922 Houston at LA Angels

Keuchel & Skaggs

With the Angels now 14 games behind the Astros and 9 behind Seattle in the wildcard chase, this team needs to start the second half of the season in style. And the situation screams for the host here. The Astros just had a number of players flying into and out of the nation’s capital for the All-Star Game. It’s a great honor to be a participant in those festivities but it wrecks havoc on your body clock. As opposed to the Angels, the Astros had a major group who were in Washington DC this week. That’s a major advantage for the Angels here in what is sure to be a tough night for many players. Especially offensively as the first game after the break traditionally is lower scoring. While both starters are in excellent current form, we prefer Skaggs in this matchup. Our numbers have him as a rising star that’s being undervalued in the marketplace. The offenses rate very close to even, but the situational advantage hurts the visitor. While Houston has the vastly superior bullpen, we believe the wrong team is favored here.

PLAY LOS ANGELES ANGELS