Angels vs Tigers Game 1 prediction and odds for Thursday, July 27 (The All-in Angels)

Yesterday, the second of this three-game series between the Los Angeles Angels and Detroit Tigers got rained out, so we’ll have a double-header in Detroit today. For the first game, the Angels will turn to ace Shohei Ohtani. LA is seemingly keeping Ohtani and last night swung a trade for Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez to load up for a playoff push. 

The Tigers are 46-55 and could be trading away their All-Star, Michael Lorenzen, who will be taking the mound opposite Ohtani today. Ohtani is 8-5 with a 3.71 ERA and Lorenzen is 5-6 with a 3.49 ERA. 

Let’s take a look at the odds for the first game of two today in Detroit. 

Angels vs. Tigers odds, run line and total

Angels vs. Tigers prediction and pick

Shohei Ohtani is the best player in the history of baseball and the Angels have decided that they’d like to try to make the playoffs with him once before he potentially leaves in free agency this offseason. They’re going to be buyers at the deadline and already have added pitching around Ohtani in the rotation, but the more important thing is for Ohtani to return to his best form on the mound. 

In July, Ohtani has been flat out bad, allowing 15 runs and six homers in three starts, a total of 16.1 innings. He has 21 strikeouts to eight walks in that stretch and his ERA has climbed to 3.71 from 3.02. His ERA might not be done climbing because after last start where he got knocked around by the Pirates of all teams, his FIP jumped to 4.29. Eventually, Ohtani will bounce back, but it seems like the stress of the impending deadline and the physical toll of playing both ways might be catching up to him on the mound. 

There’s a chance that the stress will be lifted with the news that the Angels are keeping Ohtani, but I still think I’m fading the pitcher Ohtani for the time being. His numbers look like somebody to fade and I expected a bad stretch from him because of the discrepancy between his ERA and FIP entering this month. 

Michael Lorenzen is in the exact same situation with a 3.49 ERA and 4.03 FIP except he’s had an unbelievable month of July. Lorenzen hasn’t allowed a run over his three starts this month. I’m fading him as well because the numbers say I should and that means the easy play here is the over. 

Follow all Josh Yourish’s bets HERE

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change