Angels Can Blow Out Struggling Fish

Marlins vs. Angels, 9:38 ET

I know that I've mentioned this a few times, but sports betting is the great equalizer. This is the reason that games like this one have any relevance to anyone who isn't a fan of the teams involved. Baseball isn't the typical sport where you're just going to watch any game that is on television. Maybe I'm oversimplifying it, or being too harsh on the teams, either way, sports betting is a driving force in these games. The teams in question for this one are the Marlins and the Angels.

The Marlins are 19-29 for the season and obviously have struggled on the road. Well, obviously, they have struggled everywhere, but they are at least closer to .500 at home than they are as road warriors. The expectations for the Marlins this season were low to begin with so I can't say that this is a surprise. Miami doesn't have a ton of great players, and anyone they do have, they end up trading away anyway. The team is hitting pretty well with a .247 batting average, and they are still scoring 4.1 runs per game for the season. The pitching staff has been brutal though, with a 5.46 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. The guy who should be their best pitcher, Sandy Alcantara, is really struggling after missing all of last season. He is 2-6 for the year with a 7.99 ERA and a 1.61 WHIP. He has only made three road starts for the season, allowing 17 earned runs in 10.1 innings. Alcantara has also allowed four or more earned runs in six of the past seven starts. Angels hitters haven't done much against him, hitting just .231 against him.

This year has been a major struggle for Sandy Alcantara. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images)

The Angels are actually playing better baseball than most would expect at this point in the year. They kind of have been a joke of a franchise to a certain extent. I have more leniency for them than most do because they at least put for the effort of trying to win. The problem is that it seems like they almost never actually have it all come together. Baseball isn't really a sport where one player can carry your team to victory, or make them a playoff team, but something always seems to go wrong anyway for the club. Tonight, they have Yusei Kikuchi take the mound for them. Kikuchi is having an acceptable season, but nothing too impressive. He is 0-4 with a 3.50 ERA, and a 1.44 WHIP. Marlins hitters are batting just .200 against Kikuchi, but it is only in 10 total at-bats, so not much insight to take away from that.

The Angels are no question the better team, though I'm not sure that I want to regularly back a .500 team that is fairly unreliable with a -160 or higher line. Instead, I think we actually get value on the run line for this game. Kikuchi has pitched well, Alcantara hasn't. Although Kikuchi makes me nervous because of his walks, I think he does a good enough job of keeping hitters guessing. Back the Angels on the run line here. 

For more sports betting information and plays, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024