The Los Angeles Angels are not a very good team right now, but it’s always a national story whenever star Shohei Ohtani takes the mound and the dual-threat reigning league MVP will pitch on Tuesday at Oakland. The Halos are favored on the MLB odds.

How to Bet Angels at A’s MLB Odds & TV Info

• When: Tuesday, 9:40 PM ET
• Where: Oakland Coliseum
• Probable pitchers (away/home): Shohei Ohtani/James Kaprielian
• TV: MLB Extra Innings
• Stream/gameday audio: https://www.mlb.com/live-stream-games/
• Opening MLB Lines: Angels -175, A’s +165 (total 6.5)

Why Bet on LA Angels?

More bad news for the Halos as recent acquisition Mickey Moniak suffered a fractured left middle finger on Saturday and is out indefinitely. Moniak, who was acquired by the Angels at the trade deadline in the deal that sent Noah Syndergaard to the Philadelphia Phillies, also received stiches to his finger. Moniak, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 draft, hit his second home run in three days with the Angels before his most recent injury.

Angels head athletic trainer Mike Frostad said Sunday that Moniak still could come back this season because it’s “not a very significant fracture.” Frostad said the location of the fracture — at the tip of his finger — means he could even play before it’s completely healed, as long as he can tolerate it.

It’s the second time this season Moniak has been sidelined by a fracture to his hand. In spring training with the Phillies, he suffered a hairline fracture to his right hand, keeping him off Philadelphia’s Opening Day roster after he had hit .378 with six home runs in Grapefruit League games.

“Obviously you never want this to happen,” Moniak said. “You want to be out on the field playing the game, being with the guys. Twice in one year. It’s not ideal, but it is what it is. You can’t change the past. I think I was feeling good at the plate. I felt comfortable. I felt like I showed a little glimpse of what I can do and what I’m capable of.”

Three-time AL MVP Mike Trout (back) progressed to taking dry swings with a bat on Saturday. Frostad told reporters afterwards that Trout experienced zero issues during the session and has been cleared to increase baseball activity moving forward. There isn’t a definitive timetable for Trout’s return, but it’s possible he could return in a few weeks.

It’s Shohei Ohtani (9-7) on the mound Tuesday. Ohtani surrendered three runs (two earned) on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings in last Wednesday’s loss to the A’s. Ohtani gave up an RBI single to Sean Murphy in the top of the fourth and a two-run homer to Murphy (him again) in the top of the sixth inning. Ohtani finished his evening having struck out seven and walked one. He had posted double-digit whiffs in six consecutive outings prior to coming up short against the Athletics.

The Angels continue to waste not one but two generational talents in Trout and Ohtani. And amidst another lost season, Ohtani recently explained to reporters that it’s been hard to stay motivated and continue to press forward.

“Remaining motivated in that way is hard,” Ohtani said, alluding to continuing to play despite being well out of playoff contention. “Individually, there are many things I have to do. But my life in baseball will continue for some time and whatever the circumstances, I’d like to be focused each and every game.”

Why Bet on Oakland?

The A’s are 9-17 (.346) in one-run games, which is the third lowest winning percentage in the American League West, the AL and the majors. The A’s are 27-31 in games decided by two runs or fewer. They are 1-2 in extra-inning games. The three extra-inning games are the fewest in the majors and the one win is tied for the fewest. Oakland has two walk-off wins, which is tied for the fewest in the AL. The only time in Oakland history the A’s had fewer than five walk-off wins in a season was in 2011 when they had three.

The A’s are on pace to go 62-100, which would be the second 100-loss season in Oakland history (54-108 in 1979). They are batting .216 with a .276 on-base percentage and .624 OPS, all of which are currently the lowest in Oakland history (.225 in 2020, .302 in 1979, .647 in 1968).

Third baseman Vimael Machin, who went 1-for-3 with a double, a walk and two runs in a loss to the Giants on Sunday, owns just a .189/.295/.243 slash line over the 13 games he’s appeared in since the All-Star break.  Machin has struck out at just a 15.9 percent clip and has drawn walks at a rate of 11.4 percent during that sample of 44 plate appearances, but a .226 BABIP has conspired to put a significant cap on his production.

Seth Brown went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run in Sunday’s loss. Brown’s eighth-inning blast gave the Athletics some fleeting hope of a comeback and served as his fifth time leaving the yard in the last seven games. The 30-year-old is hitting .391 (9-for-23) over that span, boosting his season average (.238) to its highest point since April 14.

The A’s have not tripled since May 18 and the streak of 69 games without a triple is the longest in American League history.

It’s James Kaprielian on the mound Tuesday. Kaprielian (3-5) earned the win over the Angels last Wednesday, pitching 5.1 innings and allowing one run on six hits and one walk while striking out four batters. Kaprielian fired 55 of 83 pitches for strikes and didn’t give up a run until the fifth frame. The right-hander picked up his second straight win, and he has given up just one run in each of those outings. Kaprielian has been on a roll since the start of July, posting a 1.89 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 21:11 K:BB over 33.1 innings across six starts.

Game Trends

• Angels are 5-12 in their last 17 vs. American League West.
• Angels are 15-36 in their last 51 games vs. a right-handed starter.
• Angels are 6-20 in their last 26 during game 2 of a series.
• Angels are 2-7 in their last 9 Tuesday games.
• Athletics are 10-3 in their last 13 games vs. a right-handed starter.
• Athletics are 6-21 in their last 27 home games vs. a team with a losing record.

Expert Prediction

• Angels 4, A’s 2

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