Angels aim to break skid in matchup with the Astros

Updated Sep. 14, 2024 4:00 a.m. ET

Associated Press

Houston Astros (79-68, first in the AL West) vs. Los Angeles Angels (60-87, fifth in the AL West)

Anaheim, California; Saturday, 9:38 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Astros: Justin Verlander (3-6, 5.30 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 63 strikeouts); Angels: Tyler Anderson (10-12, 3.50 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 132 strikeouts)

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK: LINE Astros -176, Angels +147; over/under is 8 1/2 runs

BOTTOM LINE: The Los Angeles Angels look to stop a three-game slide when they take on the Houston Astros.

Los Angeles has a 60-87 record overall and a 30-43 record at home. The Angels are 37-21 in games when they have more hits than their opponents.

Houston has a 37-36 record in road games and a 79-68 record overall. Astros hitters have a collective .322 on-base percentage, the seventh-best percentage in MLB play.

The teams meet Saturday for the eighth time this season. The Astros are up 4-3 in the season series.

TOP PERFORMERS: Zachary Neto leads the Angels with a .254 batting average, and has 31 doubles, a triple, 21 home runs, 36 walks and 71 RBI. Taylor Ward is 12-for-37 with four home runs and six RBI over the last 10 games.

Yordan Alvarez has 31 doubles, two triples and 33 home runs for the Astros. Jose Altuve is 15-for-40 with four doubles, a home run and six RBI over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Angels: 3-7, .205 batting average, 4.50 ERA, outscored by three runs

Astros: 4-6, .282 batting average, 4.00 ERA, outscored opponents by one run

INJURIES: Angels: Michael Stefanic: day-to-day (calf), Brandon Drury: day-to-day (hamstring), Anthony Rendon: 10-Day IL (oblique), Matt Moore: 60-Day IL (elbow), Ben Joyce: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Jo Adell: 60-Day IL (oblique), Kevin Pillar: 10-Day IL (thumb), Jose Soriano: 60-Day IL (arm), Jose Marte: 60-Day IL (viral infection), Carson Fulmer: 15-Day IL (elbow), Mike Trout: 60-Day IL (meniscus), Luis Rengifo: 60-Day IL (wrist), Andrew Wantz: 60-Day IL (elbow), Patrick Sandoval: 60-Day IL (elbow), Kelvin Caceres: 60-Day IL (lat), Robert William Stephenson: 60-Day IL (shoulder)

Astros: Chas McCormick: 10-Day IL (wrist), J.P. France: 60-Day IL (undisclosed), Cristian Javier: 60-Day IL (forearm), Jose Urquidy: 60-Day IL (forearm), Oliver Ortega: 60-Day IL (elbow), Bennett Sousa: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Penn Murfee: 60-Day IL (elbow), Luis Garcia: 60-Day IL (elbow), Lance McCullers Jr.: 60-Day IL (elbow), Kendall Graveman: 60-Day IL (elbow)

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.