LA Angels vs. Houston Astros Picks and Prediction for Thursday, March 26 2026
Use Code WWWC The LA Angels (72-90 last year) take on the Houston Astros (87-75) in this AL West prediction. This is the season opener for both teams on opening day, Thursday at 4:10pmET from Houston, Texas. The Astros are the -184 favorite and the total is 8.0. Check out more baseball games and free picks at Winners and Whiners.
Angels look to improve after a bad season
The LA Angels will send right-hander Rafael Soriano to the mound. Last season, he was 10-11 with a 4.26 ERA. In six appearances against the Astros, Soriano is 2-0 with a 1.04 ERA.
The Angels have a new manager in Kurt Suzuki, the former catcher who is the team's fifth manager since 2018. After winning just 63 games in 2024, Los Angeles did make a nine-game jump last season.
Jo Adell (37 homers, .485 slug) is back along with SS Zach Neto (.258, 26 HR, 26 sbs) and OF Mike Trout (.236, 26, 64). The Angels hit just .225 last season and had an OBP of .298. They brought in OF Josh Lowe (.220, 11, 40) from Tampa Bay in January to provide some punch to the lineup. Their pitching was a struggle as they owned a 4.89 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP.
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Astros attempting to overtake Seattle in the AL West
Seattle is the prohibitive favorite in the AL West, with Houston considered the second-favorite in a pretty weak division. Houton has a pretty good ace in Hunter Brown, who went 12-9 last season with a 2.43 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP. He's made six starts in his career against the Angels, going 1-2 with a 2.63 ERA.
The Astros missed the playoffs last season for the first time in nine years. Veteran OF/INF Jose Altuve is back after another productive season, hitting .265 with 26 homers and 77 RBIs (10 SBs). 1B Christian Walker (.238, 27, 88) provided some pop, but OF Yordan Alvarez (.273, 6, 27) played in just 48 games due to injuries. With Alvarez healthy, this lineup should be a lot better than the one that his .250 with a .315 OBP last season.
Spread Pick for Angels vs. Astros
Angels vs. Astros Pick and Prediction
- Houston -1.5 (+118) (4 units)
The Astros will be competing for an AL West title, assuming they are healthy, and the Angels will not be remotely close. It's the manager who is the issue; it's the front office. Brown is one of those pitchers who is good at home and on the road. It really doesn't matter. He was 4-1 in April and March combined last season, with an ERA of under 2.00. He walked just seven batters in 37 innings with 40 strikeouts in those six starts in March and April. Soriano walked 15 batters in six starts over March and April in 34 innings, allowing 35 hits.
Total Pick for Angels vs. Astros
- Under 8 (4 units)
I tend to like going under in the early part of the season as the hitters are still trying to get the cobwebs out. These teams have gone under in three straight and six of their last seven meetings. Brown is a really steady pitcher and that Angels lineup is not what it once was. The same can be said about Houston, though Soriano's road ERA (2.91) last season was a lot better than his home ERA (5.90)
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