Dodgers vs. Angels MLB Picks: Large Gap Between Rivals Grows

Friday’s Freeway Series opener between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Angels might be a blowout. We break it down with our top Dodgers-Angels MLB picks.

The Dodgers are downright scary at the moment, entering this two-game set with the Angels as winners of 13 of their last 15 games. Their City of Angels counterparts couldn’t be any different, losing 10 of the last 12 and enter this one limping.

The combination could lead to a very uneventful game despite all the palpable buzz the star-studded rivalry normally brings.

Here are my MLB picks and predictions for Friday’s game between the Dodgers and Angels (odds via FanDuel Sportsbook and DraftKings Sportsbook; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Dodgers vs. Angels Game Info

Date: Friday, July 15, 9:38 p.m. ETTV: BSWLocation: Angel Stadium, Anaheim, CAWeather: 75 degrees, sunny, wind 8 mph out

Dodgers vs. Angels Odds

Dodgers vs. Angels Odds Analysis

The Dodgers were initially somewhat modest -209 favorites before some money came in on the Angels and pushed them as high as -190 on DraftKings as of this writing. The best spot to back the Angels is BetMGM, where they are +170.

The Dodgers are commanding 94% of moneyline bets and 87% of the handle, according to DraftKings, with 79% of the run line tickets and 48% of the run line money.

The total has been a strange one, considering just 40% of the tickets but a whopping 78% of the moeny is. on the Under

Dodgers vs. Angels Projected Pitchers

LHP Clayton Kershaw (6-2, 2.40 ERA) vs. LHP Patrick Sandoval (3-4, 2.95 ERA)

Kershaw gave up six runs at Coors Field on June 28, something that is totally excusable and, frankly, expected given his history there. Aside from that, this may be the best version of the legendary lefty we’ve ever seen given his ratios and early results.

https://twitter.com/Dodgers/status/1546250602971140096

Sandoval has been excellent in his own right with a 2.95 ERA as listed above, and he has been dominant in the strikeout department. However, there are some troubling numbers under the surface, though, and that’s why a recent five-run outing against the Houston Astros is concerning coming into this one.

Dodgers vs. Angels Picks

Run line: Dodgers -1.5 (-120 via DraftKings) ?????Over/Under: Under 8 (-112 via FanDuel) ???Prop bet: Clayton Kershaw Over 6.5 strikeouts (-145 via DraftKings) ????

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Dodgers vs. Angels ML Pick

Dodgers -1.5 (-120)

I think this line is rather ridiculous given the season Kershaw has had, and the form both teams are in entering this game.

The Dodgers are second in wRC+ over the last two weeks and are posting excellent numbers all across the board like a stupendous .272 batting average and a strong .206 ISO. They’re back to walking at an elite rate (10.2%) and after struggling with strikeouts they’re back to getting the bat on the ball with just 21.1% of plate appearances ending in a punchout over the last two weeks.

The Angels couldn’t be any more different with a league-worst 58 wRC+ in the last two weeks, a 33.6% strikeout rate, and a .072 ISO. I am not exaggerating when I say I think this is the worst strikeout rate and ISO I’ve ever seen in a 14-game span.

At any rate, the prospects of facing Kershaw — who has an expected ERA and an xwOBA on contact in the top 5% of the league — is scary for the Angels. This is not gonna go well.

Dodgers vs. Angels O/U Pick

Under 8 (-112)

It's completely reasonable to think Kershaw may go eight innings without allowing a run on Friday. The Angels have been that bad, and they likely won’t have outfielder Mike Trout once again for this game, further hurting them on offense.

With that, I think it’s on the Dodgers to post at least seven runs to cash the Over. While Sandoval has been pretty awful with a .411 xwOBA on contact and a 4.22 xERA, he’s still struck out a quarter of the batters he faced and, therefore, should be able to escape whatever trouble the walks put him in.

Make no mistake — the Dodgers will win this one handily — but given Sandoval’s ability to get out of jams this year and the fact that he’s left-handed, I don’t know if it’ll be a 10-run night for the better L.A. team. The Dodgers are 12th in the league in wRC+ against lefties this year.

Dodgers vs. Angels Prop Bet

Kershaw Over 6.5 Ks (-145)

I have seen this prop as steep as -155 at Caesars Sportsbook, and I think this is a very solid spot to get in on the big lefty.

I noted above that the Angels have struck out in an unheard of 33.6% of plate appearances in the last two weeks, and Kershaw this season has posted an excellent 27.6% strikeout rate. He’s struck out 18 batters across his last two outings combined, and I think given L.A.’s ineptitude at the plate it’s very possible we get a complete game out of Kershaw, or at the very least eight frames.

That should be more than enough to hit seven punchouts.

Where to Bet on Dodgers-Angels Picks

Here are our top-rated sportsbooks:

FanDuel SportsbookCaesars SportsbookDraftKings SportsbookPointsBetBetMGM

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Dodgers-Angels picks made 7/15/2022 at 2:34 p.m. ET.