Bello, BoSox, Will Knock Off Halos

Angels vs. Red Sox, 7:10 ET

I want to preface this and ensure the gambling gods know that I'm not bragging here, but I was able to get us a 2-0 day, and even a 3-0 day if you ended up backing the Brewers. It was a nice day, but as Kobe Bryant once said, "Job is not done." Each day is a new day no matter if you won or lost the previous day the only differences are your bank balance and the enthusiasm you have for getting another bet in the books. Tonight, I'm looking at placing a bet on the game between the Angels and Red Sox.

The Angels are not terrible this season, which sounds like an insult, but it is actually a compliment considering how rough this franchise has been for years. They are 27-32, which is obviously a losing record, but still could be much worse for the team. They are also only 5.5 games back of the Mariners. Personally, I would like to see two things for the Angels - a fully healthy Mike Trout, and an Angels postseason run. It isn't like I have major ties to either of those things, I just think Trout healthy and in the playoffs would be good for the sport. Speaking of… if you saw the bomb he hit yesterday, you'll probably know why I want the dude to be healthy. Trying to help get them to the playoffs will be tonight's starter, Yusei Kikuchi. Despite an ugly 1-5 record, Kikuchi is actually doing rather well with a 3.06 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP. I'll be honest, if that WHIP doesn't lower, that ERA will increase. You can't allow that many people on base and get away with it. He had a great May, allowing just seven earned runs over 33.1 innings. Just keep in mind that he also allowed 48 baserunners in that stretch. He has been worse on the road than at home, and Red Sox hitters have done fairly well, batting .288 against him. 

May 1, 2025; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels pitcher Yusei Kikuchi (16) throws against the Detroit Tigers during the fourth inning at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Red Sox are also not terrible this season, and while that seems like a compliment to the Angels, it really should be an insult to the Red Sox. Expectations have a lot to do with that, and Boston really isn't living up to the expectations. Boston has a good offense - they are hitting .252 for the season, and they are even scoring 4.66 runs per game, which is a solid number. Their pitching isn't that bad either, with a 3.95 team ERA and a team WHIP of 1.33. Other than maybe facing tough competition, I'm not really sure why the Red Sox have a losing record. Tonight they get one of their better starters, Brayan Bello on the mound. He is 2-1 with a 3.83 ERA and a 1.63 WHIP. He did not have a great May, completing five innings just once last month. He has thrown 4.2 or fewer in five straight starts, but some of them really weren't that bad and pitch counts weren't that high. He has been good against the Angels in the past, holding them to just five hits in 32 at-bats. 

This is a game the Red Sox probably have the edge in. It does concern me a bit about Bello's lack of getting deep into games. The Red Sox have an okay bullpen, but not one I want to rely on much. We get a nice price here on Boston at -130 through five innings and that's the way I'll go with it. Kikuchi is good, but this isn't an ideal spot for him. I'll back Boston through five on the moneyline.

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