Giants vs Angels Picks and Prediction – 4/20/2025

The San Francisco Giants (13-7) and Los Angeles Angels (10-9) wrap up a weekend series Sunday afternoon at Angel Stadium, with first pitch at 2:07 PM ET. The Angels took Game 1 with a 2-0 shutout, and both clubs are sending out struggling starters: Justin Verlander (0-1, 6.75 ERA) for San Francisco and Yusei Kikuchi (0-3, 4.13 ERA) for the Angels. This is the rubber match of the three-game set. Elevate your MLB game with our top-notch MLB picks.

The Giants have been solid early, sitting at 13-7 despite dropping three of the last four. Friday’s shutout loss was a quiet offensive night, but the club showed pop earlier in the week with 21 combined runs in back-to-back wins over Philadelphia. Wilmer Flores continues to be the run producer, tied for the team lead with 6 homers and topping the squad with 23 RBI. Jung Hoo Lee leads the Giants with a scorching .361 average and a .420 OBP.

San Francisco owns a strong 3.52 team ERA and has limited opponents to a .226 average. The bullpen has been reliable, anchored by a team WHIP of 1.25. Injuries remain a factor, though, with Bryce Eldridge, Cole Waites, and Ethan Small all sidelined, while Casey Schmitt is expected to return later in the month. Verlander has yet to find rhythm in 2025, allowing 24 hits and 9 walks in just 18.2 innings.

The Angels have now won three of the last five and got exactly what they needed Friday: a dominant pitching performance and some timely hitting to edge out the opener. Mike Trout, despite a .171 average, still leads the team with 6 home runs and 14 RBI. Nolan Schanuel is producing well with a .282 average and .346 OBP. Offensively, the Halos are slugging .412 as a team and have launched 30 long balls.

The Angels’ pitching hasn’t been as sharp, with a 4.50 ERA and opponents hitting .249 against them. Kikuchi, winless in his first four starts, has shown flashes with 22 strikeouts over 24 innings but has struggled keeping the ball in the yard. The bullpen has been taxed due to multiple arms on the IL, including Ben Joyce and Robert Stephenson, so a quality outing from Kikuchi is key to avoid overexposure.

The Giants are simply the more balanced team right now. Offensively, they’re outscoring opponents with 104 total runs to the Angels’ 81 and boast a stronger pitching staff, evident in a 3.52 ERA compared to L.A.’s 4.50. With Jung Hoo Lee swinging a hot bat and the Angels’ bullpen still banged up, San Francisco has the edge even with Verlander struggling. Final Score Prediction: San Francisco Giants win 5-3.