Angels at Athletics 3/29/19 - MLB Picks & Predictions

The Los Angeles Angels play the second game of a four-game series on the road Friday against the Oakland Athletics. The Angels are expected to have a better season that last year’s 80-82 but not compete for the American League West crown. Jonathan Lucroy, Justin Bour and Matt Harvey were the top three acquisitions made by the Angels during the offseason.

Oakland lost its first two games of the regular season played in Japan last week to the Seattle Mariners. Oakland finished second in the AL West last season and is expected to finish in the same place in 2019. Matt Chapman, Khris Davis and Stephen Piscotty return to anchor the middle of the batting order. The A’s pitching rotation will feature Marco Estrada, Mike Fiers, Brett Anderson and Frankie Montas. Mike Trout led the Angels in batting average at .312 and home runs with 39, while Justin Upton was the RBIs leader with 85. Trout, Upton, Adrelton Simmons, Kole Calhoun and Albert Pujols will form a strong batting order for the Angels. Los Angeles will send Matt Harvey to the mound on Friday. The right-hander last season with Cincinnati was 7-7 with an ERA of 4.50, 111 Ks and 28 BBs.

Matt Chapman led the A’s in batting average in 2018 at .278. Khris Davis led Oakland in home runs with 48 and RBIs with 123. Oakland outscored its opponents 813-674 in 2018 and will have most of the same players in the lineup less Jed Lowrie. Oakland will send Marco Estrada to the mound on Friday. In 2018, Estrada is 0-0 with an ERA of 5.40 and 1 strikeout after pitching in the second game of the regular season in Japan against Seattle.