It’s the first day of September and the 2021 MLB season continues with plenty of interesting matchups on Wednesday’s schedule, so here’s the best Yankees vs. Angels betting pick, as these two American League foes wrap up their three-game set at Angel Stadium in Anaheim.
The Angels upset the odds in the opener last Monday, outlasting the Yanks 8-7 as +170 home dogs. They are massive dogs for Wednesday’s closer (the middle contest is excluded from the preview), while the totals sit at 8.5 runs on BetRivers.
The Yankees close down a nine-game road trip
The New York Yankees fell to 76-55 on the season following that narrow defeat in Anaheim. They also extended their winning streak to three games, as the Yanks finished the previous week with a couple of defeats at the Oakland Athletics.
New York held the top wild card in the American League on Tuesday, a couple of games ahead of the Red Sox and four ahead of the Athletics. The Yanks have been ridiculous since the All-Star break, compiling a 3.23 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and .221 batting average against to go with a .240/.332/.415 batting line.
Gerrit Cole (13-6; 2.80 ERA) will toe the slab Wednesday, searching for his fourth straight victory. Over his previous three outings, the 30-year-old righty has allowed only one earned run across 17.2 frames of work while punching out 24. That one run came in a 2-1 home win over the Angels on August 16, as Justin Upton took him deep in the first inning.
The Angels continue their nine-game homestand
The Los Angeles Angels improved to 65-67 on the season following Monday’s upset. It was their second win in a row, as the Halos thrashed off the San Diego Padres 10-2 last Sunday to put an end to their three-game losing streak.
In the last two weeks of action, the Angels have gone 6-6 while registering the fourth-highest ERA in the majors (5.77). They’ve scored 65 runs in the process, slashing .249/.322/.412.
Packy Naughton will get the starting call Wednesday, his first in the big leagues. The 25-year-old left-hander had a couple of relief appearances in August and yielded three runs (one earned) across 5.1 frames of work. Last Friday, Naughton allowed a couple of unearned runs on three hits and a pair of walks through 4.1 innings.
Trends:
NY Yankees:
- 13-3 in the last 16 games overall
- 5-2 in Gerrit Cole’s last seven starts
LA Angels:
- 3-6 in the last nine games overall
New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Angels Pick
Gerrit Cole has owned the Angels throughout his career, posting a 7-1 record with a strong 2.60 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in ten starts (62.1 innings pitched). The Yankees rested their bullpen in the opener (Corey Kluber and Andrew Heaney combined for 18 outs), so they should have a huge advantage on the mound in this one.
Hereof, betting on the Yankees to win straight up is a way to go, though you can take them to cover if you’re not satisfied with the moneyline odds. The Bombers are hitting the lefties well, tallying a .766 OPS.
Pick: Take New York Yankees at -240
The Total:
The totals seem like a tricky wager because of the Yankees’ pitching staff. The visitors could easily score a lot in this matchup, but the Angels’ offense will have a mountain to climb against Gerrit Cole and his relievers.
I’ll lean on Cole’s recent form and take the under. Ten of the Yankees’ last 14 games against the AL West went in the under, but four of their previous five encounters with the Angels in Anaheim went in the over. You never know with the Angels’ defense either, while their bullpen has recorded a 4.66 ERA over the last couple of weeks.
Pick: Go under 8.5 runs at -105
