Reds vs Angels Prediction - MLB Picks 8/23/23

Cincinnati has yet to name a starter for game two.

Reds Player Trends & Props

• Spencer Steer doubled in a run in last night’s victory, and he leads the team in hits (120), home runs (18), with 67 RBI. 

• Matt McClain went yard in the game one win, and he leads Cincy in batting (.296), with 44 RBI.

• Elly De La Cruz has reached base in eight of the previous ten games, and he’s batting .254, with 46 runs scored thru 64 games.

• TJ Freidl has totaled multiple bases in three of the last five games, and he’s second on the team in batting (.276) and hits (102). 

Angels Preview & Projected Starters

Los Angeles moved to 61-64 after Cincinnati. The Angels were embarrassed at home in the series finale, and they’ll look to redeem themselves here in Tuesday. The LAA offense is scoring 4.16 runs per game, while batting .257, with a .333 on-base percentage. The pitching staff carries a 4.43 ERA, with a 1.36 WHIP. 

Shohei Ohtani (10-5, 3.17 ERA, 156 Ks) will take the mound for LAA in the first contest. The two-way superstar pitched well in in-state action against San Francisco last time out, tossing six scoreless frames to earn his tenth victory of the season. Ohtani has now thrown eighteen straight shutout innings, and he’ll look to keep this momentum going at home here in game one. Ohtani has also recorded a hit in eight of the last ten games, and he’s first in the AL in home runs (43), while leading LAA in hits (140) and RBI (89), while batting .304.

Reid Detmers (2-8, 4.78 ERA, 126 Ks) will make the road start for Los Angeles. The third-year lefty came through with one of his finer outings of the season last week in Arlington, holding the Rangers scoreless over 7.1 innings pitched to earn his third victory. Detmers struggled to open the month, but he bounced back last time out, and he’ll come into a manageable spot here against a Cincy lineup that will be in their second game of the day. The Nashville native has held teams to two runs or less in five of his last seven starts at home.

Angels Player Trends & Props

• Brandon Drury has homered in the three straight games, and he’s posting splits of .269/18/55.

• Mike Moustakas also went yard against his former squad last night, and he’s posting a line of .271/12/43.

• Hunter Renfroe has reached base in four of the last five games,  and he’s second on the team in RBI (52), with eighteen home runs. 

• Mike Trout went 1-4, with a single in his return to action last night. 

Corey’s Free Pick G1

Shohei Ohtani and Andrew Abbott could churn out a really good matchup on the mound here in the first contest of the day, and I like buying into the pitchers duel here. Both pitchers have been in good form, and with both clubs needing to win now rather than later, I believe we get the best from these two here on Wednesday. Take the Under for game one.

Corey’s Free Pick G2

Now with both lineups having to deal with premier pitching in the first leg, I believe the bats may come alive a bit in the second contests, and targeting the total here feels like the more secure route, with the series finale likely to be a rubber match. If the Angels drop Wednesday’s first contest, I like them coming through here to avoid the sweep, but if the series is knotted up, let’s back the Over for this interleague matchup.