runs. Zach Neto and Logan O'Hoppe are both batting in the low .200s for the season, but Neto has gone 13/39 in his last nine games, while O'Hoppe has two homers in his last nine games. Neto's 61 RBIs is the best mark on the team.
Braves vs. Angels Prediction: Angels ML +137
Our predicted score for this game is a 6-4 win for the Angels, and with them having a money line of +137, we see this as a great payout. Looking at the starting pitchers, we have Jack Kochanowicz finishing with six strikeouts, which is good for seventh among starters.
As for Charlie Morton, we have him finishing with six strikeouts, which is good for sixth among starters. However, we have him going just four innings, and his chances of picking up a win are 15th among starters.
Looking at the Braves' lineup, they do have a higher projected home run total than the Angels, but the Angels do have a better chance of picking up the win.
