Oakland Athletics @ Los Angeles Angels Matchup Preview - August 3rd, 2022
Right-hander James Kaprielian is expected to start today for Oakland, while right-hander Shohei Ohtani gets the nod at home for Los Angeles. Kaprielian enters this contest with a 4.50 ERA, backed up by a 5.36 FIP (which is a better measure of the things a pitcher can control). Ohtani, meanwhile, has a 2.36 FIP underlying his 2.81 ERA. The last time James Kaprielian was on the bump, he recorded the win as the Athletics defeated the White Sox 7-3. He left allowing 1 earned run and recording 4 strikeouts with 1 walk. Ohtani's last start was against the Rangers, when he recorded the loss as the Angels were defeated 0-2. Over 6 innings pitched, he allowed 2 earned runs with 8 hits. He also recorded 11 strikeouts with 0 walks.
Oakland Athletics Insights
James Kaprielian has been given a shorter leash than the typical pitcher this year, throwing 6.1 fewer adjusted pitches-per-game than the average starting pitcher.
Jed Lowrie has primarily hit in the top-half of the lineup this season (95% of the time), but he is projected to hit 6th on the lineup card today.
Vimael Machin has a 94th percentile opposite-field rate on his flyballs (37.9%) and will be challenged by the game's 10th-deepest LF fences today.
Los Angeles Angels Insights
It may come as a surprise, but fastballs are generally a pitcher's least effective pitch. Shohei Ohtani has used his non-fastballs 9.5% more often this season (65.4%) than he did last year (55.9%).
Jo Adell's average exit velocity has fallen off in recent games; his 87.2-mph seasonal EV has dropped to 78-mph over the last two weeks.
Projected catcher Max Stassi profiles as an elite pitch framer, via THE BAT projection system.
Betting Trends
The Los Angeles Angels have hit the 1st Five Innings (F5) Total Under in 47 of their last 85 games (+11.45 Units / 12% ROI)
The Oakland Athletics have hit the Game Total Under in 54 of their last 98 games (+10.95 Units / 10% ROI)
Jared Walsh has hit the Hits Under in 7 of his last 8 games at home (+8.35 Units / 103% ROI)