A four-run comeback led to a miraculous 7-5 Mets win on Monday night. Now, New York will attempt to keep pace with Philadelphia in the NL East with another victory tonight. That’s easier said than done against a surprisingly competitive Angels squad. Los Angeles, despite its sub-.500 record (49-51) remains a factor in the American League playoff picture. Below, I’ve laid out my preview, prediction, and best bet for Tuesday’s matchup between the Angels and the Mets.
The Mets are favorites (-174) over the Angels, with the over/under set at nine runs. Let’s break down which side has the edge on DraftKings Sportsbook entering tonight’s contest.
Angels vs. Mets prediction, preview
This isn’t exactly a marquee pitching matchup. Taking the hill for New York will be Frankie Montas, making his fifth appearance of the season. It’s been shaky so far for the right-hander, signed to a two-year, $34-million dollar deal last winter. The 32-year-old has notched a lackluster 5.03 ERA over 19.2 innings of work. However, he’s fresh off of a stellar five-inning, one-run performance vs. the Royals on July 12th. The Dominican has had trouble with the long ball, posting a terrible 1.8 HR/9 ratio thus far. That’s not ideal against tonight’s opponent. Los Angeles has clubbed 147 home runs this year, fourth-most in baseball.
Montas has plenty of experience in this matchup, but not against most of the current Angels hitters. Taylor Ward (.333 batting average) and Mike Trout (.440 on-base percentage) have both had success when facing the veteran. However, several Los Angeles hitters such as Luis Rengifo (1-for-9) and Jorge Soler (0-for-6) have struggled. The Halso have scored the league’s seventh-most runs (57) over their previous ten outings.
It’s not as if LA has a sure thing on the mound, either. Kyle Hendricks will get the nod tonight, taking the hill for the 19th time this year. The longtime Cubs starter has posted a mediocre 4.88 ERA and 1.29 WHIP. The Mets, despite a recent slump, remain one of baseball’s deepest lineups. Against right-handers, they rank fifth in OPS (.757). New York has three different hitters batting at least .300 vs Hendricks: Jeff McNeil (.429), Brandon Nimmo (.333) and Juan Soto (.308). It doesn’t help that the veteran has been much worse away from Angel Stadium (5.40 road ERA).
Angels vs. Mets pick, best bet
Best Bet: Angels vs. Mets over nine total runs (-122)
It’s difficult to trust either of these inconsistent arms tonight. Although the Mets powered their way to a win on Monday, the Angels are underrated at the plate. Keeping that in mind, the safest play in this one is to back the over. Expect plenty of scoring at Citi Field on Tuesday.
