The Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels provide baseball fans with a late-night AL West showdown.
The pregame narrative: Texas had won six straight games before yesterday’s loss, and looks to rebound against L.A. southpaw Yusei Kikuchi. I’m targeting three players in this +340 SGP, including Kikuchi and his teammate Mike Trout.
Check out my Rangers vs. Angels predictions, also featuring Corey Seager.
Rangers vs. Angels predictions
Parlay: Kikuchi over 5.5 Ks | Seager over 1.5 bases | Trout over 0.5 hits (+340)
Kikuchi over 5.5 Ks (-175): Kikuchi is prone to giving up hard contact, but he’s also a consistent strikeout arm.
The lefty has a respectable 24.1% K rate (63rd percentile) and has logged five-plus Ks in eight of his last 10 starts. In that span, Kikuchi is 5-5 against this line.
He has every opportunity to over-index tonight against a Rangers team with the sixth-highest K rate vs. LHP (25.3%).
In the last 30 days, Texas has the second-highest K rate (27.9%) and the seventh-lowest wRC+ (78) against lefties.
Kikuchi is 2-1 against this line in his last three starts against the Rangers, averaging exactly 6.0 Ks.
MLB SGP legs
Seager over 1.5 bases (-110): I said earlier that Kikuchi can get hit hard, and want to tap into that by backing Seager.
- Kikuchi ranks in the 33rd percentile or lower in barrel rate, hard-hit rate and average exit velocity. His 91.4 mph average exit velocity ranks in the sixth percentile.
- Seager is slashing .333/.455/.630 this month with nine doubles and five HRs.
- He bats from the left side, but his SLG vs. LHP (.515) is higher than his SLG vs. RHP (.470).
Seager is 4-for-15 off Kikuchi with a home run. That might not seem impressive, but his .344 xBA and .665 xSLG in those at-bats indicate there is a lot more production on the table.
Trout over 0.5 hits (-245): I’ve been trying to fade Rangers starter Patrick Corbin for a while, and it’s seldom worked out.
The veteran is having his best season in years, posting a 3.78 ERA with a 1.27 WHIP.
But Corbin’s .271 xBA tells me he’s gotten a bit lucky, and his 75th percentile walk rate indicates Trout should be putting the ball in play.
Trout isn’t having a great year by any means, but I think he can take advantage of this righty-lefty matchup.
The slugger has a hit in 10 of his last 14 games.
Rangers vs. Angels predictions made at 1:05 p.m. ET on 07/29/2025.
Avery joined NorthStar Gaming as an intern in 2022 before stepping into a full-time role soon after. He loves betting on and analyzing golf — mainly because it’s easier than actually playing — but is a fan of all sports, from the NFL to the UFC.