Los Angeles Angels vs. Tampa Bay Rays Prediction: Will Noah Syndergaard Start Earning More Strikeouts?
Los Angeles Angels vs. Tampa Bay Rays Prediction: Will Noah Syndergaard Start Earning More Strikeouts?
The Los Angeles Angels are currently 19-11 to begin the year. We finally get to see Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout compete for a pennant! I know it’s early in the season but all of baseball has been praying for this moment.
Meanwhile, the Angels will have to get through the Tampa Bay Rays, who are 18-11 to start the season. Tonight, the Rays and Angels will start a new series. Which team will get out on top in the first game? Here are our picks, predictions, and odds for Monday’s game between the Los Angeles Angels and Tampa Bay Rays.
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Angels vs. Rays Start Time and Where to Watch, and Odds
- Date: May 9, 2022
- Game Time: 9:38 pm ET
- Where to Watch: BSW/BSSUN
Click Here for Angels vs Rays Odds
Angels vs Rays Injury Report
Angels
Out: 3B Matt Duffy (Illness), 2B David Fletcher (Hip)
Rays
None of Importance
Angels vs. Rays Line Movement
Los Angeles Angels vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction
The Rays continue to win games with players you've never heard of. Tonight, the Rays will pitch Jeffery Springs, who has a 1-0 record and a .69 ERA. The Rays develop pitchers like no other.
Springs has a 3.61 xFIP with 25% of strikeouts and 6.8% of walks this season. The lefty is earning 51.7% of ground balls and giving up just 17.2% of line drives.
He'll compete against an Angels projected lineup that has a .149 ISO and wOBA of .327. But to be fair, without Taylor Ward, Mike Trout, and Anthony Rendon, the lineup would be lacking. The rest of the lineup has been very unproductive, including Ohtani.
Ohtani will figure it out offensively and has now moved from the one-spot in the order to the clean-up hitter in the order. That could help him get going, batting behind Mike Trout.
On the other hand, Noah Syndergaard will get the call for the Angels. The newly acquired ace has a 2.63 ERA with a 2-1 record. However, his xFIP is nearing five, with a 4.95 number. He’s also only struck out 14.6% of the batters this season.
However, the good news is that Syndergaard is earning 50.7% ground balls and getting 16% of line drives, so he’s had success outside of his strikeouts.
The Rays' projected lineup has a .151 ISO and wOBA of .299 against righties this season with 27.2% strikeouts. So maybe Syndergaard finally finds his put-away stuff again and earns some strikeouts.
The reality is, the Rays are really only getting consistent power from Wander Franco and Ji-Man Choi against righties this season when looking at ISO numbers.
The Angels have more to give in their lineup. With Syndergaard on the mound and the Angels bats dominating lefties at the top of the order, I'll take the Angels at home as they go for win number 20.
Los Angeles Angels vs. Tampa Bay Rays Pick
- Angels (-135) (Bet $135 to Win $100)
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Article Author
Jason grew up an avid sports fan. His passion for sports writing grew in high school and he developed a blog that was strictly for New York Sports. From his work, you will quickly realize that he loves looking at games from an analytical and numbers perspective and hopes to provide you with that same perspective in his articles.