The return of Thor to the Big Apple is the highlight of Tuesday’s MLB showcase on TNT when the Los Angeles Angels open a three-game set in the Bronx against the New York Yankees. Noah Syndergaard won 47 games in his first five seasons with the Mets before an arm injury kept him on the shelf in 2020 and limited him to two starts in 2021.
Signing a one-year ‘show me’ deal with the Halos, Syndergaard has helped a revamped pitching staff lead the Angels to near the top of the AL West. The scuffling Angels will look to get straightened out against the MLB best Yankees, who look to avoid a season-worst three-game losing streak.
Angels vs Yankees Date and Time
This AL matchup takes place on Tuesday, May 31, 2022 at 7:05 p.m. ET at Yankee Stadium. The game will air live on TBS with betting options for every game on the 2022 MLB schedule available at BookMaker.eu.
Angels vs Yankees Odds
Los Angeles Angels (Check Back Later)
New York Yankees (Check Back Later)
Total (Check Back Later)
Odds Analysis
One reason why the Angels haven’t been able to contend for a playoff spot or even have a winning record the past few years is poor pitching. While investing in high-priced free agent position players, the team ignored its biggest need. That’s changed this year with LA boasting a solid staff. They did have some issues over the weekend, especially the bullpen, blowing leads several times while being swept four games by Toronto. The Angels enter this series on a season-high five-game losing streak. “A bunch of guys have been really good, collectively all of a sudden, it’s difficult,” Joe Maddon said of his recent bullpen struggles.
We knew the Angels could score with a potent lineup featuring Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. Trout is batting .310 with 13 home runs while Ohtani, coming off a two-homer game in Sunday’s 11-10 loss, has 11 dingers. The Angels average 4.8 runs and cashed the OVER in three of their last four outings, though that had more to do with their bullpen failures than anything else.
Strong pitching and timely hitting is a good recipe on the diamond, and the Yankees have had both for most of the season. The combination has helped the Bombers to the best record and has them as one of the top moneymakers in the Majors at 33-14. The Yanks are up nearly $600 on the moneyline putting them as the third most profitable team at week’s end. However, the week ended on a sour note with consecutive losses to division rival Tampa Bay.
The staff limited the Rays to just nine runs in four games and boasts the third lowest ERA at 2.95. It helped them cash the UNDER in three straight and four of the last five games while playing below the closing total in 27 of their 48 games. The offense suffered a double whammy recently, though, with the loss of Giancarlo Stanton and Josh Donaldson, who are expected to miss a few weeks with injuries.
Probable Pitchers
Noah Syndergaard (4-2, 3.08 ERA) followed up his worst game of the season with arguably his best, and they came against the same team. Two starts ago Syndergaard didn’t make it out of the first inning giving up four hits and two walks and they all scored in a 7-4 loss to the Rangers.
A few days later Thor got the chance to make up for that showing and boy did he. He allowed four hits and one run with five punchouts in 8.0 innings, his longest stint since returning from elbow surgery. He’s pitched into the sixth inning in six of his seven starts allowing two or fewer runs in five of them.
Syndergaard has taken a liking to his new home ballpark, but he’s struggled on the road. He lost his last two road starts giving up seven earned runs in 7.2 innings. Overall he’s 1-2 with a 5.93 ERA and 1.46 WHIP in three road starts. In his lone start at Yankee Stadium he allowed one run and eight hits over 5.0 innings picking up a victory while a member of the other New York team.
The Yankees will counter with lefty Jordan Montgomery (0-1, 3.30 ERA), who’s pitched well this season with little to show for it. He’s gone six straight starts without a decision posting a 3.66 ERA in that span.
The Yankees went 3-3 in those games and are 3-6 in games Montgomery started. He tossed a season-high 88 pitches in his longest outing of the season last time out against the Orioles giving up two runs on four hits with five strikeouts in 6.0 innings.
Angels vs Yankees Predictions
After enjoying all kinds of success this season the Angels have suddenly struggled with their bullpen in tatters. Heading on the road to take on the best team in baseball isn’t the ideal situation to break out of their funk.
Though I do think Syndergaard will be motivated by his return to New York and the Angels have enough offense to do some damage making the OVER a value play in this matchup.
Prediction: Los Angeles Angels and OVER
