Angels vs Rangers Odds: Cy Young Contenders Tangle in Texas

• Shohei Ohtani (5-2, 3.32 ERA) to start for Angels
• Nathan Eovaldi (9-2, 2.49 ERA) to start for Rangers
• Angels have won two of three games of this series so far

Angels vs Rangers Odds

Odds taken from DraftKings Sportsbook.

Angels vs Rangers Picks

• Rangers -1.5 (+140)

Angels vs Rangers Predictions

The game of the night in Major League Baseball will come at Globe Life Field in Arlington, when the Texas Rangers host the Los Angeles Angels. These AL East rivals will both send American League Cy Young contenders to the mound on Thursday, as Shohei Ohtani will face off with Nathan Eovaldi. The starting pitching for these teams could be the determining factor in who wins this game between top-three teams in this division.

Los Angeles Angels Predictions

The Los Angeles Angels lost to the Texas Rangers last night, but have had a successful trip to Texas as a whole thus far. Los Angeles has won two out of the three games of this series heading into Thursday night’s finale, scoring 19 runs in those three games. Here, runs could be harder to come by for both teams, making Shohei Ohtani’s performance on the mound all the more important in this contest.

Ohtani is 5-2 with a 3.32 ERA for the season so far but has seen his level drop a bit on the mound of late. He has allowed three earned runs or more in two straight starts, and he has not picked up a win in exactly one month. Against a Rangers team that leads the league in both batting average and runs scored, Ohtani will need to reclaim the form that made him one of the AL Cy Young favorites early in the season in this matchup.

Along with Ohtani’s pitching, the offense of the Angels will need to perform at a high level in this contest to halt the momentum of Nathan Eovaldi. The problem for the Angels is that their offensive philosophy does not match up well with Eovaldi’s pitching style. Eovaldi has allowed just four home runs this season, which could make it difficult for the Angels to score runs given that they rank fifth in the league in home runs on the season.

Texas Rangers Predictions

The Texas Rangers come into Thursday night’s action in first place in the AL West, as they have opened up a 3.5-game lead over the second-place Houston Astros. Texas has lost two of the three games of this series so far, but they can salvage a split in this series by winning this contest. With their ace on the mound for this game, the Rangers have to like their chances to do just that.

Nathan Eovaldi is an impressive 9-2 on the season so far for the Rangers, posting an ERA of 2.49 in 86.2 innings of work. Eovaldi’s control has been a huge reason for his success this season, as he has issued just 17 walks in those 86.2 innings. That is half the number of walks that Ohtani has issued in the year, and Eovaldi’s refusal to give out free passes could make a huge difference in this game.

Texas also has a huge edge at the plate in this game, that they hope will propel them to a victory. The Rangers have outscored the rest of the league so far this year, which has helped them to post the best run differential in the league at +145. Another big offensive night from the Rangers could help them make a real statement against Ohtani on Thursday night.

How to Watch Los Angeles Angels vs Texas Rangers

• What: Los Angeles Angels vs Texas Rangers
• When: Thursday, June 15, 2023, at 8:05 PM ET
• Where: Globe Life Field, Arlington, TX
• How to Watch: FS1