Houston Astros at Los Angeles Angels 9/20/21 - MLB Picks & Predictions

AL West Division rivals will clash on Monday night, when the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Angels open up a series from Angel Stadium. The Astros (88-61) have won seven of their last ten games and hold a six-game lead over Oakland for first place.  On Sunday, Jose Siri and Chas McCormick hit back-to-back home run in the eight inning to rally Houston to a 7-6 home victory versus Arizona.

Twenty-seven year old southpaw Framber Valdez (10-5 3.26 ERA) is having a breakthrough season. In his last start, Valdez gave up five runs (4 ER) in five innings during a 10-5 home victory versus Los Angeles. 

The Los Angeles Angels have lost three straight games and have fallen out of postseason contention. On Sunday, Los Angeles left seven men on base and struck out ten times during a 3-2 home loss versus Oakland in ten innings. SP Shohei Ohtani fanned ten batters in eight innings and did not factor in the decision for the Angels (72-77).

Los Angeles manager Joe Maddon will turn to twenty-five year old righty Jaime Barria (2-3 4.93 ERA) on Monday. The Angels have lost four of Barria’s last five starts and he has given up 12 runs over his last 20 plus frames.