Giants vs. Angels Saturday Pick
The San Francisco Giants are off to an inconsistent start to the season but they did beat the L.A. Angels last night in an upset. Can they pull off another upset tonight at 9:07 p.m. ET or will the Halos rebound in the second game of this interleague Cali series?
Game Snapshot & Odds
979 San Francisco Giants (+170) at 980 Los Angeles Angels (-200); 9 runs
Saturday, April 21, 2018
9:07 p.m. ET, Angel Stadium of Anaheim
TV: SF (CSBA); LAA (FSW)
Public Betting Trends
Oddsmakers from online sportsbook YouWager currently list the Angels as a -200 favorite. As of this writing, 71% of the betting tickets wagered at online sportsbooks are on the Angels to beat the Giants on the money line. This information is subject to change, however, so be sure to check out our MLB Public Betting Page for updated figures on this game.
Giants giving Holland limited run support in early going
Derek Holland allowed three earned runs, six hits and two walks over 4 2/3 innings with four strikeouts in a no-decision Saturday in San Diego.
Holland threw 57 of his 86 pitches for strikes, posting a mediocre game score of just 42. The veteran is still searching for his first National League victory through three starts.
On a positive note, he posted a no-decision and not a loss for the first time as a Giant. The team has posted five total runs in his three outings, with four of them coming on Saturday. San Francisco is 0-3 in his three appearances so far this season.
Richards not sharp in last start for Angels
Garrett Richards allowed one run on one hit over five-plus innings in Saturday’s win over the Royals. The run on Richards’ line scored on a wild pitch uncorked in the fifth inning. His lack of control was apparent beyond just that pitch, as he walked three in the contest and finished up the start having thrown 41 of his 73 pitches out of the zone.
The right-hander has now walked at least three batters in each of his four starts this year. Given all of the setbacks he’s had on the health front, it might take a few more games before he begins to tighten that control. He has not started more than six contests in a season since 2015.
MLB Betting Trends
San Francisco
The Giants are a perfect 4-0 in their last four games versus the Angels but are just 2-5 in their last seven games in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles
The Angels have dropped four straight but are 9-2 in Richards’ last 11 interleague starts.
Prediction:
The Giants scored 8 runs last night but otherwise have been an incredibly ineffective offense. I’m going to bank on San Francisco struggling with the bats again tonight as the Giants have cashed the under in nine of their last 13 road games. The under is also 4-0 in the Giants’ last four games versus a right-handed starter and is 5-1-2 in the Angels’ last eight interleague starts. With the betting total sitting at 9 runs at the majority of online sportsbooks, I’ll take the under.
The Pick: Giants/Angels under 9